9781422276792

Thresher sharks and humans can coexist.

Even though thresher sharks are not likely to be harmed by other animals, they are often harmed by humans. Thresher sharks are often hunted for their fins and their meat, and it’s caused their population to decline severely. Thresher shark fins and meat are very valuable in some areas, and fishermen know that they can get a lot of money for these items. There are also companies that advertise adventure fishing—these companies attempt to lure vacationers into sport fishing for thresher sharks, as they are difficult to catch and often put up a fight. Some fishermen engage in the typically illegal practice of shark finning, in which a shark’s dorsal (top) fin is removed while the shark is still alive. The finless shark is then returned to the ocean. While this sounds more humane than killing the shark, the opposite is true— sharks who have been finned either starve to death or die from their injuries.

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