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Although it is not well publicised in global media, there are many shark species heading towards extinction.
Without international protection, some will disappear in our lifetimes if destructive fishing methods persist and current population trends continue.
Not listed here - are all those species for which there is not enough information about population numbers to be able to classify them in these categories. For example, the Megamouth Shark is said to be the rarest of all the shark species - it is classed as ‘data deficient’ and does not appear on these lists.
It may well be that there are many more species to be added to these lists - but until more research is conducted we will not know.
Below are those species listed as Vulnerable to Extinction and as Endangered Species by the IUCN, 2008.
Some of these species are very well known. But sadly, are still in danger of extinction.
Around 1/3 of all shark and ray species are threatened.
Carcharhinus leiodon (Smoothtooth Blacktip)
Carcharhinus longimanus (Oceanic Whitetip Shark)
Carcharhinus signatus (Night Shark)
Carcharias taurus (Grey Nurse Shark)
Carcharodon carcharias (Great White Shark)
Centrophorus granulosus (Gulper Shark)
Centrophorus squamosus (Nilson's Deepsea Dogfish)
Cetorhinus maximus (Basking Shark)
Galeorhinus galeus (Liver-oil Shark)
Hemipristis elongatus (Snaggletooth Shark)
Hemiscyllium hallstromi (Papuan Epaulette Shark)
Hemiscyllium strahani (Hooded Carpet Shark)
Lamna nasus (Porbeagle)
Nebrius ferrugineus (Tawny Nurse Shark)
Negaprion acutidens (Sharptooth Lemon Shark)
Oxynotus centrina (Angular Rough Shark)
Pseudoginglymostoma brevicaudatum (Shorttail Nurse Shark)
Rhincodon typus (Whale Shark)
Sphyrna mokarran (Squat-headed Hammerhead Shark)
Sphyrna tudes (Smalleye Hammerhead Shark)
Squalus acanthias (Piked Dogfish)
Squatina albipunctata (Eastern Angel Shark)
Stegostoma fasciatum (Leopard Shark)
Isurus oxyrinchus (Shortfin Mako Shark)
Isurus paucus (Longfin Mako Shark)
Carcharhinus borneensis (Borneo Shark)
Balantiocheilos melanopterus (Silver Shark)
Carcharhinus hemiodon (Pondicherry Shark)
*Critically Endangered
Centrophorus harrissoni (Harrison's Deepsea Dogfish)
Glyphis gangeticus (Ganges Shark)
Glyphis garricki (New Guinea River Shark)
Glyphis glyphis (Speartooth Shark)
Glyphis sp. nov. A (Bizant River Shark)
Isogomphodon oxyrhynchus (Daggernose Shark)
Squatina aculeata (Sawback Angelshark)
Squatina argentina (Argentine Angel Shark)
Squatina guggenheim (Spiny Angel Shark)
Squatina occulta (Smoothback Angel Shark)
Squatina oculata (Smoothback Angel Shark)
Squatina punctata (Angular Angelshark)
Squatina squatina (Angel Shark)
