OCEANS ALIVE CONSERVATION TRUST OUR OCEANS • OUR FUTURE’s Post

Shark conservation must go beyond simply protecting #shark populations — it must prioritize protecting the ecological roles of sharks, according to our new research study recently published in Science Magazine. Article link: https://lnkd.in/eTiHHTBp This work is an international collaboration of 30 scientists and their research teams, supported by Shark Conservation Fund (SCF). The study, led by FIU, sheds new light on what role sharks play in healthy oceans and why size should be a factor in conservation decisions. The largest sharks of many of the biggest species, such as tiger sharks and great whites, play an oversized role in healthy oceans, but they are often the most affected by fishing. The big sharks help maintain balance through their eating habits. Sometimes their sheer size is enough to scare away prey that could over-consume seagrass and other plant life needed for healthy oceans. Sharks can also help shape and maintain balance from the bottom-up. When we look around the world, we see that sharks can play lots of different roles in ecosystems – and some of them are really important. That means we need to maintain a diversity of sharks in our oceans as well as a wide range of sizes of sharks. It also means we need to be rebuilding heavily depleted populations and managing for how sharks will function in oceans that are changing due to human uses and climate change. 📸 Photo credit: Andy Mann FIU News Story: https://lnkd.in/esdc49qC #sharks #sharkscientist #sharkdean #sharkresearch #sharkconservation #savesharks #lifebelowwater #sdg14

I am happy to share that I am joining the Wildlife Conservation Society - an iconic organisation that has been a massive source of inspiration for me since I was a young field #botanist. As the world’s oldest environmental organisation (est. 1895), the WCS protects half of the planet’s biodiversity. Our Global #Conservation Program is pivotal for safeguarding the most intact, biodiverse and climate-resilient #landscapes and #seascapes on Earth. And through our #NewYork zoos and aquariums, 4 million people have a chance to connect with nature each year. As a Program Manager at the #ForestsForLife Partnership, I am tasked with activating, scaling and leveraging financing to an alliance between the #WCS, UNDP, World Resources Institute, Rainforest Foundation Norway and Re:wild to protect the world’s high integrity forests. High integrity tropical #forests are the largest active sink of atmospheric #carbon and influence the #water cycle, atmospheric circulation, and #local and #global temperature in a range of ways. They have long helped us buffer against the worst effects of #climate and #biodiversity crises, an ecological service that is largely overlooked or taken for granted. 🐘 They are thought to support the majority of terrestrial biodiversity, ensure lower #extinction risk for forest-dependent #species, and support higher genetic #diversity. 🌳 They alone are estimated to remove around 1.8 billion tons of #CO2 per year (net) from the #atmosphere and store this carbon in their trunks, branches and roots. 🌍 They are responsible for keeping the #Earth at least 0.5°C cooler than it would be without them. This difference between 1.5 and 2 degrees of #globalwarming, has an estimated impact on the #globaleconomy in the trillions of dollars. ‼️ However, today only 40% of the world’s high integrity #tropical forests remain intact. The main blocks declined by 12% between 2000 and 2020 and are increasingly vulnerable to #fragmentation, encroachment and #degradation. Between 2000 and 2013 alone, their decline embedded an increase of approximately 7.7 billion tons of CO2 to the atmosphere through to 2050. I begin this exciting new professional chapter fuelled by the belief that a global renaissance of #nature can be achieved during the lifetime of a child born today. But only if we act now! 👶🏼👦🏻 Holding my three-week-old daughter and two-year-old son in my arms fills me with symbolic significance, #courage and determination as I look forward to making a meaningful contribution to safeguarding Nature's Strongholds. Stay tuned for updates!

The Galápagos Marine Reserve is home to at least 35 shark species, including the hammerhead shark, Galápagos shark, tiger shark, whitetip reef shark, blacktip reef shark, and the majestic whale shark. This fascinating diversity emphasizes the importance of Galápagos’ marine ecosystems and highlights the urgent need to conserve the sharks of this unique region. #conservación #sustainability #galapagosislands

Whale sharks — docile filter-feeders that passively scoop up small fish, invertebrates and plankton — can get up to 59 feet (18 meters) long.Jump to references3 That makes them the largest sharks — and fish — in the world.Jump to references4 By comparison, whale sharks' fearsome cousins, great whites, can grow to about 23 feet (7 meters). However, a Conservation International co-authored study found that these endangered gentle giants are facing a formidable foe: shipping vessels. In the past few decades, whale shark populations have been halved due to overfishing, vessel strikes and bycatch — when unwanted fish are caught in nets unintentionally. The good news is that relatively simple changes can protect this massive fish from vessel strikes. Reducing ships’ speed limits or temporarily changing shipping routes while whale sharks are migrating could significantly reduce collisions — and save whale shark populations worldwide,” according to Conservation International scientist Mark Erdmann #SharkWeek

Satellite tracking data from three turtle, two whale and one shark species were analysed in a collaborative study led by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), revealing that the areas used by six threatened marine megafauna species overlap with a myriad of human activities in the waters of Australia’s north west. The species are vulnerable to multiple threats from industrial and urban development including ship strike, underwater noise, light pollution, bycatch, potential oil spills and habitat modification over hundreds of kilometres off the north-west of Australia. Encouragingly, only a relatively low percentage (14%) of the species’ distributions occurred in areas with high exposure to threats from human activities. The authors collated 484 individual satellite tracks of hawksbill, green and flatback turtles, humpback and pygmy blue whales, and whale sharks (tracking data provided by collaborators and industry) across an area encompassing more than 2.2 million km2 of north-western Australia, including parts of Western Australian and Northern Territory waters. This study was conducted as part of AIMS’ North West Shoals to Shore Research Program in collaboration with DBCA, and was supported by Santos Ltd as part of the company’s commitment to better understand Western Australia’s marine environment. Find out more >> https://hubs.la/Q02jkP8d0 “This study is a prime example of how collaboration between research organisations, industry and management agencies contributes to the sustainable development of marine industries while protecting our unique marine ecosystem.” - Lead author Dr Luciana Ferreira from AIMS. A fantastic piece of research looking to help conserve at-risk wildlife 👏 Read more on the Ocean Science & Technology website. #ocean #research #conservation #environment #wildlife

How can scientists be sure that a looks-good-on-paper solution will help a vulnerable reef? A #digitaltwin can demonstrate the effectiveness of various interventions, allowing stakeholders to make tweaks before investing time and money! Check out the #DigitalReef tool from #WHOI scientist Anne Cohen ⤵

Did you know we have lost 71% of our sharks and rays since 1970? This #WorldSharkAwarenessDay, we spoke to the urgent need to protect great whites with six powerful images from Chris Fallows and highlighted their critical role in marine ecosystems. Overfishing is the primary driver – the sharp decline in shark numbers since 1970 corresponds to an 18-fold increase in relative fishing pressure. By presenting these realities, we're reminding everyone of our collective responsibility to reverse this trend and protect our planet's biodiversity. “Our oceans provide more than 50% of the air we breathe, absorb more than a quarter of our carbon emissions and feed more than a billion people. We need healthy oceans, something that isn’t possible without keystone marine species like sharks,” says Guy Jennings, our Southern Africa Director. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dpeB7_HC

In 2020 Global FinPrint released the first-of-its-kind global survey of reef sharks. The findings? Scary. Since then, the data has rippled through ocean communities in many positive ways; from helping to create new sanctuaries to adding more sharks to IUCN listings. In this next phase, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium will expand on the Global FinPrint work, focusing on how to empower nations to build in-country capacity for new and improved MPAs.

Day 8 of our “12 Days of Ocean Awareness” campaign, Underwater Prairies: The Role of Seagrasses, and we turn our focus to seagrass ecosystems. These underwater meadows are not only vital habitats for marine life but also play a significant role in carbon sequestration and shoreline protection. Today, we dive into the world of seagrass, exploring their importance, the threats they face, and why their conservation is crucial for the health of our planet’s oceans. Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Solent Seascape Project https://lnkd.in/eTyKZ7ZK

The most important lesson that Wolves have taught me over a lifetime of working for their restoration is that we need to “rewild” our own understanding of Nature and accordingly, our own behavior. To truly restore biodiversity, we must adapt to Nature’s needs rather than force Nature to adapt to us. Following the wolf’s example, we can thrive in balance with our environment, each fulfilling our own important role in nurturing our Mother Earth. It is the only way to restore our planet’s #biodiversity and indeed the survival of our species.