Sharks have patrolled our oceans for more than 400 million years. They survived near-global extinction events and outlived countless other marine species. But according to several studies, shark populations around the world are suffering a serious decline due to human activities like over-fishing, with many species being on the brink of extinction. Sharks are at the top of the food chain, which means that they are crucial in regulating the ocean’s ecosystems. Fortunately, scientists and conservation experts are doing their best to control and protect the populations of these animals.
Lately, they have started using satellites that scan the oceans as a valuable new tool to protect sharks. A review of the evidence suggests endangered sharks can be protected from threats by using the technology. Satellites crisscrossing the globe can analyze factors such as ocean temperature and salinity, which affect the movement of sharks across the world’s oceans. Predictive models based on such data could let us know where sharks are so that they can be better protected. For example, data from satellite imagery combined with other information from electronic tagging of sharks may be used in the future to police illegal fishing, which is one of the main culprits to blame for the steep decline in the fish’s populations.
