Sharks have roamed our oceans since before the time of dinosaurs, but their long reign at the top of the ocean food chain may be ending. The onset of industrial fishing over the past 60 years has drastically depleted their populations. Of the shark and ray species assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 30 percent are threatened or near threatened with extinction.
Because sharks are crucial predators, their decline poses risks for the health of entire ocean ecosystems. To help illustrate these interactions, Pew's Global Shark Conservation campaign worked with a team from the Fisheries Centre at the University of British Columbia to produce two animations about the importance of sharks in the marine environment.
For more information about the Pew Environment Group's global shark conservation efforts, visit www.PewEnvironment.org/Sharks or click here to learn more about the animations.