Shark Savers: Education
Shark Savers: Education is a supplemental resource for grade 5-12 teachers and students.
Shark Biology explains how sharks differ from other fish. It opens with a Primer that describes features common to all sharks and includes a comparison chart that highlights differences between the ten shark orders. A sidebar offers related articles on shark eyesight and other senses, cancer, shark and ray reproduction, and Bull Shark survival in fresh water. Other topics covered are social behavior, 450 million years of evolution (sharks predate insects, mammals and dinosaurs and have survived all five mass extinctions), and shark species (there are 495). Species are introduced by order. Under Mackerel Sharks (Order: Lamniformes), students will find 15 species including Thresher, Mako, Megamouth, and Great White.
Sharks Are In Trouble examines the shark fin trade and the effects of reduced shark populations. The trade is responsible for 14 species being near extinction. An Infographic ( PDF, 224 KB, 1 pg.) is provided.
Sharks Are Important explains the role of sharks in a healthy ocean. A slideshow illustrates how the elimination of sharks, an apex predator, affects an ecosystem.
Manta and Mobula Rays are increasingly fished as shark populations decline. This section provides information on ray biology, behavior, and fishing.
Short Videos on sharks and rays and their ecological importance are also onlne.
A short Glossary defines common shark and ray terms.