Why Do Sharks Continue At Risk Of Extinction?

Endangered species are considered to be at risk of extinction. This means that in the future, these species will no longer be around and they will completely disappear from the face of the earth. Sharks are one of these endangered species. Today, there are about more than 400 kinds of species of sharks living in our oceans. They are apex predators who are at the top of their marine food chains, and they regulate the populations of species below them. Research has shown that a huge exhaustion in sharks have cascading effects throughout the ocean’s ecosystems (Anonymous, 2014). Most species of shark like to eat tiny plants and animals like plankton, marine mammals, fish, and other smaller sharks. Sharks have adapted to living in a wide range

Examples of habitat destruction that contributes to the endangerment of sharks include loss of habitat, pollution, and environmental destruction. Foreland development has increased significantly in the past century. This has increased the levels of pollution and environmental degradation in many areas. Many species of sharks use inshore foreland and estuarine habitat as a safe place to find food. This mean that they are vulnerable to negative changes in the habitat. Sharks are very susceptible to pollution and environmental contamination. Most pollution in the ocean are caused by land activities and it filters into the sea. This causes the apex predator to grow at a slow rate because the toxins bioaccumulate in their bodies. Bioaccumulation is the accumulation of toxins, from pollutants, in the body of an organism. The toxic pollutants also damage plants and animals. Industrial waste products, such as lead and mercury, build up in the tissue of sharks. This will in turn cause birth defects and damage to their nervous system. However, there have been high levels of contaminants found in these sharks, further evidence that pollution is a global problem (Jennings et al. 2008). Therefore, cleaning up polluted areas, especially ones near oceans, would greatly benefit marine

The first way to protect sharks is to form a congress to stop shark finning. Make people aware of the importance of protecting sharks. Another way is to keep sharks off the menu. Since they are at the top of the ocean food chain, sharks bioaccumulate high amounts of mercury. It is very unhealthy for people, especially for pregnant women, to consume these contaminated creatures of the ocean. It is also important to educate yourself and others about sharks. It can be used as a method to protect sharks. Learning more about them will give you a better understanding of these beautiful creatures and you will eventually learn to love them (Emily, 2010). With these methods, we can help to protect sharks. Some organizations, such as the Shark Trust and the Pew Charitable Trust protect these sharks. Shark Savers are one of several shark conservation organization dedicated to turning the tide for sharks. As of early 2010, the 10,000 members of Shark Savers, located in over 99 countries, were working to create awareness about the value and plight of these important animals. In partnership with other ocean and wildlife conservation organizations, Shark Savers seek to change the human behavior that often lead sharks to their demise, and this includes reducing consumer demand for shark fin soup. (Skoletsky, n.d.,