Paul Mason - Sharks in Danger

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

The Cataloging-in-Publication Data for Sharks in Danger is on file at the Library of Congress.

ISBN 978-1-5124-5977-7 (lib. bdg.)

ISBN 978-1-5124-9879-0 (eb pdf)

Manufactured in the United States of America

1-43036-27705-8/9/2017

by Paul Mason

Contents

For the sharks, it is a different story. Sharks have very good reason to be scared of humans. We kill millions of sharks each year. Almost all are from species that are no danger to humans.

The exact numbers are changing all the time, but the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says that:

l About different types of shark are critically endangered . They are soon likely to become extinct in the wild.

l Roughly types of shark are endangered , including great hammerheads. There is a strong possibility that they will soon disappear from our seas.

l Close to different species of shark are vulnerable , including whale sharks and great whites. This means they may become extinct in a few years time, if action is not taken.

We shouldnt be scared OF sharks.

We should be scared FOR them.

Most of us are scared of sharks, but there is no real reason why we should be. Only a tiny number of people each year are attacked by sharks.

Humans vs. Sharks

WHALE SHARK

A whale shark swims along, gathering small sea creatures into its giant mouth as it goes.

Critically endangered sharks in 2017 included the:

ANGEL SHARK

Mediterranean, northeastern Atlantic

The angel shark, smoothback angel shark, and sawback angel shark are all threatened by overfishing .

DAGGERNOSE SHARK

Northern South America

Fishing is thought to reduce the number of daggernose sharks by percent each year. It took just years for over 90% of the population to be wiped out.

GANGES SHARK

India

This river shark is threatened by overfishing and pollution. It is also losing habitat as dams are built on the rivers where it lives.

IRRAWADDY RIVER SHARK

Myanmar

The mangrove forests where this shark hunts are steadily being cut down. The rivers it lives in have also become polluted.

NEW GUINEA RIVER SHARK

Northern Australia, possibly New Guinea

Threatened by overfishing, there are thought to be only about of these sharks left.

PONDICHERRY SHARK

China, India, Indonesia,

Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan

Last caught and identified by experts in 1979,

this species may now actually be extinct.

NATAL SHYSHARK

South Africa

This shark lives close to the coast in a very

small area of Kwa-Zulu Natal where industry

and development are threatening its habitat.