The Extinction of Sharks?
One of the ocean's most feared predators is facing possible extinction, but why? And what will the effects be?
Sharks have always been an animal that has garnered my attention. My sheer fascination with these creatures has led to a wider love of the ocean and all that resides within it. But, this mostly unexplored world beneath the water is in trouble due to numerous reasons. One of which is the destruction of one of the ocean's top apex predators.
Sharks have had a bad reputation for some time, especially after the release of Jaws in 1974, causing mass galeophobia (fear of sharks) and hatred of them. Interestingly, the author of Jaws saw the demonization of sharks caused by his book and began advocating for shark protection. But, in many respects, sharks are more fearful of us and should be, considering we kill an estimated 100 million sharks a year. While sharks only account for an average of four fatalities yearly worldwide. And much of the sharks which have apparently ‘attacked’ a human have only taken a small inquisitive bite to determine what it is they are actually encountering, according to the New Scientist.
If the mass slaughter of sharks does not stop, we will encounter a humungous problem in our oceans. The equilibrium of our ocean’s ecosystem and marine life will…
