This is a great article for several reasons:
"A diver who suffered a fatal shark bite in the Bahamas this week is part of a trend of increasing attacks around the world despite plummeting populations of the majestic fish. If sharks are so threatened in the world's waters, why are attacks on humans on the rise?
Because the global population of humans is growing fast..."
Because the global population of humans is growing fast..."
So, it is our numbers that are at fault, we're diving into more places, exposing ourselves to more shark attacks.
(*no one mentions the potential that more shark attacks are happening since we've destroyed their normal prey, and they're hungry! Perhaps we're not quite there yet!)
The article has other nuggets of information:
"Sharks killed one human in 2007, according to the International Shark Attack File, but humans killed an estimated 38 million sharks for their fins each year, Baum said. That's as many sharks as the entire human populations of the 35 largest cities in the United States."
I have never seen the environmental destruction we're causing to be phrased in such a way...read it again "EACH YEAR"...
"Data from two case studies, one in southeastern Australian waters and the other in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, showed reductions in abundance of about 90 percent in many species of sharks in less than 20 years, Simpfendorfer said. "
Reductions of 90 percent in 20 years. Doesn't leave much for the next 20...and what are the implications when the top predator is no longer around to keep other species in check? It ain't good.
"Sharks ...are ... crucial to the entire marine ecosystem: they ... help keep smaller sharks and rays from devouring too many scallops, clams and other commercially important species of marine life."
Yes, the sharks are in the ocean to protect commercially important species for mankind. Well, perhaps we've fallen off the wagon with that one, but, interestingly, sharks are crucial to the rest of the ecosystem, absolutely astounding! (yeah...right, like no one ever considered that before!)
Once again, through our continuing uncontrolled experiment on the ecosystem of the planet, Humans are proving smart enough to RUIN the planet, but not smart enough to RUN it.
THE LAST LINE IS THE BOTTOM LINE!
"The real story isn't shark attacks, Burgess said. "The real story is what is happening to skates, sharks and rays on a worldwide basis. We have witnessed, in the last 20 to 30 years, huge declines in these animals worldwide."
