Most people, even animal lovers, are pretty scared of sharks. Most depictions and coverage of sharks suggests that they are violent, dangerous creatures. However, sharks actually have reason to be way more afraid of humans. A significantly greater number of sharks are killed by humans every year than humans killed by sharks (I’m talking hundreds […]
Tag: sharks
Western Australia shark attack: police divers search for missing surfer
A search has resumed for a surfer who was mauled by a shark near Esperance in Western Australia. The man could not be found after being attacked just before 11am on Friday at Kelp Beds beach. Another surfer tried to pull him from the water but was unable to do so, the Western Australian premier, […]
Petition: Half Million Sharks Could be Killed for the Coronavirus Vaccine
Conservationists warn that up to half a million sharks could be killed to produce the coronavirus vaccine. Sharks produce squalene, the natural oil in their livers, that’s used in vaccines around the world. Squalene is used to create a stronger immune response in the vaccine, therefore increasing its efficacy. GlaxoSmithKline, a pharmaceutical company, uses squalene […]
‘Rolling and rolling and rolling’: the first detailed account of great white shark sex
It has been described as the “holy grail” of marine biology, an act that is crucial to the survival of apex predators but has never been documented in detail: the mating of great white sharks. Despite decades of research into the habits of the white pointer, how and where the marine creatures mate has largely […]
Sharks nearby? A bottle of seawater can hold the answer, study says
Two liters of seawater, or about half a gallon. That’s all that’s needed to detect the presence of sharks in the ocean, according to a new study. A group of researchers from Florida International University (FIU), New College of Florida and Havenworth Coastal Conservation recently teamed up to develop a new method of detecting the […]
Maine Woman Is Killed in Possible Shark Attack
Maine may have experienced its first-ever fatal shark attack. Officials in the Pine Tree State are investigating a possible shark attack that took place Monday and left one woman dead. If it’s confirmed, it will go down in the books as Maine’s first official deadly shark attack, ABC News reported. The Maine Department of Marine […]
Sharks Are Vanishing From Many of the World’s Reefs
A landmark study by Global FinPrint reveals sharks are absent on many of the world’s coral reefs, indicating they are functionally extinct — too rare to fulfill their normal role in the ecosystem. Of the 371 reefs surveyed in 58 countries, sharks were not observed on nearly 20 percent, indicating a widespread decline that has […]
Authorities seize record 26 tons of illegal shark fins in Hong Kong
Customs officials in Hong Kong have seized 26 tons of shark fins from an estimated 38,500 sharks classified as vulnerable and protected species — the biggest shipment ever to be intercepted in the region, according to a press release published May 6. This is more than double the amount of all fins seized in 31 […]