Big news! The #SharkConservationFund has been making waves in global conservation of #SharksAndRays since 2016. 🦈✨. Our newly updated Investment Strategy will pave the way for another 5️⃣ historic years of #SharkConservation progress. Stay tuned for exciting updates!

#Rays, skates, & bottom-dwelling #sharks are stirring things up!. By digging & stirring sediment on the seafloor while foraging or hiding, they perform a natural process called #bioturbation - oxygenating the ocean floor and creating microhabitats.

RT @TheWCS: NEWS: @CITES shark and ray listings have driven improved global shark and ray management at a rate and scale that was previousl….

Did you know sharks often hear prey first? Low-frequency sounds guide them toward potential food from far away. How how sharks sense their world, from farthest distance to closest:. 🔊 Hearing.👃 Smell.🌊 Lateral line (water movement).👁️ Vision.⚡ Electroreception.👅 Touch &.

International trade regulations for sharks work – if followed by proper implementation. New #SharkConservationFund supported study finds that #CITES listings can boost national protections, but enforcement gaps remain to save the most threatened species. @TheWCS . Read:

Species like #whalesharks, #mantarays & #oceanicwhitetips are hurtling toward extinction. 7 New proposals for #CITESCoP20 seek to halt unsustainable & illegal trade of these key species. Thanks to Panama, Ecuador, Senegal, Benin, EU, UK, Brazil, Maldives for leading. Read

What is the two-thirds scaling rule & why do sharks follow it?. New research demonstrates that sharks closely follow this mathematical rule, which helps explain how animals regulate temperature, use oxygen, and respond to environmental stress.🦈. Learn more:.

Since launching in 2016, the #SharkConservationFund has become the global leader in shark and ray conservation funding – deploying nearly $44 million across 155 projects in 79 countries. ICYMI – check out our 2024 Impact Report:

Shark skin is covered in tooth-like structures called dermal denticles. but did you know teeth likely first evolved on the skin? 🦈 . More research supports the theory that teeth first evolved outside the mouth, as sensory tools on ancient fish. Check it out:.

At #UNOC2025, SCF’s Megan O’Toole joined international & grassroots campaigners to spotlight the vital role sharks play in supporting healthy marine ecosystems, & how lasting, meaningful conservation happens when community-driven initiatives & effective management align.

Tanzania just declared two new MPAs in critical habitat for sharks, rays, and other marine life! . SCF is proud to support @TheWCS in working with the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar and Pemba’s coastal communities to co-develop strong, lasting protections. 🦈.

RT @LewisPughFDN: Sharks have ruled the seas for over 400 million years!. This #WorldOceanDay, join us in celebrating these ancient ecosyst….

Thanks for diving into the ecological role of sharks with us!🦈 On #WorldOceansDay & every day, we celebrate how sharks shape marine ecosystems & support ocean health for all species, including us. Restoring healthy shark populations = restoring ocean health. Learn more:

#Cleaners🧼. Sharks act as “scratching posts”- their rough skin helps remove parasites & dead skin. They also visit cleaning stations where cleaner fish eat leftovers from their teeth. Beyond keeping ecosystems healthy, sharks also help keep their inhabitants clean!. 📸: Greg

#FosteringResiliency 💪. Through their many roles, sharks act as ecosystem architects, shaping marine ecosystems in ways that strengthen their resilience to extreme climate events and human pressures, and recover quicker when impacts occur. 📸: Narchuk

#Seagrass Guardians 🌱. Sharks protect seagrasses & other marine plants not only by preying on grazers, but simply by being there!. Shark presence alters grazer behavior, limiting how much & how long they feed, safeguarding these vital habitats from being overgrazed. 📸:

#NutrientCarriers 🔄. Many #sharks roam from deep to shallow, offshore to inshore. By feeding in one area and excreting in another, they transport essential nutrients like nitrogen & phosphorus, boosting productivity across ecosystems in ways we’re just beginning to uncover!. 📸:

#Prey 🐟. Surprised? Well, sharks come in all shapes & sizes and play different roles throughout different life stages. Large #hammerheads prey on smaller ones, and sand tiger sharks even prey on their siblings in the womb!. Sharks are an integral part of the marine food web.