Ocean Sentry
Delegates to this year’s biggest international summit on protecting wildlife have agreed to include the whale shark, locally known as “butanding”, in the list of species that need international protection.
October, 2017
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18 October
Humans—the disturbing neighbours of reef sharks
Shark diversity and abundance is highest in remote reefs, as far as 25 hours away from main cities, reveals an international study conducted in the New Caledonia archipelago.
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12 October
Pondicherry Shark, Red Sea Torpedo and Tentacled Butterfly Ray may have become extinct, fear scientists
Three marine species — the Pondicherry shark, the Red Sea torpedo and the tentacled butterfly ray might be possibly extinct in the oceanic waters of the Arabian Seas Region (ASR) since no evidence of their existence has surfaced in the last three decades.
September, 2017
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29 September
Sharks can live a lot longer than researchers realized
If living longer means that an animal matures and starts reproducing later in life, underestimating age will mean that it is more vulnerable than has been realized.
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22 September
315 live sharks seized from fishing boat
A fishing boat with two tonnes of fish and 315 live sharks was detained off Miri in northern Sarawak.
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20 September
Sharks become victims of most deadly predator in the Gulf – overfishing
New report says the fishing industry is pushing many species towards extinction.
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9 September
Fisherman captures endangered whale shark; tries to sell it to horrified restaurant staff
A fisherman in eastern China has been arrested for allegedly trying to sell an endangered whale shark to a hotel restaurant.
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8 September
Indonesia exports 3,800 tons of shark meat
Indonesia has exported 3,800 tons of shark meat, 1,350 tons of shark fin, and 375 tons of shark bones to several countries. Apart from that, Indonesia exported live sharks particularly to Spain and Abu Dabi.
August, 2017
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27 August
“Ghost poachers” are still at large after the biggest shark-smuggling bust in Galapagos history
On Aug. 13, Ecuadorian authorities intercepted a Chinese ship crossing the Galapagos Marine Reserve, one of the most heavily protected nature reserves in the world. Its crew, who now face jail time in Ecuador for environmental crimes, were likely not the fishermen.
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27 August
Study shows endangered sharks, rays further threatened by global food markets
A majority of shark fins and manta ray gills sold around the globe for traditional medicines come from endangered species, a University of Guelph study has revealed.
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24 August
Hunting of sharks for fins is rampant in Vizag coast
Poaching of sharks has been on rise on the Vizag coast as the fins of the sharks has demand in Asian countries and a few European countries.
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20 August
NSW shark nets kill protected turtles, dolphins and Australian fur seal
They’re supposed to make beaches safer but shark nets are responsible for killing 151 of Australia’s most precious marine creatures.