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Reputation - Sharks have a really bad reputation because occasionally they attack humans. However, sharks rarely attack our kind unless they smell blood. Moreover, when sharks are hungry they become angry, and therefore are more likely to be aggressive. It is humans who are responsible for diminishing the food available to them through excessive fishing.

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In media -

In films, for example ‘Finding Nemo’ (2003) and ‘Jaws’ (1975), the sharks are the bad guys. Sharks are culturally portrayed as scary, blood-thirsty creatures. However, in reality they are a key part of keeping the ecosystem in balance.

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The facts - First, let’s understand what sharks actually are. Sharks have been around since before the dinosaurs. They have not changed much since then. There are around 520 different species of shark.

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Bones - Incredibly, sharks do not have any bones. Instead, their skeleton is made up of cartilage, the same kind that makes up human ears. As they get older, they deposit more calcium salts in their cartilage, hence why we still find shark fossils.

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"Eye see you!" - Sharks have amazing eyesight. They can see colors and also have night vision. They have tissue called tapetum at the back of their eyes that allows them to see in very little light.

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Skin - If you ever get the chance to touch a shark, you will find the animal feels like sandpaper. This is because their skin is made out of lots of little teeth-like structures called placoid scales.

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Skin - The scales all point towards the tail of the shark so that there is minimal friction when it moves. This is one of the reasons some sharks can move up to 96.5 kph (60 mph).

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Trance - When sharks are turned upside down they go into tonic immobility. This is a kind of trance where their fins become streamlined and their muscles and respiratory system relax.

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Myth - It used to be understood that if a shark stops swimming then it will die because it needs water to run through its gills in order to breathe. However, researchers have found that certain types of sharks can run water through their respiratory system at rest without suffocating.

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The top - Sharks do not really have predators aside from humans. They are at the top of the food chain in the big blue sea. Perhaps this might make you think that sharks are bad because they only kill things weaker than them.

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Ecosystem - On the contrary: the fact that the shark is an apex predator is precisely why they are integral to our existence. Firstly, sharks help to keep the numbers of certain species at bay.

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Fish hunters - For example, sharks that hunt fish try and eat the ones that are the easiest to get. Usually, these are the fish that are sick or slightly weaker. By eating the weaker fish, the shark unintentionally keeps the fish population healthier and stronger.

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Fish hunters - In addition, the shark makes sure that the fish do not become too many for the environment to support. In this way, sharks protect the habitat that they live in. Often, sharks live in environmentally important habitats.

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Tiger sharks - The tiger shark lives in seagrass meadows. These meadows are important because they stabilize the seabed and ensure it does not get washed away with strong currents. They also provide a nursery for young fish.

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Tiger sharks - Turtles are important to the environment in their own way. However, if they were allowed to eat as much seagrass as they please, there would hardly be any left. Sharks scare the turtles away so they don’t eat too much of the habitat.

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Coral reefs -

It is well known that coral reefs are struggling to survive will all that humans are doing to the ocean. That includes our role in reducing the shark population. Without sharks, the fish surrounding the reefs multiply tremendously.

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Coral reefs - While this may sound good, it is not. They end up eating all the plankton, shrimps, and microorganisms. Eventually there are none left, and the fish starve.

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Coral reefs -

When the fish die, algae and bacteria move onto the reef. As they multiply, they cover more and more of the reef. Then the reef cannot photosynthesize and eventually dies. Without coral reefs, shorelines are unprotected from storms and erosion and the ecosystem would be irrevocably damaged.

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Carbon sequestration - Researchers have found that when fish die, they take carbon with them down to the bottom of the sea. Large fish, such as sharks are about 10 to 15% carbon.

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Carbon sequestration - Consequently, there are huge benefits to leaving sharks in the ocean because when they die, they help to decrease the carbon in our atmosphere.

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Humans - Humans rely on a balanced ecosystem to survive. We are accustomed to a certain balance of chemicals in the air we breathe and enough water to drink. By eliminating the apex predators of the ocean, we endanger not only hundreds of other species but also our own.

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Humans - Without sharks, the fish in the ocean would reproduce to a destructive extent. The overpopulation of fish would drive the destruction of important habitats. Without healthy ecosystems, the oceans are also not able to sequester as much carbon.

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Climate change - Climate change is something that affects us all. Even the disappearance of one large fish species will increase human suffering further down the line. The extinction of sharks would inevitably exacerbate the effects of global warming.

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Decline - Unfortunately, it is already happening. Some shark populations have declined by 90% due to overfishing, climate change, and habitat loss. It is estimated that humans kill over 100 million sharks every year through bycatch (caught unintentionally) or intentionally.

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Extinction - The basic problem is that humans are killing sharks quicker than they can reproduce. However, it is still possible to halt this terrible trend. Firstly, we must start seeing sharks as important creatures rather than monsters.

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You can help - The things that kill sharks in the sea besides humans are usually plastics. Therefore, one of the best ways you can avoid harming sharks, and other big fish, is to reduce your plastic usage considerably.

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Plastic - This can be done by carrying a water bottle around, making your own cleaning products, using matches instead of lighters, opting for plastic-free packaging, and using reusable sanitary products, for instance.

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Food - Fishing is one of the big reasons sharks are in danger. To make sure your food is not harming the ocean, shrewdly scrutinize its source.

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Raise awareness -

Now that you know how important sharks are, you can tell other people. Join some protection charities, share posts on social media, volunteer at your local ocean charity. In truth, every little bit helps.

Sources: (Live Science) ( NOAA Fisheries) (Save Our Seas Foundation) (Global Vision International)

See also: Can underwater farms save the world from climate change?

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