MORE THAN 500 SHARK SPECIES EXIST.
143 of them are recognized by the IUCN as being under threat, ranging from vulnerable to critically endangered.
SHARKS ARE APEX PREDATORS
Many sharks have multiple rows of teeth, and they can lose and regrow hundreds of teeth over the course of their lifespan.
SHARKS MAINTAIN THE FOOD CHAIN
Sharks are important predators in marine habitats because they maintain the equilibrium of the food chain by devouring fish.
THEIR SIZE CAN VARY DRASTICALLY.
From the tiniest, a dwarf lantern shark about the size of a human hand, to the largest, the whale shark, which can grow to reach up to 12 meters long.
MOST OCEAN HABITATS ARE HOME TO SHARKS.
They can be discovered in the deep sea, under the Arctic sea ice, and on stunning, tropical coral reefs.
THEY CAN BE BOTH WEIRD AND MAGNIFICENT
Hammerhead sharks, which are known to utilize their hammer-shaped heads to pin stingrays to the ocean floor, can have vivid pink bodies and heads. Goblin sharks can be bright pink in colour!
There is also a shark known as a “cookie cutter” after the rounded bite marks they leave behind.
ALMOST ALL SHARKS HAVE COLD BLOOD.
The majority of sharks have frigid body temperatures, similar to the ocean they are swimming in.
But great white sharks, unlike the majority of sharks, have some degree of warm blood, which enables them to move more quickly when pursuing prey.
THEY ARE IN DANGER
Many sharks are intentionally caught for their fins, which are a delicacy in Asia, as well as unintentionally trapped in fishing gear.
Their oceanic habitat is also at peril. The warming of the ocean due to climate change, has an impact on ecosystems, prey populations, and shark populations, as well as plastic pollution, which can entangle or be consumed, especially by filter feeders.
WWF
Worldwide, WWF is striving to better safeguard and manage our seas, including crucial shark habitats. For instance, if climate change is not stopped, 50% of the world’s coral reefs will no longer exist by the year 2050.
Along with traffic, they are striving to stop the illegal trade in shark items and reduce bycatch.
To decrease plastic consumption, improve recycling, and eliminate plastic pollution, we can all do our share. We can all unite in the battle against the destructive effects of climate change, which are having an impact on both humans and species.
Source: https://www.wwf.org.uk/learn/fascinating-facts/sharks
