Great White Sharks: Monsters or Victims?

What do you picture when you think of a great white shark? Most likely you envision a ferocious, blood thirsty beast with razor sharp teeth like the monster of Jaws, devouring helpless swimmers, surfers, and boaters. The truth is that sharks have much more to fear from us than when do from them. Sharks are falsely portrayed as man-eating beasts in media and film. Great white sharks seldom attack humans (about a hundred attacks worldwide per year). As a result of their negative image, the scientific importance of these sharks is often overlooked. Sharks represent some 350 million years of evolution and play a vital role in ocean ecology (Burdeau). Sadly, white shark populations are being rapidly depleted by over fishing and other human activities (Maddalena). Fortunately, many countries are working together to ensure the survival of sharks. However; shark conservationists are still a long way from ensuring the safety of white sharks. In order to ensure the survival of great white sharks, conservationists need to focus on educating the public, research, international collaboration, and encouraging economic alternatives to finning.