World of Sharks

Welcome to World of Sharks

The world belonged to sharks well before it belonged to people, dinosaurs or even trees. Sharks have roamed our oceans for more than 400 million years. They have lived through five mass extinctions, including the one that killed the dinosaurs.

Yet sharks and rays remain enigmatic. We have so much to learn about these magnificent, often misunderstood creatures. World of Sharks aims to answer any burning questions that you may have about sharks and rays, and at the same time spark your curiosity and inspire you to learn more about these fascinating creatures.

Today there are over 500 known species of shark and more than 600 species of ray – and 36% of them are listed as THREATENED with extinction. Now more than ever before, they need our help.

‘In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught.’
—Baba Dioum

Fact Files

The Five Threats

Habitat Loss

Slow Reproduction

Overfishing

Climate Change

Persecution

Interactive Sharks

White Shark

Manta Ray

Topics

Shark Tourism

Is shark tourism ‘good’, or ‘bad’? As with most debates around sharks, the ethics of shark tourism is filled with nuance – so let’s take a deep dive into the different ways in which shark tourism is done, the various pros and cons, and what to look out for if you’d like to head off on an adventure of your own.

Which sharks are the most endangered?

Sharks have survived five mass extinctions, including the ‘Great Dying’, an event that killed 90–96% of all species on earth. And yet in the present day we are seeing an unprecedented decline in shark populations.

Megalodon: insights into the largest prehistoric shark

Megalodon dominated prehistoric seas until its disappearance about 3.6 million years ago, in a period of geological time known as the Miocene. Our own species has only been on earth for just over 300,000 years. The only reason we know megalodon even existed is because of its teeth, which are now prized fossils found on beaches and in ancient riverbeds and archaeological sites.

Manta rays

Perhaps more ethereal than any other marine animal, manta rays swoop and glide through our oceans. But they are far more than simply otherworldly, plankton-swilling, marine magic carpets.

What eats sharks?

Fierce, aggressive, efficient and strong. Is your first image of a shark that of an agile hunter finning through the oceans? Or have you considered that the hunter is sometimes the hunted?