The world needs coral reefs, and coral reefs need sharks

The value of coral reefs to sharks has long been known. The complex structures that corals form shelter a huge variety of species, creating oases of ocean biodiversity and providing plenty of food for reef sharks. Shallow areas with few predators serve as shark nurseries. But what do sharks bring to the relationship? Recent science is finally shedding light on the subject and indicates that protecting disappearing reef sharks is likely to have considerable benefits for building reef resilience. My first encounter with reef sharks was when learning to dive in Belize and Honduras in the early ’90s. I was backpacking with a friend before returning to Hong Kong to start a Ph.D. on reef fishes. What I saw in the Caribbean made the complete absence of sharks in Hong Kong and scarcity on otherwise spectacular coral reefs in the Philippines more noticeable in years to follow. I would inquire about enticingly named dive sites such as Shark Corner, only to be told that sharks were very rarely seen there now, if at all. <a href="https://wwfoceans.medium.com/the-world-needs-coral-reefs-and-coral-reefs-need-sharks-4ddc5db0cd82">Read More</a>