Shark Conservation Fund

@sharkconservationfund

A partnership of leading philanthropies dedicated to solving the global shark and ray crisis.
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Did you know many sharks engage in symbiotic relationships with other species? It’s a win-win situation where both parties benefit. Take, for instance, these silvertip reef sharks cruising alongside rainbow runner fish 🌈 🦈. In this particular relationship, both species rely on the other for a thorough cleaning! Oceanic whitetip sharks are often seen escorted by pilot fish, and various other shark species have formed mutually beneficial relationships with remoras, mackerels, and more.    Effectively designed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that include shark specific management measures are more likely to have abundant fish populations and diverse species, which are essential to a thriving ecosystem. Safeguarding sharks isn’t just about preserving a single species—it’s about protecting the intricate web of relationships they share for the overall balance of the ecosystems they call home. 🌏 #Repost 📷 from @saveourseasfoundation : Despite its large size and energetic nature, silvertip reef sharks have a unique bond with their smaller oceanic counterparts - the rainbow runner fish.

These two species, with vastly dissimilar life histories and rankings in the food chain, rely on one another in what is known as a ‘symbiotic relationship’. Rainbow runners rub themselves against the silvertip’s rough skin to scrape off parasites, and in the process, the sharks receive a good cleaning.
A humbling and rather endearing collaboration to witness!
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16 hours ago
The shortfin mako: the World’s Fastest Shark 👑 Unlike its cold-blooded counterparts, the mako shark’s warm-blooded nature is its secret weapon, allowing it to maintain a body temperature higher than the surrounding water. This unique adaptation fuels an unbeatable cardiovascular system and the muscle activity necessary for its remarkable speed, reaching up to ~45mph! 🦈💨 Despite their remarkable ability, Atlantic #makoshark populations have plummeted by 60% 📉 - but conservation efforts are underway to reverse this decline: In 2019, they were listed on the Convention of International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix II mandating sustainable management before trade is allowed to ensure their survival. And, in 2021, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), a regional fishery management organization, implemented a retention ban of mako sharks for at least two years. The ban may be reevaluated this year... #SharkConservationFund & partners are working diligently to ensure that makos get the protections they deserve. 📸: Shutterstock / Alessandro De Maddalena
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8 days ago
Among other criteria, nursery areas are one of the markers of an #ISRA , or an Important Shark and Ray Area 🦈 . Implementing management plans in these areas can help safeguard and recover shark populations.   Many sharks are slow to mature and have low reproductive rates 📉, so protecting nursery areas - where baby and juvenile sharks spend their time until they are old enough to venture out into farther waters - are especially vital. For a shark nursery area to be protected, though, it must first be identified and delineated.   #SharkConservationFund grantee, Namibia Nature Foundation’s NaRas (Namibia’s Rays and Sharks) project, is investigating a potential #skate nursery in Namibia.    #Repost 📷 from @namibia_sharks : Our team went in search of eggcases at beautiful Griffith Bay this morning. We found a few eggcases from dark shysharks, many huge spearnose skate (also called white skate) eggcases, and more biscuit skate eggcases than we could count. Some were at the water’s edge, as if they had only recently been vacated! This suggests that Griffith Bay might be an important nursery area for these two skate species. Anglers report catching spearnose skates only infrequently in southern Namibia, but judging by the number of eggcases we found today, the species must be using this area. Spearnose skates are classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. @sharkconservationfund #shark #flatshark #marinewildlife #mermaidspurse #marineprotectedarea #namibia #atlanticocean
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15 days ago
Dive into the deep ocean depths! 🌊 A new #SharkConservationFund supported study reveals the alarming #extinction risk that deep sea sharks and rays face. 🚨 Due to long lifespans and slow reproduction rates, #deepsea sharks and rays are highly susceptible to exploitation. Did you know that Greenland sharks, for example, can take up to 150 years to reach sexual maturity? 🦈⏳ Targeted for their valuable meat and liver oil, deep-sea sharks require immediate conservation attention. Specific fishing regulations are required to safeguard their vulnerable populations. Thank you to everyone involved in this important study!
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20 days ago
New #research says that “whale sharks act like mobile nurseries”!✨🌊 (link in bio) #Repost 📷 from @spinnershark7 : New #sharkresearch 🚨 from @jamescookuniversity (Marcus Sheaves’s research group, not our lab). A research note presenting an interesting theory that whale sharks act like mobile nurseries, providing a safe escort for golden trevally juveniles as they cross open ocean waters, and then dropping them off at reefs and islands along the way. The evidence for this is circumstantial - in this case citizen science i.e. photos - but when you consider the behaviour of larval fishes and the frequency of observations of this behaviour, the migration patterns of whale sharks, and the biogeography of tropical reef fishes, the pieces align with this theory. It’s a compelling case … Thanks to @alexkyddphoto for permission to use this amazing photo to illustrate this point. The paper is published in @csiropublishing Pacific Conservation Biology, and as an #openaccess paper it’s is free for anyone to download and read. A nice short thought provoking paper about how one of the marine biodiversity patterns we see today may have come to be. #marinescience #marinebiology #ocean #pacific #coralreef #whaleshark #sharkconservation #shark #biodiversity #marinebiodiversity #marineecology #fishbiology
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1 month ago
The ‘State of the World’s Migratory Species’ report highlights the urgent need for international cooperation to protect migratory animals, like many species of #sharks .🌍🦈 By restoring key areas through management tools like Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), we can help recover populations, promote connectivity, and safeguard biodiversity. The #SharkConservationFund , through its Shark Biodiversity Initiative, supports projects aimed to protect important shark habitats, and effective fisheries management for these species worldwide. ‘State of the World’s Migratory Species’ report available on our story. 📸: Convention of Migratory Species (CMS)
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1 month ago
This #ValentinesDay , let’s explore the softer side of #sharks ! 
Scientific research reveals that sharks are more than solitary predators – some form lasting friendships! For example, bull, grey reef, & lemon sharks have been observed choosing to spend their time with preferred companions, forming social bonds that can endure years. 🦈💙 
There’s still so much more to learn about these magnificent animals, reminding us of the importance of ensuring their conservation and protection. . . . . 📸: Captain John Moore
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1 month ago
As ocean temperatures rise🔥, so does the threat of #climate change to marine life. 🐠

A recent study highlights the strain warming ocean temperatures place on marine animals, including #sharks and #rays . Known impacts for #sharks include higher stress levels, behavioral shifts, and altered migration patterns – and this might be just the tip of the iceberg. 
 Amid global efforts to combat climate change, urgent action must be taken to safeguard ocean ecosystems 🪸. One of the best ways to do that is through shark conservation🦈, by protecting important shark areas and enforcing sustainable fisheries through effective management measures. 
#SharkConservationFund and its partners are steadfast in their commitment to safeguarding sharks, fostering more resilient oceans. 
Link in bio. 📸: Anita Kainra
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1 month ago
Don’t miss #SharkConservationFund’s Small Grant Program Webinar!🦈 Connect with our team, hear from an expert application reviewer, & gain insights from successful grantees. Ready to boost your application for success?🚀 RSVP now: [email protected] And please share!🌐
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1 month ago
#SharkConservationFund is proud to support the efforts of Fundación Mundo Azul as they work to establish more sustainable #shark management in Guatemala. 🦈 Learn more about what they are doing! (scroll for English) #Repost 📷  by @fmundo.azul : ✨Como varios países latinoamericanos que comparten la costa del Pacífico y el Caribe continental, Guatemala se enfrenta a crisis de desarrollo y de sobrepesca que son intensificadas por la falta de alternativas económicas para las comunidades pesqueras y la escasez de conocimiento científico sobre el estado de las poblaciones de diferentes especies y recursos pesqueros. ✨Sin embargo, trabajando juntos podemos encontrar soluciones a esta problemática. ✨Gracias al apoyo de @sharkconservationfund  y la confianza de las comunidades pesqueras, estamos ampliando nuestro proyecto de monitoreos de desembarques de elasmobranquios. ✨Recientemente iniciamos los monitoreos de desembarques en las comunidades de Champerico, Retalhuleu, y El Dormido, Santa Rosa, y logramos la capacitación de cuatro monitores comunitarios en estas actividades. ✨Este proyecto nos permitirá generar datos importantes, y apoyar el manejo sostenible de recursos por parte de las comunidades pesqueras. - - ✨Like several Latin American countries that share the Eastern Pacific coast and continental Caribbean, Guatemala is facing development and overfishing crises exacerbated by the lack of economic alternatives for fishing communities and the scarcity of scientific knowledge about the populations of different marine species. ✨However, by working together we can find solutions to this problem. ✨Thanks to support from @sharkconservationfund (/sharkconservationfund/) and the trust that fishing communities have in our work, we are expanding our elasmobranch landing monitoring program. ✨We recently began monitoring elasmobranch landings in the communities of Champerico, Retalhuleu, and El Dormido, Santa Rosa, and trained four community members on how to conduct these activities. ✨This project will allow us to generate important data and support the sustainable management of resources by the fishing communities themselves.
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1 month ago
🚨 Less than 2% of current #MarineProtectedAreas have dedicated shark management measures.🚨 Sharks are vital for marine ecosystem health, often acting as top predators and keystone species. Studies have shown that protecting sharks leads to healthier seagrass and kelp ecosystems by preventing overgrazing, safeguarding an ecosystem’s overall #biodiversity . 🐠🐟🐡   At #SharkConservationFund , one of our main objectives is to prioritize & integrate shark conservation into #MPAs 🦈. Collaborating worldwide, we work with our partners to tackle #biodiversity loss in our ocean via dedicated shark conservation efforts.🌏 . . 📸: C E Newman
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2 months ago
Despite increased shark conservation efforts over the past decade, a new study titled, “Global shark fishing mortality still rising despite widespread regulatory change” found that fishing-induced shark mortality also increased! 🦈📈 So, how can we truly reduce shark mortality and protect these vital species? ➡️ #SharkConservationFund is championing a global strategy, backing initiatives that yield science-based fisheries management measures paired with strict protections for the most important shark habitats. 🌎   Link in bio. 📸: Hannes Klostermann
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2 months ago