Stefanie Brendl: shark conservation mover and shaker

Over the past couple of years I had the pleasure of getting to know Stefanie Brendl through a series of email conversations and then meeting up with her at last year's BLUE Ocean Film Festival and Conservation Summit in Monterey, CA.

Stefanie hails from Hawaii where she first came to my attention as the owner of Hawaiian Shark Encounters, one of Oahu's leading shark diving operations and a leader in shark conservation efforts in the state. Her shark conservation efforts progressively broadened as she formed the non-profit Shark Allies and worked more and more with the political decision makers responsible for shark fin prohibition legislation in Hawaii, Marianas Islands, Guam, and elsewhere. She currently works closely with WildAid in pushing for more and more shark conservation legislation throughout the Pacific Islands and the U.S. West Coast. She is definitely becoming one of the preeminent figures in productive shark conservation efforts.

The 7th Generation recently conducted a video interview with Stefanie. Take a peek at someone who is part of a small circle in the field of shark conservation who are helping to make a difference.

Guardians of the Ocean - Interview with Stefanie Brendl from Carsten Essig on Vimeo.

Guam's Dwindling Shark Population: new study supports need for protective legislation

Late last month, I ran a post on the efforts in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands to initiate anti-shark fin legislation. Just a few days later, The Commonwealth of the Northern Marina Islands (CNMI) succeeded in passing the legislation, signed by Governor Fitial, and attention turned to Guam.

A public hearing was held this past Tuesday in Guam and opposition leaders, mainly in the form of fisherman represented by the Fishermen's Cooperative Association of Guam, made their case that the legislation was punitive to the fishermen and unnecessary. The fishermen take the position that there are more sharks in Guam than ever before and in no signs of disappearing.

Unfortunately, that position was challenged by the results of a scientific study conducted over a 12-month period that most decidedly showed that the number of sharks in Guam are at dangerously low levels compared to other nearby areas. By placing baited remote underwater video stations (BRUVs) at 75 different locations, only 10 sharks (mostly black tip reef sharks) were counted, which equates to 0.13 sharks per hour of footage according to Dr. Jenny McIlwain in her sworn testimony at the hearing.

Just 12 miles south of Guam, at Galvez Bank, 22 sharks were recorded - equating to 10 times the Guam average. Dr. McIlwain also pointed out that when comparing studies using the same techniques in Australia in areas where sharks were heavily commercially fished, Guam's numbers were still 4 times less.

The study was a joint venture of the Universities of Guam and Western Australia, and was funded by NOAA's Coral Reef Initiative. Stefanie Brendl of WildAid, in written testimony, stressed the importance of Guam's passage of this legislation. It represents a tropical Pacific movement to protect sharks that started in Hawaii. With more island nations taking action to prohibit shark finning in local waters, combined with international efforts, the shark finning industry - legal or otherwise - will be constantly on the move and finding fewer and fewer safe harbors to operate from.

Before final passage of the legislation, the Guam government might make some concessions to those fishermen who truly subsist from a limited shark catch. But given the scientific evidence presented at the hearing, it is difficult to conceive of any acceptable catch level that would not push the last remaining sharks of Guam toward extinction.
Read about the public hearing in the Marianas Variety.

Hong Kong's Ocean Park: a possible opportunity in Asian perceptions of ocean conservation

A brief news item caught my attention as it serves as a follow up to my recent post about the assessment of shark conservation at the recent BLUE Ocean Film Festival and Ocean Summit.

Hong Kong's Ocean Park - an aquatic amusement park similar to the Sea World parks in the U.S. - is initiating preliminary research on the viability of acquiring beluga whales from Russian waters, specifically the Okhotsk Sea.

According to Hong Kong's The Standard, the research could take anywhere from 5 to 10 years, but some conservationists are concerned that the research will be fast tracked to just a few years and that whales could be captured without fully knowing the impact on beluga whale populations in the area.

Naomi Rose, senior scientist with The Humane Society International, was quoted as saying, "'My guess is [Ocean Park officials] are going to acquire them from Russia, and if they sponsor this research ... it would take five years minimum, more like 10, before they would have sufficient information to determine any kind of safe removal level,' she said. 'They are not going to wait five to 10 years. They are going to do a couple of years of research and say: `Oh, we know now' and this is how many that would be safe.'"

Ocean Park is a very successful attraction in China. It includes a marine mammal park, major aquarium, and a variety of amusement park rides. In attendance, it ranks in the top 20 worldwide (15th in 2008), exceeding Hong Kong's Disneyland. It is also a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), which requires members to seek animals from other institutions and acquiring wild animals only as a last resort.

Now, as I have previously said in this blog, I am not an advocate of marine mammals like whales and dolphins in captivity, particularly as these animals are pelagic. There just isn't an exhibit large enough to provide a healthy environment. But what I found interesting with the article and after reviewing the Ocean Park website is the growing schizophrenic position that Asian cultures are beginning to find themselves in. They can view sea creatures with awe and enthusiasm at Ocean Park - just like Western cultures - and then finish the day with a bowl of shark fin soup or whale meat. But this paradox can lead to an opportunity.

As Peter Knights of WildAid commented during the recent shark conservation panel I moderated for the BLUE Ocean Film Festival, many of the Chinese people, and other Asian countries, are not fully aware of the practices of shark finning, or dolphin/whale hunting. At the moment, they have their feet in two worlds - a cultural heritage that looks at many sea creatures as merely food items to be taken as needed and by any means possible, and a more contemporary approach where a greater appreciation for the animals and the ecological implications exists. It's a paradox that provides a fracture for conservationists to utilize if done rationally and carefully.

However, it is very easy for outside groups to alienate themselves and lose the opportunity to sway Asian public opinion in favor of protection and conservation if the approach is perceived more as condemnation and ridicule rather than a rational and tempered argument. Everyone responds to enlightenment and illumination when it is not at the expense of humiliation. That is the tightrope that shark and marine mammal conservationists must walk to effectively reach the Asian populace.

Read article in The Standard.
View Ocean Park's website.

Satellites and Sniffer Dogs: conservation groups support Galapagos efforts to curb poaching

While generating positive public opinion for shark conservation is an important goal, it is also a slow process. And while it builds over time, sharks continue to be slaughtered in horrifying numbers. Therefore, the proactive steps - the moves that are less of a reaction to the situation but rather are strategic steps forward - are needed probably to a greater degree.

WildAid, Conservation International, and other groups, working in cooperation with the Ecuadorean government and the Galapagos National Park Service, have been supporting the efforts of ranger managing the Galapagos Marine Reserve with the use of both technology and outright gumshoe detective work. One of the greatest issues facing the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR) is poaching of tuna, sharks, and even sea cucumbers - all to meet the ever-demanding Asian markets.

The GMR utilizes a high-tech satellite-based tracking system to keep tabs on fishing boats that are periodically allowed to pass through the reserve. The Vessel Monitoring System, or VMS, can detect whether a boat is proceeding at speed or whether it is changing speed, dillydallying and a clear sign that illegal fishing may be taking place. A boat is then dispatched to investigate.

Just like in the drug world, smugglers often try to hide their illegal catches. Wrapped in foil, shark fins, sea cucumbers, and other caught species are less likely to give off a telltale scent. Unless you are a trained sniffer dog from the K-9 Environmental Police Unit of Galapagos' Santa Cruz island. The K-9 unit - supported by WildAid, Sea Shepherd, and Conservation International - has been responsible for some significant "busts" of shark fins and other illegally fisher species.

According to WildAid's director, Peter Knights, "Marine reserves are the last great hope to save fish stocks. Marine enforcement is always difficult due to the distances involved and cost of marine operations, so illegal fishing has been an almost risk free crime. But tools like VMS can provide much better surveillance and the sniffer dogs can prove to be a great deterrent as well as assist in detection of smugglers. The sooner we can deploy these tools to more marine reserves the sooner we can secure the world's dwindling fish stocks."

Click here to read more about the Galapagos VMS and K-9 Unit.

Galapagos Islands: WildAid focuses on conservation results

There are places throughout the world that can serve as both a unique oasis of ecological development and a microcosm of the world as a whole. The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands off the coast of Ecuador that fit that description to a tee. First brought to worldwide attention by Charles Darwin's studies during his 1835 expedition, the islands have been a source of fascination with scientists and, more recently, tourists.

The islands' uniqueness is a result of their isolation, producing endemic species and acting as a perfect laboratory for the study of natural development and the relationships that intertwine to produce healthy marine and terrestrial ecosystems. The islands are known for their marine iguanas, Galapagos tortoises, and several species of birds - including the only tropical penguin, the Galapagos penguin - just to name a few.

To preserve some of that uniqueness, the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR) was established in in 1986, covering over 70,000 square miles of surrounding ocean, one of the largest marine reserves in the world.

However, the more troubling and challenging side for the Galapagos is the islands' role as a microcosm of the world: an ecosystem threatened with the imprint of man. From a growing island population and tourism industry to invasive plant and animal species to illegal fishing within the reserve (often for sharks or sea cucumbers to satisfy a demanding Asian market), the Galapagos Islands are besieged from all directions. Island agencies, struggling with limited resources, must turn to outside conservation organizations for support.

One such organization that has taken a special interest in the Galapagos Islands is WildAid, based in San Francisco. Often working in conjunction with other conservation groups, WildAid has been closely involved in the monitoring of fishing boat activity, finding illegal fishing for shark fins and sea cucumbers taking place under the guise of boats supposedly only passing through the GMR. Last year, the ability to monitor boat activity was improved with the installation of a satellite-based vessel monitoring system. WildAid was also instrumental in bringing sniffer dogs to the islands several years ago, trained to smell not only drugs but shark fins and sea cucumbers.

But while enforcement is an important part of conservation, it is equally important to tackle the root, or roots, of the problem. And in that regard, WildAid has worked with several agencies to help island locals with changing their personal economies away from poaching and abusing their natural resources, assisting them with building more sustainable activities. WildAid's efforts towards alternative incomes garnered the organization the UNDP Equator Prize in 2007.

Realizing the impact of the online world, WildAid has worked in conjunction with Good Egg Studios to develop Elf Island Virtual World, where kids of all ages can participate in interactive online game play to track and protect threatened sharks of the Galapagos Islands, thereby learning what is being done and what they can do to preserve these endangered species. The game company merged with Xeko.com recently, expanding their nature and conservation slate of online gaming.

There are other organizations like WildAid, ones that walk the talk, that provide tangible results and are truly making a difference. When you consider showing your support for any conservation organization, understand that they are all well-intentioned but in the final analysis there must something solid backing them up - good words supported by good deeds.

Sharks, Rays & Whales: end of the week wrap-up

Here's a collage of several conservation items of interest to close the week:

Chinese Celebrity Promotes Shark Conservation. . . in China
Basketball sports celebrity Yao Ming, ranked as China's most successful celebrity six years running, has been actively promoting shark conservation for several years, often in conjunction with WildAid. Not only is it important to have someone who is Chinese to make the case for sharks and the elimination of shark finning, but it is also strategically critical to bring the issue to where the market for shark products is the greatest. To that end, a new television commercial featuring Yao will air on China central television, the country's main government-run broadcast outlet, in addition to having the commercial play on screens in government buildings.

According to WildAid president Steve Trent, many Chinese are not aware that shark fins (for shark fin soup) are obtained from sharks! And what can be a very effective tool in making the issue personal to the Chinese people is the unfortunate levels of mercury found in shark products. According to Trent, a 2007-2008 WildAid study indicated that a quarter of shark fin samples sold at Hong Kong markets were unfit for human consumption.

Read article in Mother Nature Network.

Panama Bans Fishing of Rays
Cousins to the sharks are the many varieties of rays in the oceans - from small round sting rays up to the manta ray which can reach 20 feet from fin tip to fin tip. This past week, the Panama government instituted a ban on all the fishing and commercialization of rays within its territorial waters. According to WildAid, "the Authority on Aquatic Resources of Panama (ARAP) informed that "the fishing, capture, transport, transfer, possession and commercialisation of rays [is now] totally prohibited" throughout the national territory."

This is a remarkable move on the part of a government because it was in response to an increasing level of catch but the decision was made without scientific evidence that the rays were at risk of being endangered or facing extinction within Panama waters. Unfortunately, decisions of this sort are typically made when a species is at grave risk; but here Panama has taken a preventative step and chosen to follow the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing of the United Nations Fishing and Agriculture Organization (FAO). With the ban in place, scientific studies will now be initiated to determine current populations and what, if any, sustainable levels of fishing can be managed successfully.

Read WildAid news item.

Beached Sperm Whales Died of Ingested Plastic
Scientists have now determined that seven sperm whales that beached themselves last week on the shores of Foggia, Italy, had died due to the ingestion of plastic. The whales, ranging in length from 30 to 45 feet, died within a few days of coming ashore. The results of necropsies showed the whales stomachs contained a variety of plastic, which gets caught up in the digestive tract and causes blockages or can cause the tract to twist or strangle itself. In addition, the stomachs also contained other indigestible items like rope, tin cans, and other containers.

Sperm whales are toothed whales and eat a variety of fish but are particularly fond of squid. "They must have mistaken the objects for squid, one of their favorite foods," said Giuseppe Nascetti, who teaches marine ecology at Tuscia University.

Read UPI.com news item.

Tigers: still threatened but international efforts are at work

It has been some time since I posted any news updates on Tigers. These beautiful cats are emblematic of the problem of poaching and the illegal trade in endangered species. While their habitat has been encroached upon through development or deforestation, illegal hunting seems to be the biggest threat to their existence. And the scarcer they become, the more valuable and tempting they are to the poacher.

Their current numbers across their entire range from Nepal to Malaysia is estimated at only 3,000. By contrast, in the 1950s there were 3,000 in the Malaysian Peninsula alone (a population that has now been reduced to around 500). While a complete tiger skin has value in the black market, of particular value are the male genitalia - freeze-dried and sold as an aphrodisiac in Asian markets.

Organizations like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and WildAid put a lot of their resources towards working with governments to clamp down on poaching and the illegal trade. Here is a video of a recent rescue in Malaysia of a young tiger caught in a poacher's wire snare. The tiger is being cared for at the local zoo and veterinarians hopefully will be able to save its leg. Read more.



This is an issue that requires action on a governmental and international level for more resources and better enforcement. Recently, over 250 scientists, experts, and government delegates convened in Nepal to discuss the situation and make recommendations. The Kathmandu Global Tiger Workshop cited the need for greater protection, support of a tiger resolution with CITES, and a review of development projects that could impact the tiger's habitat.

“These are a good start but the momentum from Kathmandu needs to be carried forward all the way to the Tiger Summit during the Year of the Tiger 2010 and beyond,” said Mike Baltzer, head of WWF’s Tiger Initiative. “The tiger range countries are clearly committed to saving their wild tigers and the world needs to extend unstinting support to this mission because once tigers are gone, they’re gone forever.” Excerpt from a WWF press release.

Most of you are probably not shopping for a tiger skin rug or some frozen tiger penis to spark up your romance. What you can do is support the efforts of groups like World Wildlife Fund or WildAid who are keeping the issue alive with governments and international organizations while also addressing the issue with local citizenry and the populations where the demand for ancient homeopathic medicines still flourish.

WildAid Strategy: mercury poisoning a threat to shark consumers

Over the years, WildAid has focused much of its efforts on raising public awareness to the plight of endangered animals, whether it's tigers, sharks, or elephants. This effort often requires taking the issue directly to the people with advertising, public relations, and celebrity endorsements that often engender the wrath of governments or other official agencies that care not for the bad press and the intrusion of foreigners. Not an easy task.

WildAid is currently focusing their anti-shark finning campaigns on a new angle. Besides making people in China and other Asian countries aware as to the extent of commercial shark fishing and what it means to shark populations and the overall health of the marine ecosystem, WildAid is also pushing to make people aware of the personal threat from consuming shark products.

Many pelagic fish - swordfish, tuna, and particularly cartilaginous fish like sharks - have an ability to retain pollutants in their tissues, pollutants that enter the ocean either directly from coastal pollution or from being discharged into the air from factories and energy plants. Mercury is one of the primary pollutants that have been found in high levels, much higher than what is considered safe.

According to WildAid:
"Steve Trent, president of U.S.-headquartered Wild Aid, said it was important for China, the world's largest consumer of shark fins, to promote public awareness of the protection of this animal which is feared on the verge of extinction.

Eating the fins may also be dangerous, said Trend, who also heads the Wild Aid's London Office. Research shows they contain heavy metals such as mercury, which can cause damage to the nervous system and male infertility."

GotMercury.org lists an 8 oz. portion of shark for person weighing 175 pounds, as having 4 times the weekly allowed amount of mercury, as defined by the EPA. That's 4 weeks worth of mercury in one sitting!

For those who don't care about the fate of sharks or that of other pelagic predators, perhaps knowing that they are also harming themselves might make them think twice. The same self-centeredness that propels them to consume these animals might make them think twice when they are aware of the personal harm to which they are exposed.

Galapagos Islands: hi-tech GPS comes to the aid of marine park management

The Galapagos Islands - an oceanic oasis that was one of Darwin's key research sites for his seminal work on evolution - is feeling the pressure of its unique status. With increased tourism and island population, combined with international demands for seafood, the Galapagos has been showing signs of this negative impact on its natural resources.

The Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR) was created in 1998 to provide protection to the islands' surrounding waters. And in the next few months, through the support of Conservation International and WildAid, the GMR will be taking a hi-tech step forward in managing major ship traffic in the area.

Utilizing GPS satellite tracking equipment, the activities of ships greater than 20 metric tons will be monitored by the Galapagos National Park Service (GNPS). This will provide the GNPS with greater ability to manage and regulate ships in no-take zones, tourism itineraries, and commercial shipping. Besides "tagging" ships, the computer-based system will enable the GNPS to tag and track migratory species and monitor environmental/climate changes.

Hats off to Conservation International and WildAid for supporting this important example of cost-effective marine research and management.

Dealing In Endangered Species: slitting our own throats

What you see in the picture above are not wild cats in a cage, but the severed heads or pelts of cheetahs, ocelots and other rare and endangered cats - all confiscated and in storage in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services' main storage facility in Colorado. It is a sobering place, a bold reminder of man's greed and perverted sense of dominion over animals - perverted because as we threatened our natural resources, we threaten ourselves.

The worldwide trade in exotic and endangered animals is as important an issue as global warming or pollution/commercial development as to its worldwide impact on species. In 1973, the U.S. Endangered Species Act was passed and two years later the international Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) was ratified but while these laws and governing bodies have done much to regulate, enforce, and protect endangered species, the slaughter continues.

And why? Well, the dilemma with many endangered species is that, to the poacher, the value increases as the more endangered it becomes and in impoverished areas where much of the illegal poaching takes place, the temptation to put food on their table is too great.

Terry Grosz, former regional director of enforcement for the Fish and Wildlife Service explains, "Given the poverty and corruption that exist in other parts of the world, there will always be pressure to resort to the illegal wildlife trade. People have to eat. When people are hungry, this is what they do."

But what supports the market for these products? There is a market based on greed and status. Do we really need a tiger head or a set of white shark jaws above our mantle? Or a stuffed gorilla hand to use as an ashtray? Or how about a caiman, standing on hind legs and holding a silver tray like some reptilian butler? Man's superiority? Only in his capacity for evil.

Another pervasive motivation that drives the market is the cultural history in ancient homeopathic medicine. Rhino horns, tiger penis (freeze-dried for your convenience), black bear gallbladder bile, and many more - all for everything from libido to hangovers and more, and at times more challenging to address than the status souvenir buyer.

But it must be addressed. Scientists have been making estimates of as much 15% to over 30% of the planet's animal and plant species could be bound for extinction by 2050. Naturalist E.O. Wilson says we may be heading to a new epoch - the current Age of Mammals, or Cenozoic Period, would be followed by the Eremozoic Period, a Greek prefix denoting loneliness.

Support organizations that are working towards curtailing the illegal killing and trading of exotic and endangered animals: CITES, WildAid, Center for Biological Diversity, and there's many more. They need your help . . . and so do the plants and animals of Earth.

"Wildlife dies without a sound," says Grosz. "We're the only guys who can give them a voice." Join them.

Thanks to the Los Angeles Times.

Mercury in Shark Fins: another strategy to move public opinion

On the shark fin soup front, U.S.-based WildAid has been making some progress, working with several Asian environmental NGOs and government agencies. It's a multi-faceted strategy that includes the arguments against the cruelty of shark finning, the shark's inability to counter the drop in its population due to its slow reproductive rate, and the importance of sharks in maintaining an overall healthy marine ecosystem.

These are arguments we have all heard before - or even used ourselves to enlighten others - and it seems to be bearing some fruit, as it continues to get plenty of attention with the Asian press, and several organizations - including a major new resort on Singapore's Sentosa Island - have stricken shark fin soup from the menu.

For those who are unimpressed or oblivious to the cruelty of shark finning and the impact of declining shark populations on marine ecosystems, there is another strategic tact available: alerting them to the impact on their own health.

As is the case with several other pelagic predators, the mercury level in sharks is very high - particularly in the fins as the cellular makeup of the tissue is one that bonds strongly with mercury. A recent test of 10 fin samples taken in Hong Kong showed that 8 samples contained unsafe levels of mercury. Other tests throughout Asia have shown similar results. Using the Mercury Calculator offered by GotMercury.org, even the meat of the shark is exceedingly high in mercury (8 oz. delivers over 4x the amount considered safe by the EPA for a 165 lb. person).

In the body, mercury does not break down, so it accumulates in sharks who feed on contaminated fish over their 20 to 30+ year lifespan. The impact of mercury on children, the unborn, and adults - ranging from mental impairment, deformities, and worse - has been well documented.

Ironic that one of the factors that might protect sharks from our destructive fishing practices is a form of contamination that we ourselves imposed on the sharks. Looks like sharks have the means to bite us back without ever opening their jaws!

To learn more about WildAid's efforts to move public opinion regarding shark products, go to their web site or download their press kit.

WildAid joins with major Chinese portal: educating the consumer on conservation

One of the approaches in promoting shark conservation is to speak to the market demand - primarily the Asian markets that have placed a high premium on shark products (along with other endangerd species such as tigers). What is needed is a re-education that can alter cultural habits and the internet has shown its ability to do that on other issues in other countries.

WildAid recently completed a joint agreement with Tencent, China's leading internet service portal, to promote wildlife conservation and environmental protection. Part of this agreement will be the launching of a new Chinese web site, supported by WildAid and tentatively named www.wildaid.qq.com (it's not online yet).

"At least 27,000 species are made extinct each year, many before science has been able to document or name them, that is 74 each day and 3 every hours" said WildAid's President, Steve Trent. Continuing, "many of these species like tiger or shark have few if any natural predators – except human beings, and with the advancement of technologies and growing demand for luxuries we have become super-predators making unsustainable demands on our planet and its wildlife, such that we are now undermining the natural life-support systems which we all ultimately depend upon for survival. And this is why the engagement of leading companies like Tencent is so important, as they can help reduce unsustainable consumption and bring about effect conservation of our shared natural resources. Central to effective action is the understanding and awareness of consumers about what is happening and what needs to be done to prevent extinctions and environmental crises."

This is a good start. Let's hope the project proves successful in reaching the Chinese consumer market. Cick here to read WildAid's announcement.

WildAid's Shark PSAs: getting the word out worldwide

You can go to YouTube, Flickr, and many other video posting sites, type in "shark" and see literally thousands of video clips (some of them are even mine). Most are from home videographers wanting to share their shark diving experiences.

WildAid realizes that not everyone watches those online sites, that traditional broadcast avenues still have some clout, so they have a series of shark conservation PSAs (public service announcements) that have run worldwide. However, you can also see them grouped together online at their website.

This one, in particular, got to me. It succinctly shows the irrationality of shark fin soup - bleached of all nutritional value and flavor, the fin is really just for "show" - to the tune of at least 40 million sharks per year.

It was also encouraging to see WildAid using Asian and foreign celebrities to promote shark conservation, since most of the shark products are destined for Asian markets worldwide. Take a look.

Tigers: another priceless predator that needs our help

Stepping on to dry land for a moment, there are other predators besides sharks that are being threatened. Tigers are certainly in that category - there are less than 5,000 tigers left in the wild. Much like the shark fishing/finning industry, there is a clandestine black market industry that feeds an Asian market for tiger parts - a market with a long cultural history, but one that can be changed with continued vigilance.

The future of the tiger rests in the efforts of governments to prohibit and enforce against illegal poaching, for international cooperation in curtailing illegal trafficking, and for conservation organizations to continue their efforts to educate the public to curtail demand. One of the great dilemmas faced by many endangered animals like tigers, mountain gorillas, and sharks is that as their numbers become more scarce their black market value increases, making the poacher more embolden and willing to defy the law.

WildAid is one of the leading organizations dedicated to ending the trade in endangered animals. They have an excellent video that covers the issue regarding tigers. Take a look.

Tigers, like sharks, are both beautiful predators and vital to the health of the ecosystems within which they live. Support WildAid's efforts to curb the tiger trade.

Marine Conservation: start local and wade in

When it comes to marine conservation, we have many challenges facing us on a worldwide level. And I would wholeheartedly recommend you support those organizations that are taking the "big picture" approach - groups like Oceana, Seaweb, WildAid, and many, many others.

But , just like the oceans are made up of countless micro-systems - all interacting to produce small and large consequences, there are many organizations that focus on regional issues, perhaps more close to home. The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Center for the Future of the Oceans is one example, focusing on issues that impact the California coastline from Marine Protected Areas to Sustainable Seafood initiatives.

Sometimes, when you wade into all of the issues facing our seas today, it can seem a bit intimidating. But by all means, wade in! Start small, start with what you can do - from cutting back on the air conditioning one day a week, using a car wash that recycles water rather than pouring soapy water into the storm drains (which go right out to the sea), or giving some extra thought when you are at the seafood market counter or restaurant. Every little bit helps.

Remember, move a grain of sand and you have changed the entire beach.

Ecuador's shark catch for June, 2008: 450 Tons!

My friend, Patric Douglas of SharkDiver.com had the following shark catch data posted on his blog site.

The following numbers come from Instituto National de Pesca, Ecuador. These are the official reported numbers of shark landings for June.

The actual numbers are much higher and do not reflect illegal shark fining where the carcass is dumped.

June 2008 :

Pelagic Thresher : 281.9 tons (t).
Silky Shark : 74.8 t .
Blue Shark : 53.7 t .
Smooth Hammerhead : 25.7 t .
Scalloped Hammerhead : 10.8 t .
Shortfin Mako : 3.0 t .
Carcharhinus spp : 0.5 t .
Thresher (Alopias spp): 0.2 t .
Brown Smoothhound : 0.1 t .
Bigeye Thresher : 0.1 t .

TOTAL : 450.8 t in the month of June 2008

One country. One month. One total. 901,600 pounds of sharks.

Depressing. So, what can we do? Start by supporting the organizations that tackle shark conservation issues on an international level - verbal support, written support, and financial support (I know that's a tough one in today's economy). Organizations like WildAid, Bite-Back, even the World Wildlife Fund's Conservation Action Network, all need our support.