Zoological animal facilities remain one of the most misunderstood industries in the world. They play an important role in conserving ecosystems and animal species around the world. You see, when one species becomes extinct, it creates a ‘ripple’ effect. That ripple effect weakens the ecosystem as that species no longer fulfils its role, which negatively impacts native species within that environment and the more species earth loses, the less diverse our natural systems become. Meaning the loss of one species can also cause the extinction of another, as we lose species, we also lose the capacity of the natural systems which are vital as they really provide the services which we need to allow us to function.
Sharks: After the big hit fictional movie ‘Jaws’, they have become a worldwide feared and misunderstood animal. Sharks have been on the planet for over 455 million years. They’re fish, not marine mammals as they breathe oxygen from the water using their gills. Amazingly, sharks have no bone. This means they’re in the subclass ‘Elasmobranchii’; they’re also known as ‘Chondrichthyes’ and ‘cartilaginous’ due to having cartilage as their skeleton instead of bone. Osteichthyes (bony fish) have a swim bladder to stay buoyant in the water; Chondrichthyes have a liver full of special low-density oils which help them stay buoyant in the water instead. Sharks also have a very special sense that most animals lack. Located around the eyes, nose and mouth are small black pores. These are known as the ‘Ampullae of Lorenzini’ (electroreceptors) which allow sharks to sense the electromagnetic field that is generated by organisms living in the ocean surrounding the shark; they can also detect temperature shifts within the water.
But, what is the shark's role within their ecosystems? Sharks play an extremely critical role in maintaining the ocean waters surrounding them. Although they’re the apex predators of the ocean, they keep the oceans as healthy as they can be for all living organisms during a climate and pollution crisis. Sharks are also known as the ‘vultures of the sea’ as they act as the oceans natural ‘bin men’ by scavenging and cleaning up dead organisms which prevent disease and virus outbreaks throughout the planet's ocean. They also control populations by praying on seals and reef communities by gathering at reef biomes at night where the dark is at their advantage. Sharks are in fact, one of the most important residents of coral reefs.
Relentless overfishing, by-catch, habitat destruction, pollution and shark finning has reduced the population of sharks worldwide by over 90%. Due to media corrupting the perception of sharks, they are seen as bloodthirsty killers instead of important, fascinating creatures but that couldn’t be more further than the truth. 16 people are attacked by sharks each year; most are provoked and sharks can misunderstand surfers as seals or sea lions. Humans kill 11,000 sharks per hour, this means over 100 million sharks are killed each year, yet some sources say over 250 sharks are killed each year. Because of this warped and misunderstood perception of sharks, shark fishing has become a popular sport where people fish for the largest and most endangered shark species they can find. To stop provoking attacks, researching sharks body language and behaviours is vital and to recognise you are entering a sharks habitat and home when you enter the ocean.
Now more than ever, sharks need our help to survive and we need their help to keep our coral reefs as healthy as possible. Sharks maintain the health of corals and corals maintain the health of many beloved and beautiful organisms.
Globally, coral reefs remain to be one of the most favoured biomes on earth. Every organism within a coral reef, has an important role in maintaining a reef's health. As sharks control a healthy population of the reef community by hunting predators that feed on the small grazing fish, the grazers in their role, keep the corals free of parasites and seaweed which would overgrow the reef if not maintained.
However, due to climate change, even the most healthiest coral reefs are dying. Microscopic plants which live within the tissues of the corals provide the coral with most of the nourishment and the colour. The warming of the sea, even simply by just a single degree, causes the coral to discharge their plant partners. Not only does this turn the coral white, but they also lose their main source of food and if the temperatures stay too high for too long, even just by a few weeks or so, the corals will starve and die. The carbon dioxide that causes climate change, is also causing the ocean to be more acidic. During the 2016 and 2017, more than a thousand kilometres of the great barrier reef had turned white. All around the world, half of all shallow coral reefs have already died. Unfortunately, no reefs can survive both changes and within the next few decades, there could be no more coral reefs. The loss of coral reefs will cause the extinction of many of the reeds residents, including the beloved clownfish (anemonefish).
To help protect sharks, coral reefs and other species and living organisms by supporting zoological facilities, donating to charities and rescues, educating or even inspiring others to educate, protect, conserve.
‘’One of the consequences of living in great cities and great masses, is that we are cut off from that natural world. If you lose that sense of wonder, you’ve lost one of the most important things in your life.’’ - Sir David Attenborough.
Credit: photos provided by unsplash/wix.
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