Two hundred million years before dinosaurs came in to existence, sharks lived in the ocean just as they do today. Right now, many populations are decreasing at an alarming rate. Due to the slow reproduction strategies, sharks have great difficulty recovering their populations after extreme depletions from overexploitation. Of the 465 assessed species of sharks living in our oceans, 74 are currently listed as threatened, and 11 are critically endangered. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has estimated that one-quarter of all shark, ray and chimaera species are threatened with extinction. Major treats to sharks include: commercial fishing, bycatch, and habitat degradation. Shark finning alone kills an estimated 100 million or more sharks globally per year.

What can you do to help?

You can help by sponsoring the Oceans Unlimited team in a Swim-athon to raise awareness for shark conservation.

On December 20, 2014, at 1 PM, all staff members and interns at Oceans Unlimited will gather at Manuel Antonio beach to raise awareness. Please join us and cheer us on!

Our goal is to raise $500 for PRETOMA, a non-profit marine conservation and research organization working to protect ocean resources and promote sustainable fisheries policies in Costa Rica and Central America.

For every dollar raised we will swim 3 meters. Give us a workout and donate to help save sharks!
If we reach out goal of $500, a hammerhead shark will be tagged in Cocos Island with an acoustic transmitter. Help us and you will be an active part in current research efforts.

Click here to Donate

 

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