L8 - Sharks and Turtles Flashcards
Sharks are what type of invertebrate?
Elasmobranch
What type of predators are sharks?
Apex
Give 6 facts about shark ecology
- Rare but opportunistic feeders
- Long Gestation
- Slow Growth
- Delayed Maturity
- Small Litter Size
- Slow Reproduction and Recovery Rates
How many species are there of sharks globally?
370-400 spp.
What type of conservation approach do sharks need and why?
Holistic, Wider Seas because they are transient and migratory
What 3 species of shark are found in the Arctic?
- Porbeagle
2 Greenland Shark - Thresher Shark
What species of shark is found in the Antarctic?
Threhser Shark
What threatens shark species in the Southern Ocean?
Recolonisation of other species due to warming ocean temperatures
Where are the majority of shark species?
The Tropics
What 4 species of shark are found in the European Atlantic?
- Blue Shark
- Basking Shark
- Porbeagle
- Great White
How many species of shark are there in the Mediterranean?
49
How many species of freshwater sharks are there? and how many are named? and they are all listed by critically endangered by who?
6
3 Named
IUCN
In the IUCN survey (excluding river sharks), how many sharks are critically endangered, least concern and have insufficient data?
Critically Endangered - 9
Least Concern - 96
Insufficient Data - 141
Why do many species of shark have insufficient data?
Not caught unless they are commercially targeted
What are the 8 main threats to sharks?
- Public Perception
- Recreational Fishing
- Subsistence Fishing
- Commercial Fishing
- Habitat Loss
- Long-Line Fishing
- Shark Fining
- By-Catch
How much did a replica jaw of a great white sell for?
$3195 (US)
What is it legal to land?
The whole fish
How much is a basking shark fin worth?
$16,000
Do sharks get cancer?
Yes!
How much is tuna fishing worth in the Mediterranean?
$400 million
When was the Marine Mammal Act established?
1972
What is an FAD?
Fish Attraction Device
What is the problem with FADs for Sharks?
Sharks feed on the tuna underneath so 5 dolphins are saved but 15,000 sharks are caught
How many species of shark are protected under CITES?
3
Which 3 sharks are protected under CITES and what are there main threats?
- Whale Shark
- -> ecotourism, meat and fin trade, by catch, small scale population fluctuations - Basking Shark
- -> Fin/Meat/Liver fisheries in Norway, net entanglement, only legally protected in selected countries - White Shark
- -> Fin/Jaw/Teeth/ Fisheries, by catch, only legally protected in selected countries
Which 2 species of shark has Germany proposed should be protected under CITES?
- Porbeagle
2. Spiny Catshark
Give 4 approaches to conserving sharks
- International Plan of Action for Sharks
- Shark Specialist Group
- Anti-Finning Campaigns
- Shark Trust (NGO)
How many species of marine turtle are there globally?
7
What are the are turtle breeding sites called?
Rookeries
What are the 7 species of marine turtle and what are their status on the IUCN list?
- Leatherback Turtle (Critically Endangered)
- Green Turtle (Endangered)
- Loggerhead Turtle (Endangered)
- Hawksbill Turtle (Critically Endangered)
- Olive Ridley Turtle (Endangered)
- Kemps Ridley Turtle (Critically Endangered)
- Flatback Turtle (Data Deficient)
What are the 5 main threats to turtles?
- Marine Pollution
- Disturbance at Rookeries
- Turtle Meat and Eggs Trade
- Curios/Tourist Trade
- Fisheries & By-catch
What are the threats and conservation of marine pollution?
Threats - litter and oil
Conservation Measures - increased legislation and education
What are the threats and conservation of disturbance at rookeries?
Threats - development, light and tourism (racing)
Conservation Measures - education/ecotourism
What are the threats and conservation of turtle meat and eggs trade?
Threats - food source for Asians, leather from skin, oil cream sold as sun tan and moisturisers
Conservation Measures - education, tighter legislation, work with locals to improve lifestyle and diet
What are the threats and conservation of the curios trade?
Threats - tortoiseshell trade
Conservation Measures - banned under CITES, education for tourists
What are the threats and conservation of fisheries & by catch?
Threats - long lining, kept for illegal trade, gill and seine netting
Conservation Measures - education, tighter legislation, round hooks, TED for trawling
What influence does climate change have on turtle breeding?
Marine turtles have evolved to lay eggs at a precise depth
TDSD (temperature dependent sexual determination) determines the number of males to females - increasing temperatures = too many males = unbalanced breeding success
