Every second, 3 sharks die at human hands. Many are "finned" so that their fins can be used for shark fin soup. Sharks are becoming extinct and it is affecting all ocean life.
Executive Producer/Director Gary Rose and fledgling group KISS (Kids Involved in Saving Sharks) have teamed up to create a PSA campaign aimed at halting the slaughter of sharks and preserving the ocean's ecosystem.
MJ Fam, please help those kids and spread their message to help the endangered species of sharks that are essential to our eco system!
Why?
Sharks have been around for nearly 400 million years: that makes them older than dinosaurs! There are about 375 different types of shark in the world.
The sea monster myth
Sharks rarely attack people. In fact, the chance of being attacked by a shark is less than the chance of being struck by lightning. The real dangers for people in the ocean are drowning, exposure and being struck by a boat. So no, sharks are not the sea monsters we hear about in stories.
Threat to survival
While sharks are not a threat to people, people are a very real threat to sharks. Each year, over 100 million sharks are killed, most of them for their fins. In fact, there are now 20 types of sharks that are in danger of disappearing because of overfishing.
One of the reasons the shark population is decreasing rapidly is that it takes a long time for sharks to become adults. When a young shark is caught they do not have the chance to grow up and produce baby sharks (pups).
When it comes to reproducing, sharks are more similar to mammals such as whales, dolphins and humans than to other fish. While most fish reach maturity in only a few years and produce thousands or millions of eggs per year, sharks take many years to reach maturity, with some species not reproducing until they are over 15 years old. So when sharks are overfished it may take them many years to recover and in some cases they may never recover.
Why care?
Sharks are crucial parts to the ocean ecosystem. They are at the top of the ocean food chain. They control populations in a beneficial way by eliminating diseased and genetically defective animals. Sharks are an important part of the Earth’s biodiversity.
YOU can help endangered sharks!
1. Educate yourself and others about their importance to our world.
2. Send letters to politicians and other influential people. Let others know how you feel about endangered sharks and how crucial they are to the environment.
3. Sign a petition or start a petition against shark finning and send it to representatives of China.
4. Avoid purchasing products made from sharks.
5. Organise a fundraising activity at your school or in your community and donate to a shark conservation program or organisation.
Together we can make a difference! Tell us how you’ve helped the sharks and inspire other to do the same.
(credits: Save the sharks! on www.ecokids.ca/blog/)
For more information on sharks, please check out and support these websites:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/theglobalsharkinitiative
http://www.stopsharkfinning.net/
http://www.facebook.com/#!/StopSharkFinning
http://www.sharksavers.org
http://www.sharkwater.com
http://www.sharks.org
http://www.sharkalliance.org
