Accidental extinction

They are some of the most fascinating creatures in the ocean and they have inhabited the waters for a good 400 million years. However, despite having survived several mass extinctions, their ecological stability is now under threat. On the occasion of Shark and Ray Awareness Day, which was celebrated on 14 July, the wwf raised the alarm: more than 50 percent of sharks and rays in the Mediterranean are at serious risk of extinction. The relationship between these animals and the collective imagination was significantly influenced by a series of movies, first among them, “Jaws”. Spielberg’s 1975 film contributed to spreading an intimidating and untruthful “monstrous” image of an animal, that in reality, is not interested in attacking people. On average, sharks kill 10 people each year. This figure pales in comparison, for example, with the ...