It's time to Save the Sharks

Sharks, the one predator which strikes fear into the heart of many swimmers. Often perceived as the epitomy of evil are actually sitting on the verge of disaster.

Unfortunately because sharks lack the "cuddly" looks associated with other "endangered" species, you will find there is no big push to save them, in fact some people would glady love to see them disposed of.

Message to Earth loves all sharks, they are an evolutionary masterpiece whose senses are quite extradinary. Sharks may be the appex predator of the deep, but oceans without sharks, would be like a beach without sand.

Having dived in the interactive aquarium in Cancun, Mexico, with Sharks, our love soared. Being this close to sharks was an amazing experience, and watching them swim around the aquarium makes you realise that these are not cold blooded killing machines.

Types of Shark:

General Shark Facts:

• There are approximately 400 species of shark.
• Fossilized shark teeth have been found which date back to over 400 million years old.
• Sharks do not have skeletons, instead they have cartilaginous skeletons, this cartilage supports the size and is softer than bone.
• A sharks skin feels like sandpaper, it is made up of tiny scales. As sharks grow, they grow more scales and these scales are great at reducing the amount of parasites growing on the sharks flesh, no other fish has this ability.
• Sharks have both excellent eyesight and hearing and will predominantly use these to hunt their prey. In addition to their sight and sound, sharks also have a "lateral line" which picks up vibrations in the water.
• A large amount of sharks have lighter underbellies, this helps to camoflage the shark to prey below, with their whiter bellies merging with the top of the sea above, additionally some sharks darker top bodies can camoflage the shark from above.
• All sharks contain the "ampullae of Lorenzini", special jelly filled canals around the noses of sharks, this helps sharks detect small electro-magnetic and temperature changes. more info..
• The largest of the shark species is the Whale Shark which can grown to 20 meters long and it's estimated can live for 100 years.
• Additional shark facts can be found here: National Geographic

Why save the Shark?

Contrary to popular belief, the shark is not just a cold blooded killing machine. Often shark attacks on man are an accident or due in part to other environmental changes. As sharks are an apex predator their loss would have a major effect of the populations of other animals living in the ocean.

We are only now beginning to better understand these amazing animals, so wouldn't it be a shame to lose one of evolutions wonders?

Whilst Sharks may be blamed for about 20 deaths a year, man kills between 10 - 60 million sharks a year. The main cause of these deaths is over-fishing and the in-human trade of shark fin soup. Shark fin soup fishermen have often been filmed catching sharks, cutting off their fins, and then throwing the shark back into the water - ALIVE! Now shark meat can be eaten, so what on earth is wrong with using the meat for another purpose instead of throwing it back into the water? For more information about the sickening trade of shark fins please visit this webpage: http://www.sharkattacks.com/sharksvictims.htm

What can I do to help the Sharks?

Firstly if you live or visit a restaurant in Asia, please do not eat Shark Fin soup. Educate yourself about the shark, learn about its unique place in the evolutionary food chain. Start lobbying your government to make the conservation of sharks a major priority, the sharks demise is largely linked to greed and ignorance in us humans.

If you want more information about Sharks, or to find out what else you can do to help, please visit the following websites:

http://www.savingsharks.com
http://www.sharktrust.org
http://www.sharks.org
http://www.sharkwater.com
http://www.seashepherd.org