<
https://theconversation.com/south-africas-great-white-sharks-are-changing-locations-they-need-to-be-monitored-for-beach-safety-and-conservation-212211>
"South Africa is renowned for having one of the world’s biggest populations of
great white sharks (
Carcharodon carcharias). Substantial declines have been
observed, however, in places where the sharks normally gather on the coast of
the Western Cape province. Sharks congregate at these locations to feed,
interact socially, or rest.
In Cape Town, skilled “shark spotters” documented a peak of over 300 great
white shark sightings across eight beaches in 2011, but have recorded no
sightings since 2019. These declines have sparked concerns about the overall
conservation status of the species.
Conserving great white sharks is vital because they have a pivotal role in
marine ecosystems. As top predators, they help maintain the health and balance
of marine food webs. Their presence influences the behaviour of other marine
animals, affecting the entire ecosystem’s structure and stability.
Marine biologists like us needed to know whether the decline in shark numbers
in the Western Cape indicated changes in the whole South African population or
whether the sharks had moved to a different location."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
