Protecting Sharks

Time to save the sharks

Almost 40 years after the stupid movie “Jaws” scientist, conservationist and shark protecting organisation are still picking up the pieces and trying to explain to people of the world that sharks are not ferocious man eaters. This movie was one of the most successful misleading achievement of cinematography ever. Thanks to Steven Spielberg most of the sharks was taken as cruel dangerous animals and killing them was considered sexy and heroic. But it is not. They are one of the most vital parts of the ocean and if we kill them all the oceans will be totally different place. Place really far away from the image of blue water full of colourful fish and coral reefs we like to picture in our dreams of tropical paradise.

Protecting sharks – protecting the oceans

If you like to read more about the place of shark in the ocean try this …

There is many tv programs produce out there which live of the fear of sharks and still let people believe that sharks just perfectly fit in to the Spielberg’s cruel imagination. In last days Discovery Channel broadcasted a program which involved fake institutions and actors which one of them shockingly described the sharks as “cunning” beast with an “insatiable appetite for human blood”. This sort of statements are just bad and totally ridiculous. Sharks attack humans rarely and only out of mistake and it is scientifically proven that they do not like taste of human flesh. It is not only irresponsible to broadcast such a misleading information but it is as well dangerous for the future destiny of the sharks. I still remember when the Discovery Chanel used to be place of a genuine discovery.

They did not only used fake actors but they managed to mislead some scientist and managed to edit what they say to suit the content of their programs. “ For example, this year a documentary called Monster Hammerhead apparently set out to explore a legendary hammerhead that has been patrolling Florida for 60 years. For starters, hammerheads live a maximum of 44 years. Second, according to 109, the Postdoc that featured in the program, Kristine Stump, was led to believe the program was about something else.” Justine Alford

This is not the first time Discovery Channel has done this. Even the editing is common and standard practise but no serious TV channel can not use it to produce pure false information. The excuse of needs to sensationalise in order to interest more people in protecting sharks used by Discovery Channel after it was confronted with some critics is just not acceptable.

World Deadliest Animals by Number of People Killed per Year (source B.Gates blog)

In the time it has taken you to read this short post approximately another 100 sharks will have been killed in our oceans, sharks play such an important role in our ocean and without them the food chain will collapse.

Protecting sharks is protecting the oceans!