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 […]
Tag: Whale Shark
Petition: Tour Guide and Tourist Treated Endangered Whale Shark as a Surfboard!
Whale sharks are endangered because of the impact of commercial fisheries. They are often targets but also suffer as by-catch, as many marine animals do. As people tend to do, they exploit these endangered animals. Many tourist spots around the world offer tourists the opportunities to see them or even swim with them. The entire […]
Thousands of sharks and rays are likely entangled in plastic polluting Earth’s oceans
New research finds that thousands of sharks and rays could be entangled in the plastic polluting Earth’s oceans. Scientists at the UK’s University of Exeter examined existing scientific literature and took to Twitter to find documented instances of shark and ray entanglements. They ended up finding reports of more than 1,000 entangled animals — and […]
Plastics found in dolphins, seals, and whales in UK waters
Researchers who examined 50 marine mammals that had washed up on Britain’s shores say they found microplastics in the guts of every single animal. In a paper published in the journal Scientific Reports last month, a research team from the UK’s University of Exeter and Plymouth Marine Laboratory detailed their findings after studying the digestive […]
We’re Eating the Largest Animals off the Face of the Earth
We already know some of the earth’s largest animals are facing a range of threats from climate change and pollution to habitat loss, but according to a new study our demand for their meat is now one of the biggest threats to their survival. For the study, which was just published in the journal Conservation […]
DNA test helps officials spot dodgy shark shipments
A multi-national research team has developed a rapid DNA identification method to help customs inspectors detect illegally traded wildlife products, beginning with sharks. The DNA testing protocol, published last month, detects nine of 12 commonly traded shark species quickly enough to enable officials to determine whether a shipment requires further inspection. These sharks have small […]
Scientists say endangered whale sharks can live up to 130 years
We know very little about the growth and reproductive biology of whale sharks, the world’s largest fish species. Because they’re listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, scientists are looking for ways to fill this gap in our knowledge without overly disturbing or distressing individual whale sharks. Scientists at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in […]
POLL: Should the importing of shark fins be banned?
Shark finning in Canadian waters is illegal, but due to a lapse in legislative action there is currently no national ban on importing shark fins from regions where the practice remains legal. And animal rights advocates say that has to change. Shark finning has actually been illegal in Canada since 1994, meaning that no shark […]