Around 1/3 of all shark and ray species are threatened.
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.
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Vulnerable To Extinction
Definition: Considered to be facing a High Risk of extinction in the wild.
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 tudes (Smalleye Hammerhead Shark) Squalus acanthias (Piked Dogfish) Squatina albipunctata (Eastern Angel Shark) Squatina japonica (Japanese Angelshark) Squatina nebulosa (Clouded Angelshark) Squatina tergocellatoides (Ocellated Angelshark) Stegostoma fasciatum (Leopard Shark) Isurus oxyrinchus (Shortfin Mako Shark) Isurus paucus (Longfin Mako Shark) Alopias pelagicus (Pelagic Thresher Shark) Alopias superciliosus (Bigeye Thresher Shark) Alopias vulpinis (Common Thresher Shark) Brachaelurus colcloughi (Bluegrey Carpetshark) Carcharhinus obscurus (Dusky Shark) Carcharhinus plumbeus (Sandbar Shark) Centrophorus lusitanicus (Lowfin Gulper Shark) Centrophorus squamosus (Deepwater Spiny Dogfish) Galeorhinus galeus (Whithound) Haploblepharus fuscus (Brown Shyshark) Hemipristis microstoma (Sickle Fin Weasel Shark) Odontaspis ferox (Small-tooth Sand Tiger Shark) Sphyrna zygaena (Smooth Hammerhead) |
Endangered Species
Definition: Considered to be facing a Very High Risk of extinction in the wild.
Carcharhinus borneensis (Borneo Shark) Balantiocheilos melanopterus (Silver Shark) Carcharhinus hemiodon (Pondicherry Shark) *Critically Endangered Centrophorus harrissoni (Harrison's Deepsea Dogfish) Glyphis gangeticus (Ganges Shark) *Critically Endangered Glyphis garricki (New Guinea River Shark) *Critically Endangered Glyphis glyphis (Speartooth Shark) Glyphis sp. nov. A (Bizant River Shark) Glyphis siamensis (Irrawaddy Rover Shark)*Critically Endangered Isogomphodon oxyrhynchus (Daggernose Shark) Squatina aculeata (Sawback Angelshark) Squatina argentina (Argentine Angel Shark) Squatina formosa (Taiwan Angelshark) Squatina guggenheim (Spiny Angel Shark) Squatina occulta (Smoothback Angel Shark) Squatina oculata (Smoothback Angel Shark) Squatina punctata (Angular Angelshark) Squatina squatina (Angel Shark) Haploblepharus kistnasamyi Lamiopsis temmeincki (Broadfin Shark) Sphyrna lewini (Scalloped Hammerhead) Sphyrna mokarran (Squat-headed (Great) Hammerhead Shark) |
Updated August 2013
