WE LOVE
SHARKS
With fossil records dating back 400 million years, sharks have outlived the dinosaurs and many other forms of life currently on earth. There are more than 1,000 species of sharks and rays, with new species discovered every year.
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Written by Shruthi Gunturu - Grade 10
SHARKS
Sharks are the great predators of the waters. They prey on the others and feast like kings. Their sharp and massive teeth led to a stigma about them. Sharks are what scientists call a 'keystone species'. This basically means that they are responsible for keeping the intricate ocean ecosystem in balance. As apex predators sharks keep everything below them in harmony. They do this by keeping the predatory species that they prey on at a healthy but balanced number. As well as keeping the ocean food web in balance, sharks also play a pivotal role in keeping populations that they prey on genetically healthy as well as removing disease and sickness from the ocean. Sharks keep populations genetically healthy by removing the weaker individuals. Therefore any weak or mutated gene will not get passed on. Survival of the fittest! Sharks remove sickness and disease from being passed on by preying and or scavenging on those sick or already dead individuals. This is not only efficient for the sharks (as they exert less energy to feed) it also provides an extremely valuable function in keeping the ecosystem healthy. As predators, they shift their prey’s spatial habitat, which alters the feeding strategy and diets of other species. Through the spatial controls and abundance, sharks indirectly maintain the sea grass and corals reef habitats. The loss of sharks has led to the decline in coral reefs, sea grass beds and the loss of commercial fisheries.
By taking sharks out of the coral reef ecosystem, the larger predatory fish, such as groupers, increase in abundance and feed on the herbivores. With less herbivores, macroalgae expands and coral can no longer compete, shifting the ecosystem to one of algae dominance, affecting the survival of the reef system. Oceana released a report in July 2008, “Predators as Prey: Why Healthy Oceans Need Sharks”, illustrating our need to protect sharks. Sharks’ control over species below them in the food chain indirectly affects the economy. A study in North Carolina showed that the loss of the great sharks increased the ray populations below them. As a result, the hungry rays ate all the bay scallops, forcing the fishery to close. Without scallops to eat, the rays have moved on to other bivalves.
The decline of the quahog, a key ingredient in clam chowder, is forcing many restaurants to remove this American classic from their menus. The disappearance of scallops and clams demonstrates that the elimination of sharks can cause harm to the economy in addition to ecosystems. Sharks are also influencing the economy through ecotourism. In the Bahamas, a single live reef shark is worth $250,000 as a result of dive tourism versus a one time value of $50 when caught by a fisherman. One whale shark in Belize can bring in $2 million over its lifetime.
Now that we know that sharks are so vital to the ecosystem how can WE save them? There are many ways that an everyday person can help save sharks. One way is to adopt a shark. Yes, you can adopt a shark! Sharks can be soft and cuddly -- when you adopt one from Oceana. When you adopt a hammerhead shark, you’ll receive a hammerhead stuffed animal with a personalized adoption certificate, and your donation will help them work to protect them. You can educate yourself about these sharks, There are dozens of species of sharks, from toothy great whites to filter-feeding whale sharks. The more you learn about these creatures, the more you will love them. So educate yourself and your loved ones -- especially the shark-fearing ones. You should stay away from shark meat. Not only is it ecologically irresponsible to serve shark meat, it is also unhealthy. Since they are at the top of the ocean food chain, sharks bioaccumulate high amounts of mercury. For women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, this is especially dangerous. The bottom line? Stay away from shark meat. Lastly, we shouldn't have a fear of sharks, we should fear for them. SO, LOVE SHARKS!!!
