Sharks
by Ashley Rye
Sharks have been stereotyped as vicious killing machines. This is unfair, explains June Behrens in her book Sharks! Published in 1990 by the Children’s Press of Chicago. There are so many falsehoods and stereotypes surrounding sharks that is is often hard to tell myth from truth.
From the beginning people have feared sharks. Ancient civilizations drew pictures of shark encounters and some tribes worshipped them as gods. Sharks have been around for millions of years and many scientists believe they came before dinosaurs. Some people think that sharks are savage murderers and it would be better off extinct. This is untrue.
Sharks can provide precious research that will help us find a possible cure for cancer. Sharks are vicious and ferocious hunters and designed to be killers. That is what they were made to do. However, only 30 of the 350 species actually attack people.
June Behrens states that “The shark is its own worst enemy.” Sharks are cannibals and they often eat their own young, but sharks are not their own worst enemy. A shark’s worst enemy is far more intelligent and can actually determine the species’ future. A shark’s worst enemy is man.
Humans do so much destruction to animals they should be called vicious murderers. Millions of sharks are killed annually by fishermen. Their bodies are used and abused and often only fins and teeth are taken. The bodies are then left to rot on hot, sandy beaches.
Humans also pollute the ocean in which sharks live. This causes severe health problems and often results in death. Without these creatures, humans would be losing. The oceanic food chain would be destroyed and there would be not scavengers to clean the oceans. If there were no sharks it could lead to our own extinction.
Remember, sharks are not hunting for humans. They like fish. They only attack humans when they are hungry or feel threatened. Hopefully, sharks will be around for much longer than what now seems possible, for without sharks, we could be endangering the entire ecosystem.
