Not So Scary

I've never understood why people hear the word shark and run for their lives. Splashing through cresting waves and onto the beach, cutting their feet up on shells to run from the "terrifying" fish that must be nearby.

Really, sharks are more scared of us than we are of them, and they should be. Humans catch them and slice their fins off to make a soup that's probably even more disgusting than it sounds. Throwing harpoons at them and trapping them accidentally as bycatch, which is when sea creatures that aren’t being fished for are caught during trawling

We have no reason to be afraid of them, they don’t hurt us nearly as much.

Sharks are just fish. They have gills and fins and teeth (yes, other fish have teeth, don't act so surprised). They may be apex predators but they're still just wild animals. They don't understand what they're doing is wrong, they're just trying to survive like everyone else.

Sharks don't even like humans, if they're trying something for the first time, they take a bite, and if they decide they don't like it, they don't try it again, and we’re one of them. Even though they can smell blood for miles underwater, they're more attracted to fish and reptile blood than human blood. They won't attack, people just think they will so they run.

You don't even see how amazing they can be.

Did you know the tiniest shark in existence can be found all the way down in the midnight zone?

It's called the Dwarf Lanternshark. They're so tiny they can fit in your hand.

Sharks aren't all that bad. They have cartilage instead of bones, scales that are basically evolved teeth, each with their own special ability that allows them to live. The Goblin shark can even propel it's own mouth out in order to snatch up fish.

Sharks are marvelous creatures full of wonder and life, just like any other.

The picture above this story is of a shark that has been preserved after death, known as a Short-Tail Mako. I saw it at a very special camp. I have also dissected a Spiny Dogfish at that same camp, which is a type of shark.

That Dogfish was killed as a result of bycatch. That Dogfish had tiny embryos in it. Little shark pups.

They never even got a chance to be born.

Sharks don't deserve the hate they get. At the end of the day, they're all innocent creatures. They kill because they have to, not because they enjoy the hunt. They kill to eat, to survive. And we still don't know much about them, they're mysteries, like all creatures of the deep.

We shouldn't immediately hear the word shark and panic.

When we hear the word "Shark!" our first response should be "Where?! I want to see!"

Don't get too close, obviously, they're wild animals. But they don't want to hurt you any more than you want to be hurt.

But sharks really aren't so bad.

They’re not dangerous, they’re just all misunderstood and looking for someone to shine a better light on them.

They may not be mermaids or dolphins or seahorses, or beluga whales, but they’re still animals. They’re still living, breathing beings, and they may not have any kind of mind besides instinct, but they don’t deserve the treatment they get.

They’re not food, or beasts, or killing machines. They’re just fish, large, carnivorous fish.

They’ve never asked for us to treat them this way, and I don’t see why we ever started. They’re not dangerous, they’re only following their instincts. The DNA coded instructions for them to hunt or be hunted, kill or starve.

They don’t want us to hurt them, they just want to live, have children, and die naturally, just like every other creature in the deep blue waters.

We should respect them more, it's the only way we'll ever see how amazing they are. The only way we’ll learn more about the mysterious cartilaginous fish.