Sharks and rays take the spotlight on July 14 each year as we celebrate Shark & Ray Awareness Day. This global event focuses on the positive impact that sustainability can have on populations of these magnificent species in our oceans.

Sharks and rays are true marvels of natural selection, with extraordinary physical and behavioral adaptations that have allowed them to thrive in diverse marine environments. These creatures play a crucial role in marine food webs and contribute significantly to the health and balance of our oceans.

Rays, often referred to as “flattened sharks,” are closely related to their more well-known cousins. They possess unique features, such as their flattened bodies and wing-like fins, which make them exceptional swimmers and hunters. Both sharks and rays are indispensable contributors to the delicate ecosystem of our oceans.

Shark & Ray Awareness Day serves as a platform for education and engagement. By understanding these amazing creatures, we can all play a vital role in protecting them and ensuring their survival for generations to come.

Core messages of Shark and Ray Awareness Day

• Educate the public
• Promote sustainable practices
• Combat Misconceptions
• Support Conservation Efforts
• Engage the Youth

Read on to discover why we need to raise awareness and what you can do to help…

Combating Misconceptions in Australia

Sharks often face an unjustified negative reputation in the media, overshadowing their critical role in marine ecosystems.

On average, three people are killed by sharks in Australia each year. Many more fatalities occur due to encounters with horses and cows. In comparison, an estimated 100 million sharks are killed worldwide by humans annually.

Sharks, in particular, have been subject to negative portrayals in popular media and culture, leading to fear and unwarranted demonization. Many people associate sharks with danger and aggression, which has perpetuated the idea that they are ruthless killers. In reality, shark attacks on humans are relatively rare, and most shark species are not a threat to humans.

How can you help?

One effective way to address this image problem is by learning all you can about sharks and rays, and sharing your enthusiasm with others. You can also choose to support only media that portrays a positive image of these misunderstood animals.

Australia Needs Sharks

Sharks are crucial for the sustainability of Australian waters and marine environments globally. They serve as top predators, helping to control the balance of marine species and ensure ecological stability. Removing sharks from these ecosystems would have far-reaching consequences, disrupting the delicate balance of marine life and threatening the health of coral reefs, including the magnificent Great Barrier Reef in Queensland.

The Great Barrier Reef Needs Sharks

The Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest natural wonder, is a global treasure attracting millions of tourists every year. Sharks are an integral part of this vibrant ecosystem, contributing to its biodiversity and resilience. Their presence enriches the experience of divers and snorkelers, offering an opportunity to witness the wonders of the marine world up close.

 Read Our Guide to Sharks Down Under

Support Shark Conservation Efforts

The excessive and indiscriminate fishing of sharks and rays, driven by the high demand for their products, is the primary threat to their survival. The demand for shark fins, in particular, has led to a devastating practice known as shark finning, where sharks are caught, their fins are cut off, and the rest of the body is often discarded back into the ocean, still alive. This wasteful practice has resulted in serious declines in many shark and ray populations worldwide. As a result of these unsustainable fishing practices, one-third of shark and ray species are now classified as threatened with extinction

How can you help?

You can help by supporting campaigns and by always purchasing sustainable seafood. Remember, shark is often labelled as flake in Australian fish and chip shops.

How to Engage Kids and Celebrate Shark and Ray Awareness Day

We need to take time to learn the facts about sharks and why they are so important to us and our world, so that we can help to protect them. Inspiring kids by teaching them about sharks is crucial to improving the outlook for sharks.

We have created a range of FREE shark videos and fact sheets to assist in teaching children, as well as a paid online teaching resource pack and an online sharks course for kids.

Our resources and videos cover the following shark themed curriculum topics for kids:

Adapatation, Habitats, Human Impact, Food Webs, Natural Selection, Classification, and more…

Amazing Sharks Videos for Kids

Ocean Life Education’s owner and Director of Education, Richard Coward, is a marine scientist and recently created a range of engaging shark videos for kids, entitled:

• Built to Hunt
• The Point of Teeth
• Why We Need Sharks
• Why Sharks Attack

 Click here to watch Amazing Sharks video

 Quiz – Search for Your Inner Shark

How much are you like a shark??

Take the Quiz

We hope you enjoy our resources and courses and that you become an advocate for our misunderstood sharks and rays too.

 Other Important Shark & Ray Awareness Days to Remember

• June 25- Angel Shark Day
• August 30- International Whale Shark Day
• September 17- World Manta Day
• October 17- International Sawfish
• October 30- Ghost Shark Day

Useful links

Join a volunteer shark conservation organisation like:

• Sea Shepherd
• Sharks & Rays of Australia 
• Marine Conservation Australia

The post Guide to Shark and Ray Awareness Day in Australia appeared first on Ocean Life Education.

Contrary to popular belief, mainly brought about by scary shark movies, you have more chance of being killed by a coconut than a shark! Over-fishing and unsustainable practices are causing shark populations to decline worldwide. Amazing sharks play an important role in our oceans and on our majestic reefs and we should all be concerned about their numbers declining. We believe that the big danger is not sharks; the big danger is shark extinction. Here in Australia, we are luck to have bountiful species of shark living off our coastline. Read on to discover some interesting facts about sharks of Australia, why we need sharks in Australia and why we need to protect sharks living off the coast of Australia in our Amazing Australian Shark Facts blog…

Sharks in Australian Waters

There are considered to be around 180 species of sharks in Australian waters and 500 species worldwide. In fact, around 50 species of shark live right here, off the Eastern Coast of Queensland. Eastern Australia’s grey nurse sharks are considered critically endangered and school sharks (sometimes known as flake in fish and chip shops) and scalloped hammerheads are on the endangered shark list too.

Sharks Commonly Found off Australia

The following sharks are commonly found off Australia’s coast: Great White, Port Jackson, Thresher, Zebra Shark, Tiger Shark, Tasselled Wobbegong, Whale Shark, Oceanic Whitetip, Blacktip Reef, Grey Nurse, Bull Shark, Bronze Whaler, Great Hammerhead, Blind Shark, Pygmy Shark

Why Do We Need Sharks?

 There is no doubt that we need sharks. As apex predators, sharks help maintain the balance of life in the sea. Sharks are a vital part of the food chain, controlling mid-sized predators and allowing small reef fish to thrive. Small reef fish take care of our amazing coral reef, therefore sharks help keep coral reef healthy. Without sharks, we would be denied the pleasure of exploring amazing underwater habitats such as the world’s largest natural wonder, Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef. The global economic impact on tourism and of declining fish stocks would be huge. So, have no doubt, we need sharks!

Why Are Shark Populations in Decline?

Shark populations are in decline globally and in Australian waters. 100 million sharks are killed in worldwide fisheries each year and habitat degradation, pollution and climate change are also impacting international shark populations. Controversial shark nets and drum lines (designed to protect human populations) add further to the decline.

Sharks live a long time (20-30 years), grow slowly and take a long time to mature and reach reproductive age. This means that even if we slow the decline in shark populations now, populations will take a long time to recover.

Should I Be Scared of Sharks in Australia?

No! We don’t think you should be scared of sharks. The ocean is their home and when we visit their home we need to be very aware and respectful of them.

• On average, one person a year is killed in a shark attack in Australia.

To put things in perspective…

• 5 people die from falling out of bed
• 10 people are struck down by lightning
• 1,100 are killed on our roads

Ultimate Shark Facts 

Check out our ultimate shark facts and discover how much you really know about sharks.

• The largest species of shark is the whale shark
• Baby sharks are called pups
• Shark bones are made of cartilage
• Many sharks have multiple rows of sharp teeth – they can grow 35, 000 in a lifetime
• Shark skin feels like sandpaper
• The collective noun for a shark is a Shiver (or School, Shoal)
• The fastest shark in the ocean is the Shortfin Mako Shark (up to 74k an hour)
• The smallest species of shark is the Dwarf Lantern Shark (smaller than a human hand)
• Sharks have eyelids but they do not blink
• Sharks do not see in colour
• 10% of shark species are bioluminescent – they light up in the dark
• 180 species of shark live off the coast of Australia – 400 species worldwide
• Bull sharks can live in fresh and salt water
• Some sharks lay eggs (oviparous) others give birth to live young (viviparous), and some are a combination of these two, they start life inside their mother as an egg, hatch inside her and then are born live (ovoviviparous)
• Egg laying sharks lay egg cases known as mermaid’s purses
• Unlike humans, sharks breathe through gills, so their nostrils are purely dedicated to smelling
• Sharks are able to detect blood from 5 km
• Sharks can identify which of their two nostrils have picked up a scent – enabling them to determine the direction to swim to find food
• Some species of shark can survive for up to 3 months between meals
• Sharks can sense vibrations from 3 kilometres away

What Can I Do to Help Protect Sharks?

• Educate yourself and your friends
• Share your love of sharks on your social media channels
• Join a volunteer shark conservation organisation like sharkconservationorg.au, marineconservation.org.au, seashepherd.com.au (make a donation if you can)
• Join a beach clean or just clean as you go!
• Buy sustainable seafood and check restaurants have done so. Avoid flake at the Fish & Chip shop as it may be endangered shark
• Ask politicians to support ocean acidification research

Ocean Life Education is passionate about protecting all marine animals and focusing on the important role sharks play in our oceans.  We aim to separate fact from fiction when it comes to the most feared fish in the sea.

Check out our Shark Discovery Program for more information on how to inspire kids to love and respect sharks: www.oceanlifeeducation.com.au/programs/holiday-program/ 

Want to know more about Amazing Australian Shark Facts?

Check out our Amazing Sharks Online Course

We hope you enjoyed reading out blog: Amazing Australian Shark Facts

The post Sharks Down Under – Amazing Australian Shark Facts appeared first on Ocean Life Education.