Used in everything from soup to nutritional supplements and skincare products, sharks are a multi-billion dollar, global, mostly unregulated industry. Now conservationists want to declare eight species endangered.
With a powerful torpedo-shaped body almost the size of a bus, the ability to sniff out one drop of blood in 25 gallons of water--or up to three miles away--and fearsome toothy jaws, it's no wonder the very thought of sharks can send shivers up the spine. (Cue the theme music from Jaws).
But these deep-sea predators have much more to fear from humans than the other way around. Used in everything from soup to nutritional supplements and skincare products, sharks represent a multi-billion dollar global industry and the growing demand is pushing them towards extinction. Alas, even these eating machines have champions. And if they have their day during the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Conference of Parties, which starts Saturday, eight shark species will be protected to ensure the sustainable trade of their products--oceanic whitetips, scalloped, smooth and great hammerheads, sandbar sharks, porbeagle sharks, and spiny dogfish (a type of shark).
To read the full, original article click on this link: Do Sharks Need Protection From Us? | All Up in Your Business | Fast Company
Author: Lydia
Dishman
