Shark Facts

Sharks are some of the most incredible predators in the world. With their mighty size, their rocket-like approach to hunting and their undeniably large teeth, sharks have been the top predator roaming our oceans for millions of years. Yet, they are not the man killers everyone makes them out to be. Thanks to movies like 'Jaws' and the human nature to fear what you dont understand, sharks have been victims to being demonized by the world, when in fact these creatures are beautiful works of nature. These amazing creatures are facing more and more grave dangers as the years go on. A study from PEWTrusts.org shows that since 1970, shark populations have dropped 70%. It is up to us to save these predators from extinction so that our oceans can thrive and so can all life on earth!

Did you know?

• Great white sharks can grow up to 20 feet in length
• Greenland sharks are the oldest sharks known to man, living up to 500 years old.
• Whale sharks are the largest fish in the ocean
• The largest shark in the ocean was the Megladon which is believe to have lived 20 million years ago and grew 15-18 (about 50-60 ft) meters in length.
• While most sharks are known to be solo creatures, living and hunting on their own, Scalloped Hammerheads are often seen living in groups of up to 100 other sharks!
• Sharks have no bones in their body and are made primarly of cartilege.
• Bull sharks are one of the only sharks that can live in both saltwater and fresh water. Bull sharks have been known to swim through freshwater canals and rivers.
• There are over 1,000 species of sharks in our oceans
• 100 million sharks are hunted and killed by humans a year. The fishing industry, the increasing market for fin soup and culling are the major reasonings behind so many sharks being killed. According to the Florida Museum of Natural History there were a total of 129 shark attacks on humans worldwide in 2020.

How to Help

Read your labels: Many differnt types of products varying from cosmetics, to pet food, to skincare are known to have shark in their ingriedents. The mislabeling of fish in stores and markets have also been known to contain shark while trying to sell off as another fish. Squalene, an oil obtained from shark liver, is a popular shark product.

Stop shark finning: Shark finning is one of the biggest threats to sharks today. With the social staus of shark fin soup in some cultures and the high price that comes from shark fins, sharks are being brutally killed by having their fins cut off and being thrown back into the ocean to drown (most sharks need to move to breath, and without fins they cant move) and bleed to death on the ocean floor. There is no real benefit to eating shark and their fins yet millions die a year in gruesome deaths.

Educate Yourself: Human nature is to fear what you don't understand. Too many people view sharks as these villian creatures and think the solution is to rid of them to make people safe. If people took the time to educate themselves on the nautre and habits of sharks, most people would come to realize they are amazing, incredible beings who are just living in their world, that we are stepping into. With a better understanding of creatures other than us, we can work to learn how to coexist.

Know the risks: The reality is the ocean is the sharks domian and they are the apex predator in their own world. Humans are not native to the ocean and our ability to survive is limited when it comes to water. There will always be a risk when stepping into the ocean of coming across a shark and there will always be a risk of a shark attack, even if not meant. When you know the risks you will be better educated on how to handle a situation with a shark but will also be able to make the decision to not be in the ocean in sharks make you uncomfortable. The ocean is their home, not ours and we need to learn how to share, not just kick them out.

Whale Facts

• There are 2 types of whales: Toothed and Baleen Whales.Toothed whales are whales with teeth and make up almost 90% of the whale population. Dolphins and sperm whales are examples of toothed whales. Baleen Whales are filter feeding whales. Instead of teeth they have baleen which are like the equivalent of fingernails on a human. These are used to strain the water that comes into their mouth, filtering out the small krill most of these whales eat. Humpbacks, and blue whales are an example of baleen whales.
• Blue whales are the largest animals on our Earth, weighing up to 200 tons.
• Orcas, also known as Killer Whales, are actually the largest member of the dolphin family. Orcas are very social and can live in pods with up to 50 orcas.Orcas also have a life expencedy of 50-100 years in the wild.
• Most whales have a very complex communicatoin system to talk and listen to others of their pod. Humpback whales are known for singing songs to each other, some that can be heard over 20 miles away.
• Beluga whales use their rounded, swollen head for ecolocation to find and identify objects around them.

How to help

• End Captivity: One of the biggest threats that whales have faced, especially Orcas, is captivity. It is estimated that since 1961 at least 166 orcas have been taken from the wild and put into captivity for human entertainment. These animals are then kept in very small cages and trained to do tricks for an audience, not the life wild animals (or any animal) should be living. Since the release of documentaries, such as Blackfish, the world has become more aware of the inhumane practices and many have vowed to no longer bring new whales into their faculities. However, across the world, these whales are still kept in small, cramped and unliveable spaces, which can lead to sickness, bordeom, self-harm and death.
• End Commercial Whaling: While whaling is illegal is most places Iceland, Norway and Japan still kill thousands of whales a year through whaling. Many of these whales are killed for their blubber and to be sold into the food and pharmasutical industries. Many whale populations have been brought dangeroulsy close to extintion including the blue whale which was almost brought to complete extintion in the 20th century. The practice of commercial whaling is cruel and unnecassary for the world we live in today. While some cultures do live off of whale meat, the mass murder of thousands a year just for their blubber is what needs to stop.
• Reduce Pollution: It is no secret that one of the biggest threats to the world as a whole in human pollution and the thousands and millions of pounds of unbiodegradable trash and substances that get thrown into nature. With the increasing plastic, fishing nets, oils and toxins being thrown into the ocean, more and more whales are washing up on our shores filled with human-made items in their stomachs. If we can keep our oceans clean, these animals wouldnt have to worry about eating plastic, getting strangled by fishing nets or being posioned by toxins. According to WWF, an estimated of 300,000 whales and dolphins get tangled in fishing lines and nets leading to their deaths.

Organizations to Support

Some personal favortie organizations of mine who I feel truly make a difference in these animal's lives. As always, make sure to do your own research to find what organizations and campains speak most to you!

• SharkWater.com - This website gives a large list of different products that contain shark and names to watch out for when looking at ingredients!
• Shark Allies - An amazing group of people who are fighting to end shark finning and to help protect our oceans and sharks.
• Sea Shepard - This is a non-profit organization that takes a much more 'aggressive' approach to protecting the whales and oceans by directly contacting fishing industries and boats to end the corruption of whaling and pollution.
• Defenders of Wildlife - A non-profit conservation group that helps to protect all wildlife from the whales in the oceans to the wolves to the tigers of the jungles!
• Shark Trust - A charity group that helps to educate and protect sharks and rays.
• Project Hiu - This organization takes a different approach to shark conservation by helping fishermen get new lines of employment. A lot of the fishermen in this industry are forced into these jobs so this organization helps to get them better jobs, which in turn helps end shark finning. Less fishermen killing sharks = less sharks killed.