Many species of open ocean shark are under serious threat, according to an assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The Red list gives the status of 64 types of shark and ray, over 30% of which are threatened with extinction.
The authors, IUCN’s Shark Specialist Group, say a main cause is overfishing.
Listed as endangered are two species of hammerhead shark, often subject to “finning” – a practice of removing the fins and throwing away the body.
The list is part of an ongoing international scientific project to monitor the animals.
The authors classified a further 24% of the examined species as Near Threatened.
Source: BBC.
