SHARKS!

In the depths of the ocean is where many mysteries of the earth are hidden. One of these very mysteries and misinterpreted subjects is sharks. Just take a moment and think of the very first thing that you can think of when you hear the word "shark". Unfortunately, most people tend to think that they are scary and dangerous creatures, and should be avoided at all costs, because if you don't they will attack. However this thought is very misguided. While researching sharks, I learned that there are a small handful of shark attack fatalities in the world each year. Only 10 out of the 500 species of sharks have been implicated in incidents with humans. However, it seems like there are a lot more because the media puts a lot of hype into each individual attack, because that is what sells. Unknown to most of the general public sharks do not target humans as a source of a good meal. Usually the only reason a shark attacks is because they feel threatened or because they mistake a human as their usual food, which happens very rarely. It also stated that dying from a shark attack was less likely to happen than dying from being struck by lightning. Point being, sharks are more scared of us than many may think so anybody who has a fear of the ocean because of sharks, this should somewhat help them grasp the reality of the situation. So, instead of being afraid of sharks, we should instead help them because according to this website, sharks are in trouble. Sharks face the threat of extinction everywhere due to overfishing. However, since man is so ignorant and afraid of sharks, not much has been done so far to save the helpless mammals. Many people think that it is good to kill sharks because of how "dangerous" they are, however they contribute to the ocean in more ways than we may think. Without sharks, there would be an overabundance of most fish, seals, some crustaceans, and even many types of mollusca, namely squid and octopus. Just like any other animal, sharks are an important part of the food chain that, if destroyed, would provide crucial problem.

Works Cited:
"Myth: Shark Attacks Are Common." Shark Savers. Shark Savers Inc., 15 March 2009. Web. 28 Oct 2010. .