By Sharon Go
Text-only version

Imagine swimming carelessly in the crystal blue Pacific. No care in the World. Freedom. Suddenly your vacation is morbidly interrupted by rows of bone-crushing, flesh tearing, razor-sharp teeth. You have been attacked by a 40-foot Great White shark, the King of the Ocean. Does this sound familiar? Because when most people think about sharks, this chilling tale comes to mind. In reality, 40-foot Great Whites probably no longer exists. You'd probably have more chances to get hit by lightning than to get bitten by a shark. And out of the 350 somewhat species of sharks, only 7 pose a minor threat to Man.

As Old as Time...

Sharks are far more than meets the eye. Sharks are not only fishes with cartilages. They belong in a distinct and much older class called "Elasmobranchia". They've been around for nearly 400 million years, and for the past 200 million years, they have remained basically the same. This could mean that they have reached the top of their evolutionary ladder, Nature has done it's best...

The Perfect Predator

Although not all sharks are predators (the Whale Shark, seen on this photo, feeds almost exclusively on plancton),they are all built with such an elegant design. Their bodies are perfect for streamlining. But those who are apex predators are even more remarkable. They're almost perfect. Their bodies are probably better built than a Formula 1 race car... It's shape and structure permits a shark to "fly" effortless through water. They have cartilages rather than bones, which is more supple. This gives them an almost snake-like movement, it's body serpentining it's way to speed. They have a remarkable sense of smell: The Greate White can detect 1 particule in a million of blood diluted in water! Sharks have a special electro-magnetic sense, which detects electro-magnetic impulses emited by all living animals. They capture these impulses in organs called "Ampulae de Lorenzini". They also have a special kind of "touch" sense. Along each side their bodies, they have what's called a "lateral line" that detects vibrations. This is also their sense of hearing since sound is also vibration. Truly a magnificient piece of work on Mother Nature's part... Fortunately for us, we are not included in their dinner menu. Most shark attacks are attributed to mistaken identity: From a shark's point of view, a surfer lying down on it's surfboard looks like a pretty yummy-looking seal or sealion! Usually, once a "man-eating" shark takes a bite on us, it realizes its mistakes and goes on looking for a better meal.

A Valuable Part of Nature... and Our Lives

Sharks are part of every ocean ecosystems that has evolved over hundreds of million years and function as an integrated whole. They play a crucial role in aquatic wildlife balance, keeping in check populations of diverse species. But sharks also provides us with valuable information. Sharks are the first in evolutionary history to develop an immune system. Although their immune system is primitive, they have a high resistance in contracting cancer, even though known cancerogenes are injected in them! Cartilages help make artificial skin. Their liver oil aids the production of white blood cells. So little is known about sharks. If their merciless genocide continues, how can we uncover the secrets they hide?

Time is Running Out

Sadly enough, we are losing our precious little shark. 30-100 million sharks are caught yearly for their meat, fins, hides and jaws. Worst yet, some fishermen catch them, cut off their fins and throw them back into the water, doomed to die slowly. If we compared the number of times sharks have killed us, we are revenged 6 million-fold. Some species have already declined by 80% in the last decade alone! They are threatened to become extinct within the next 10 years. When will the madness stop? When will we change our policy from preservation, to prevention? The Shark's dreadful fate was caused by human greed and fear. Now only we can save them by education and compassion.