By Adrienne Morris
Sharks have been around long before we were. The earliest evidence of shark fossils dates back to four hundred and fifty million years ago; one hundred and ninety million years before dinosaurs roamed the earth. Unfortunately, as of right now, the shark population is declining rapidly. Of the thousands of shark species, over thirty percent of sharks have become endangered. Meaning, sharks are at serious risk of extinction.
Why? Climate change is the first aspect of this epidemic. Climate change has polluted the seas for thousands of species, sharks included. Although a factor, climate change is no longer the biggest contributor to shark endangerment. Instead, shark endangerment is collateral damage of overfishing, which is also a large contributor to current climate issues that are continuing to worsen. Overfishing is when fish are taken faster than they reproduce, resulting in the decline of thousands of fish species that other animals rely on as a food source. This still isn’t the biggest contributor to shark endangerment, instead we look towards the fact that sharks are being hunted. Sharks have natural resources in their body. They are hunted for their meat, liver oil, fins, and skin. Shark fisheries exist everywhere and are now the number one cause for shark endangerment around the world. Additionally, many sharks are caught due to something called bycatch. Bycatch is accidentally catching non-targeted species when fishing. Thousands of sharks have been caught in the crossfire of fishing and longlining.
How can we help? Of course, you can contribute and participate in donating to the Save Our Seas Foundation, a foundation helping end shark endangerment. Also, being an active member of your community and making an effort to reduce the climate change epidemic impacts the environment more than many realize. You are not powerless. Donations help with the fight for new and different management of fisheries and overfishing. Being aware of the gas emissions you send into the atmosphere, saving and reducing your carbon footprint, as well as being aware of your use of freshwater can make a lasting difference that can save our planet and our sharks.
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