If There Were No Sharks…If There Were No Sharks…

By Sarah, Evan, and JessicaBy Sarah, Evan, and JessicaMrs. Nash’s ClassMrs. Nash’s Class

Cumberland SchoolCumberland SchoolWhitefish Bay, WI.Whitefish Bay, WI.

Some Shark Species are in Some Shark Species are in Danger of ExtinctionDanger of Extinction

People: Number One Shark People: Number One Shark EnemyEnemy

Dangers to SharksDangers to Sharks

• Over-fishingOver-fishing

• Global warmingGlobal warming

• PollutionPollution

The Ocean Without Sharks: A The Ocean Without Sharks: A Sad and Gloomy Place Sad and Gloomy Place

Sharks Attract TouristsSharks Attract Tourists

Without Sharks People Would Without Sharks People Would Lose MoneyLose Money

Sharks help make new Sharks help make new inventionsinventions

• These shark dermal denticles These shark dermal denticles (scales) helped scientists to invent (scales) helped scientists to invent new materials.new materials.

Without sharks, this diving suit Without sharks, this diving suit could not have been madecould not have been made

Sharks may hold the cure for Sharks may hold the cure for cancercancer

Web of LifeWeb of Life

• Some ocean animals eat plants, but others Some ocean animals eat plants, but others eat animals to survive (predators).eat animals to survive (predators).

• Tiny plants in the water are called Tiny plants in the water are called phytoplankton.phytoplankton.

• Tiny animals in the water are called Tiny animals in the water are called zooplankton.zooplankton.

• Billions of plankton drift through the ocean Billions of plankton drift through the ocean providing food for other animals.providing food for other animals.

• When animals are eaten by other animals, When animals are eaten by other animals, they pass on energy and help create new they pass on energy and help create new life.life.

Ocean Food WebOcean Food Web

Plant plankton Animal plankton

mullet hawkfish

tern

shark

tiny animaland plant

life

small and moderate sized fish

sea birds

top predators

Sharks: An important part of the Sharks: An important part of the food chainfood chain

Sand Tiger Shark Extinction > Too Sand Tiger Shark Extinction > Too Many Sea Birds > Sea Birds Eat all the Many Sea Birds > Sea Birds Eat all the

TunaTuna

Would it matter if only one Would it matter if only one shark species was extinct?shark species was extinct?

• Each of the shark species has its own Each of the shark species has its own food chain, so the loss of any shark food chain, so the loss of any shark species would change the ocean species would change the ocean differently.differently.

Different Places> Different Different Places> Different Diets>Diets>

Different EffectsDifferent Effects• Great Whites live in cool coastal Great Whites live in cool coastal

waters and eat seals, seal lions, and waters and eat seals, seal lions, and large fish.large fish.

• Hammerheads live in warm coastal Hammerheads live in warm coastal waters and prefer to eat sting rays.waters and prefer to eat sting rays.

• Makos live in the open ocean and eat Makos live in the open ocean and eat mainly fish.mainly fish.

We Need Them All!We Need Them All!

• Without all of our sharks the ocean would be Without all of our sharks the ocean would be a completely different place.a completely different place.

• Even the loss of a single species of shark Even the loss of a single species of shark may have a big effect on the ocean because may have a big effect on the ocean because of the sharks’ position at the top of the ocean of the sharks’ position at the top of the ocean food chain, and the many animals below the food chain, and the many animals below the shark on the food chain that may be affected.shark on the food chain that may be affected.

• We don’t know for sure what the specific We don’t know for sure what the specific effects would be, but we do know that the effects would be, but we do know that the effects may be disastrous.effects may be disastrous.