‘Sharks are the guardians of the oceans’

‘Sharks are the guardians of the oceans’

Scientists have time and again tried to convey that sharks are among the most misunderstood predators on the planet. They feel that sharks can be sociable and intelligent, and they could even help solve some of the toughest medical challenges of the 21st century. Unfortunately, like most animals, sharks too are on the verge of extinction, but we can save them by being kind and generous towards them. Sony BBC Earth’s upcoming show Shark: Beneath the Surface, which premieres on June 29, attempts to change people’s perspective towards these creatures.  

Steve Greenwood, one of the series producers, while talking about the experience of making the show, says, “The experience was very exciting. Our objective is to change people’s perception towards sharks. Many people think that sharks are scary animals. We wanted to show them that sharks are intelligent animals who are under great threat. There is a possibility that they may become extinct. When we were making the show, we were excited to meet people who are into cultivation. We also realised the various perilous situations that sharks are in today.” 

Sharks are more than just hunters — they have an intricate social life, complex courtship rituals, surprising ways of bringing up their young and extraordinary powers of navigation. They can forge relationships with the strangest of partners, even humans.
 
Jeanie Hammond, who also produced the series urges, “Against popular belief, sharks are very shy creatures.” She says that capturing their movements on cameras was tough. “They quickly move away when they see cameras and people and that was a great obstacle in shooting them. People think sharks easily come towards them, but that’s not true. There was a huge variety of sharks shot for the show — from world’s biggest sharks and to the smallest ones of various colours, sizes and shapes, including Whale Sharks and Manta Rays.”

Greenwood adds that they also shot some unusual sharks species such as shell sharks which glow in the dark. “I am still amused how they do it. This may, however, help in finding answers to some of the fundamental questions asked in science. Manta Rays is my favourite sea creature — it is so beautiful and intelligent. These creatures also have visual personalities,” he adds. 

Sharks are the ocean’s great predators, living in every ocean and hunting in every way. Blacktip sharks hunt in huge packs and herd fish into bait balls, tasselled wobbegongs are ambush hunters, Greenland sharks live under the Arctic ice, and whitetip reef sharks are the masters of hunting at night. Speaking of how sharks contribute to the ecology of the ocean, Hammond, says, “Sharks are the guardians of the oceans. They keep everything else in the ocean in check. If we remove sharks from the seas and oceans, there will be a huge problem in the ecosystem of these water bodies. It is really important that we protect them. We are constantly trying to understand them, their nature, habits etc so that we can protect them.” 

Greenwood seconds it and asserts that it is very important for these creatures to be protected and conserved. “They are extremely vulnerable. They live for such a long time and take a lot of time to develop and grow and have offspring of their own. Hence they face a lot of threats during their lifespan. They are quite like humans, elephants and other big mammals who procreate only one baby a year. They may become extinct soon which will be dangerous for both water and land — our earth will be changed forever,” he adds. 

He points out that exactly 100 million sharks are taken out of the oceans every year through fishing activities. “Shark fins are extremely expensive commodity in the Asian countries, hence certain species of sharks are disappearing faster. If the demand for shark fins and overfishing is not stopped or regulated, we will soon lose them all,” he explains.

ST READER SERVICE 
Shark: Beneath the Surface will premiere on June 29  at 9 pm on Sony BBC Earth

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