Sharks need love too
April 23, 2015
A critically endangered grey nurse shark.
Image credit: Justin Gilligan
Critically endangered grey nurse sharks are in urgent need of attention
THE GREY NURSE SHARK was once maligned as a man-eater along Australia’s east coast. During the 1960s and ’70s it was massively targeted by hunters, which was followed by a rapid population decline. This resulted in its listing in 1984 as a protected species, making it the first shark to be protected anywhere in the world.
Now known to be harmless unless provoked, grey nurse populations are still in decline, with the ‘critically endangered’ east coast population numbering 1500 animals or fewer. Threats include accidental bycatch by fishers, potential snagging in shark nets and illegal shark finning. Help us to help them! Your donations will go towards research and conservation work by the Sea Life Trust and Reef Check Australia.
