SOUTH AFRICA’S GREAT WHITE SHARKS ENDANGERED
Great white sharks are now an endangered species. Dr. Sara Andreotti of the Department of Botany and Zoology at SU and lead author of a study of the numbers of great white sharks in South African waters says that there are anywhere from 353 to 522 sharks left in those waters. Andreotti said that if the decline continues at this rate, the great white shark will be heading for extinction. She attributed the decrease in numbers to the massive fishing industry in South Africa, along with the wide use of shark nets and baited hooks. The extinction of the great white shark would have negative implications for the surrounding environment. Without the great white shark, the seal has no predator, garnering an increase in their population which would in turn present a problem for the fish, whose main predator is the seal.