Author | Lightnews

Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · 3d

South Africa’s sharks and rays face growing threats from overfishing, habitat loss, and climate change.

The TOPS list helps protect them by classifying species by extinction risk and regulating how they’re used.

Learn more via our FB page: www.facebook.com/share/p/1ASw...

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Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · 6d

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Rare thresher sharks spotted off Negros Occidental, Philippines.

Seen on 25 October at Sipaway Island MPA, these globally rare sharks (Alopias spp.) are protected under Philippine law.

Read more about this rare encounter here: newsinfo.inquirer.net/2130221/grou...

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Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · 10d

NEWS: The Maldives has announced it will allow gulper shark fishing from November 2025.

Gulper sharks are endangered, slow to recover and vital to ocean health.

Their loss could destabilise marine ecosystems crucial to Maldivian fisheries and food security.

Learn more: only.one/act/save-the...

Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · 12d

PUBLIC NOTICE: KwaDukuza Municipality has applied to install shark nets and drumlines at Tinley Manor Beach on KZN’s North Coast.

These lethal measures pose risks to sharks, dolphins, and turtles - prompting calls for ethical, non-lethal alternatives.

Read More: fb.watch/CUkS6XBERS/

Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · 25d

This week we celebrate National Marine Week!

SA’s coastline hosts around 200 species of sharks and rays, many under threat from overfishing and habitat loss.

Marine Protected Areas provide safe havens for these species to recover, breed, and thrive.

Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Sep 22

BREAKING NEWS: Species thought to be locally extinct in South Africa found on Eastern Cape beach.

On 19 Sept, marine history was made: a sawfish, thought locally extinct in SA, washed up near the Birah River Mouth, EC.

READ MORE: web.facebook.com/share/p/172H...

📷: Kevin Cole & Mike Vincent

Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Sep 16

NEWS: Recent studies have found that much of the shark meat sold in the United States comes from endangered species.

Research shows the majority of shark products are mislabeled or so vaguely described that buyers have no idea what they are eating.

READ MORE: www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Sep 8

CHIMAERAS 👻🦈

Chimaeras, or “ghost sharks,” are close shark relatives. Unlike sharks, their jaws are fused to their skull, and as they mature, they lose their denticles - leaving their skin smooth and rubbery.

Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Sep 3

RAYS & SKATES:

With flattened bodies, eyes positioned on top, and mouths and gills underneath, they’re built to glide effortlessly along the seabed.

The difference? Rays have longer tails and give birth to live young, while skates lay eggs.

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Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Aug 29

Sharks have been in our oceans for 400+ million years, yet many of their traits remain unknown. They’re defined by 5–7 gill slits and pectorals not fused to the head - key features that make a shark, a shark.

Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Aug 25

KZN: Heading down to the beachfront this week? Don't forget to pop past our latest exhibit at Ushaka Marine World.

It’s an eye-opening journey into the challenges sharks face and why their survival is so important for our oceans.

Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Aug 20

NEWS: Learn how cutting-edge AI is transforming shark conservation by turning everyday online photos into real-time data that helps track threatened species and safeguard their future.

Read the full article: www.tomorrowsworldtoday.com/nature/ai-ad...

AI Addresses the Depleting Number of Sharks in Oceans

Researchers are looking to innovate the global threat to shark populations with a platform that uses AI to enhance a population database.

www.tomorrowsworldtoday.com

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Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Aug 15

🦈 Sharks Under Threat 🦈
PRISTIOPHORIFORMES
The saw sharks, which are known for their long, pointed snouts lined with sharp teeth, resembling a saw.
Species under threat:
Lana's sawshark - IUCN Red List Status: NEAR THREATENED
Continued monitoring & research are essential to ensure their protection.

Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Aug 13

NEWS: ReShark is a world-first shark rewilding initiative aiming to bring the Indo‑Pacific leopard shark (also known as the zebra shark) back to reefs where it had vanished.
Read full article: news.mongabay.com/2025/08/can-...

Can we undo extinction? A growing effort to restore lost sharks

In the shallows of Raja Ampat, Indonesia, a bold conservation experiment is underway—one that blends marine biology, local stewardship, and international collaboration in an effort to bring a species ...

news.mongabay.com

Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Aug 11

🦈 Sharks Under Threat 🦈
ORECTOLOBIFORMES
Commonly known as the carpet sharks,so named because they feed on the seabed. Many carpet sharks are at risk due to habitat loss and overfishing - particularly as bycatch.
IMAGE: Zebra shark - IUCN Red List Status: ENDANGERED
Credit: David Robinson

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Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Aug 8

After 15 years of dedicated research, scientists have confirmed a third species of manta ray, Mobula yarae (the Atlantic manta ray) - joining the reef manta (Mobula alfredi) & the giant oceanic manta (Mobula birostris).
Read article via Oceanographic: oceanographicmagazine.com/news/scienti...

Scientists hail third manta ray species "evolution in action" - Oceanographic

15 years on from the largest species discovery in half a century, scientists confirm a third species of manta ray in the Atlantic Ocean.

oceanographicmagazine.com

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Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Aug 4

🦈 Sharks Under Threat 🦈
LAMNIFORMES - These are the mackerel sharks, which include some of the most well-known shark species. Slow growth, late maturity & low reproductive rates make them vulnerable to global fishing pressures & exploitation.
Image: Basking shark - IUCN RED List Status -ENDANGERED

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Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Jul 11

Sharks have ruled the oceans for over 455 million years. Today, they face threats they’ve never encountered before, from overfishing to habitat destruction. It's not just about saving a species; it’s about preserving millions of years of evolution & keeping our ocean ecosystems in balance.

Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Jun 25

Half a century after 'Jaws' hit theaters, researchers are rewriting the story, revealing sharks not as villains, but as vital guardians of our oceans.
Read New York Times article: www.nytimes.com/2025/06/21/s... @wildtrust.co.za @newyorktimeshaiku.bsky.social

Fifty Years After ‘Jaws,’ Shark Science Is Still Surfacing

www.nytimes.com

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Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Jun 17

Shark Truths – Not Terrors 🦈
MYTH: "Killing sharks makes oceans safer."
SHARK TRUTH: Removing sharks doesn’t make the ocean safer. Sharks regulate the species below them in the food chain, helping maintain a healthy balance in marine ecosystems.

📷: Tom Vierus

Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Jun 13

On 11 June 2025, at #UNOC2025, @traffic_wltrade, @wwf, CMS, @cites, and IUCN hosted an event to launch a call for a Global Coalition to Halt the Extinction of Threatened Sharks and Rays. #UNOC3 @wildtrustssa.bsky.social #UNOC2025

Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Jun 13

“I’m incredibly excited that the film has been recognised at the ITFFA Awards. Being part of the project and a team that’s having an impact and changing the narrative around sharks is a real privilege.” says shark attack survivor Caleb Swanepoel. www.mosselbayadvertiser.com/News/Article...

Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Jun 9

We are excited to announce that our short film “Caleb - Beyond the Bite” won gold at the International Tourism Film Festival Africa Awards Ceremory in Johannesburg on Friday night. The short film follows Caleb Swanepoel’s emotional return to the ocean to swim with sharks. @wildtrustssa.bsky.social

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Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Jun 6

The Sardine Run is here! The good news? Shark nets are temporarily removed reducing the risk of entanglement for marine life. However, drumlines—baited hooks designed to capture sharks—remain in place, meaning sharks are still at risk of being caught. @wildtrustssa.bsky.social

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Sharks Under Attack @sharksunderattack.bsky.social · Jun 6

We are in Johannesburg attending the International Tourism Film Festival Africa 2025 (ITFFA), where our film "Caleb - Beyond the Bite" has been selected as a finalist. We are excited to see how the film performs in the Awards Ceremony tonight. Stay tuned for updates. @wildtrustssa.bsky.social

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