It’s the most wonderful week of them all! No, not back to school or “25 of Days of Christmas.” This week is Shark Week: the most vicious, yet scientific display of ultimate jaw-someness there is.What is it about sharks that gets me so excited? Is it the dead-pan, unblinking stare? The rows and rows of nom-nomming teeth? While these features are impressive, the real reason is the fact that these misunderstood creatures, which are so important to the ecosystem, are finding their numbers quickly deteriorating.Approximately 73 million sharks are killed each year by humans; in comparison, an average of five people die from shark attacks annually.This means that 14.6 million times as many sharks are killed at the hands of humans than the reverse. It also means that someone is more likely to be bitten by another person, or killed by hornets, dogs, wasps or bees than die from a shark attack. So why are we so afraid of them?
Twenty percent of sharks species are nearing extinction due to overfishing and a high value market for shark parts. In Hong Kong, shark fin soup is a delicacy that can cost around $100 per bowl. But shark finning is perhaps one of the most wasteful and despicable ways of fishing. Once a shark is captured, the fishers cut off its fins and drop the (often still live) shark back into the ocean where it will sink and die. Considering shark meat is still eaten in many countries, and their oils can be used for medicine, we should at least use all the parts of a shark. Or kill it before shoving it back in the ocean, be merciful.
But the worst part is that people don’t realize the immense importance of sharks in our ecosystem. Many sharks are bottom dwellers which eat dead and decaying animals and plants. They help filter our oceans and keep them clean by eating zooplankton and preventing algal blooms. Sharks keep the ocean from becoming overpopulated by eating all types of other fish.
Yet depressing shark facts can only keep my attention for so long. Sometimes I need the shows leaning towards the mindless eating variety. There’s the historical dramatization of the shark attacks that inspired “Jaws,” even though it is crazy cheesy, or the episode of “MythBusters” where they see if sharks really can smell a single drop of blood from a mile away.
There’s “Sharkzilla,” the show where a group of shark researchers and mechanics work together to rebuild a working model of the megalodon – the worlds largest shark. After which, viewers can vote on what this machine will munch on (last time it was a model bull shark, slimy innards included). There are also the many sequels to “Day of the Shark” which is basically just an hour of recreations of shark attacks and interviews with the attacked.
So yes, Shark Week has some stupid shows, but without the balance of learning and “woah, look at that!” moments, Shark Week wouldn’t be the surprisingly enjoyable learning experience that it is. Shark week has taken me from being terrified to go into the ocean to wanting to major in marine biology to help these voiceless creatures. After 25 years of Shark Week, it is still changing people’s minds.
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