Misunderstanding Sharks: Fear versus Reality
For ages, sharks have been portrayed as merciless predators lying beneath the waves, just waiting to strike at a moment’s notice. This most likely was perpetuated through sensational media and Hollywood films. It has grown into a culture of fear around these magnificent creatures. The truth is much more subtle and deserves our respect, not our fear.
Although this is an apex predator, this statement is true, and again the likelihood of any shark attacking a human being is very low. You most likely get struck by lightning or bitten by a dog. What is more, the greater percentage of shark species are harmless to humans. In fact, only a few of those species have ever been implicated in attacks: great white, tiger, and bull sharks, among others. In fact, most such incidents are not predation; rather, many of those incidents have usually been a case of confusion or curiosity.
Not only are sharks falsely maligned for their behavior, but they also serve a very important function in marine ecosystems. Sharks are apex predators; they regulate populations in other species, hence the balance in the amount of life in the ocean. Such a balance goes a long way in maintaining healthy coral reefs and fish on which humans depend for activities like fishing and tourism. When sharks are overfished or driven away from their habitats, the ripples can be devastating: decline in biodiversity and deterioration of marine environments.
The result of such fear has come back in the form of very harmful practices: culling and fishing them to near extinction. In the U.S., knee-jerk reactions to isolated incidents include beach closures and shark hunts. Rather than instigate a culture of understanding, such actions just reinforce the story of sharks as threats. We have to create awareness among the general public regarding their behavior and the significance of sharks from an ecological point of view; the talk needs to be shifted from fear to appreciation.
Shifting paradigms on sharks have been tackled by successive generations of conservationists and scientists. Documentaries and programs on education, for instance, highlight their aesthetic values and complexity. They only reveal those species which do not attack humans – the whale shark, for instance, because this is the biggest, yet totally harmless fish. This motivates ecotourism projects based on sharks and lets people understand how much such top predators form the very important constituent parts in functional ecosystems rather than to be feared.
Instead, one should approach sharks with respect, and not live in fear of them. Let’s find a way to get out of this stereotypical behavior of the myths that surround them, showing their ecological importance-which may stand correctly in perspective to their great work and achievements in the life cycle of our planet. Know sharks-the protection of sharks does not mean protection; it means a way to secure health for oceans and then subsequently earth. Now, it’s time to break away from the fear towards wonder, love, and preservation. Only then can we share space with the apex predators of the sea.
