News Gallery

Preventing shark and ray extinctions is not enough

Added to Blogs on 15 August 2022

By Andy Cornish

Preventing extinctions has been a primary aim of shark and ray conservation for decades, but the numbers don’t lie. These efforts — including our own — haven’t kept pace with the threats. We all need to raise our level of ambition if we want to reverse the tragic loss of biodiversity in our ocean. More efforts are needed to actively recover depleted populations for the benefit of our ocean and people who depend on it.

Recovery in the heart of the Sulu Seas

Added to Blogs on 15 August 2022

Three decades of conservation efforts at a remote coral reef complex in the Philippines have paid off. Today it is one of the most important areas for sharks in the Coral Triangle and supports the highest density of whitetip reef sharks in the world.

Improving management of shark fin stockpiles in Hong Kong

Added to Press Releases on 14 July 2022

TRAFFIC and WWF release a new protocol to better regulate the trade of CITES listed shark fin and ray products in Hong Kong SAR, China. Announced on Shark Awareness Day, the new protocol will help combat the illegal shark fin trade.

Saving reefs - and sharks - of Cabo Pulmo

Added to Blogs on 19 May 2022

Thanks to grassroots action and community efforts, a once devastated reef in Mexico has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Now teeming with marine wildlife, Cabo Pulmo has become a world-renowned shark diving destination especially popular for its bull sharks. But how did that happen? [by Kee Foong]

Return of a rare toothy ray in Florida

Added to Blogs on 19 May 2022

A very rare and curious-looking ray called the smalltooth sawfish inhabits the waters of Florida in the US. Once on the verge of extinction, the animal is now making a comeback in the country thanks to the dedication of scientists, experts, authorities, and the community. This story brings a ray of hope for other endangered rays and sharks around the world.

A conservation coalition launches the Shark and Ray Recovery Initiative

Added to Updates on 19 May 2022

(19 May 2022) WWF in partnership with Elasmo Project, James Cook University, and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) launch the Shark and Ray Recovery Initiative (SARRI) as a global response to bring sharks and rays back from the brink.

WWF-Thailand and WildAid launch ‘Cats for Sharks’, a digital campaign harnessing the power of cats and pet lovers to protect sharks

Added to Press Releases on 31 March 2022

WWF-Thailand and WildAid launch ‘Cats for Sharks’, a digital campaign that enlists cats as advocates for sharks. The campaign leverages cats’ internet popularity to appeal to the public and inform viewers of how the consumption of sharks is leading to species disappearance and to harmful impacts on the oceans, which could drastically impact the seafood most cats and humans eat.

WWF-Australia creates 100,000 km2 safe haven for marine wildlife in northern Great Barrier Reef

Added to Updates on 24 March 2022

The World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia has effectively created a 100,000 square kilometre refuge where sharks, rays, dugongs, inshore dolphins, and turtles can be free from commercial gill nets. To achieve this, WWF has just purchased and shelved the last commercial gill net licence holding a sizeable quota for the region.

The world needs coral reefs, and coral reefs need sharks

Added to Blogs on 14 February 2022

The value of coral reefs to sharks has long been known. The complex structures that corals form shelter a huge variety of species, creating oases of ocean biodiversity and providing plenty of food for reef sharks. Shallow areas with few predators serve as shark nurseries. But what do sharks bring to the relationship? Recent science is finally shedding light on the subject and indicates that protecting disappearing reef sharks is likely to have considerable benefits for building reef resilience.

Historic first rebuilding programme adopted for the endangered shortfin mako shark

Added to Press Releases on 23 November 2021

(23 November 2021) After years of negotiations, today 52 tuna fishing nations and the EU adopted a comprehensive rebuilding programme to allow the recovery of the endangered mako shark in the North Atlantic. WWF welcomes the plan as the most efficient way to immediately stop the overfishing and dramatic decline of shortfin mako sharks and set the species on a path towards recovery. The decision came at the end of the annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) held virtually from 15 to 23 November.

Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador and Colombia announce new protections for the Eastern Tropical Pacific marine corridor at COP26

Added to Press Releases on 11 November 2021

During the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, presidents of four Latin American countries announced a joint agreement to provide greater protection to the existing marine corridor in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Stretching from the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador to Isla Coiba in Panama, the corridor is an important "ocean highway" for marine wildlife, including the critically endangered scalloped hammerhead sharks.

Our 2020-2021 shark and ray conservation highlights

Added to Updates on 19 October 2021

Welcome to the latest update on the progress we are making together to help conserve sharks and rays around the world. Here is a snapshot of some of the fin-tastic things you've helped us achieve in 2020-2021, from discovering a new shark and ray hotspot in Fiji, to testing an innovative method of keeping these animals out of the nets in India, to assisting seven different countries with their national conservation plans for sharks and rays. Enjoy the read!

WWF rejects illegal trade in shark fins

Added to Press Releases on 25 September 2021

A statement by WWF-Colombia on the seizure of 3,493 shark fins intercepted at the El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia, to be illegally exported to Hong Kong.

Time is running out to save sharks and rays, with over a third of species pushed toward extinction by overfishing

Added to Press Releases on 07 September 2021

(7 Sept 2021) A major study re-assessing the IUCN Red List status for all sharks, rays and chimaeras reveals that over 1/3 of all these species are now at risk of extinction caused by overfishing. Governments and regional fisheries bodies must act now to stop overfishing and prevent a global extinction crisis.

Whale Shark Tales from Indonesia’s Islands

Added to Blogs on 30 August 2021

From grandma’s shark on the island of Borneo, to Sulawesi’s moon shark, and ancestor’s shark on Java, this Whale Shark Day, discover five different whale shark tales and learn about the cultural meaning of these gentle giants in Indonesia.