#Repost @aproctor.art (@get_repost) ・・・ Happy World Oceans Day! In honour of today let me introduce shark 15/365 the Whale Shark! These incredible sharks are the largest fish on the planet, reaching lengths of 40 ft! Their mouths alone can reach up to 5ft wide but pose no threat to humans or anything larger than plankton, as they are one of three filter feeding shark species! As large as they are, whale sharks can be very elusive and not much research has been logged on them. However, scientists have figured out that each individual shark has a different pattern of spots around their gills and pectoral fins, making identification easier. Whale sharks are currently listed as Vulnerable and are facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. They have highly valuable meat, fins, and liver oil making them a prize for unregulated fisheries. They are also often victims of accidental bycatch as they can get tangled easily in fishing gear. While whale shark tourism has helped spark a global interest in keeping these majestic creatures alive, some centres have been known to be less than ethical about the interactions with these sharks and have caused interruptions in their regulated feeding schedules or injured them with boat propellers. Always double check the codes of conduct before participating in Eco tourism! ❤🦈❤ . . #yearofsharks #yearofsharksproject #sharks #whaleshark #art #painting #ink #watercolour #artist #artivism #artforgood #saveourseas #saveoursharks #saveouroceans #worldoceansday #ocean #oceanconservation #respectthefin #respectsharks #nofear #nofinsoup #nofinsnofuture #sharkeducation #arteducation #sharksmarts

#Repost @aproctor.art (@get_repost) ・・・ Hello shark 13/365 the Sandbar Shark! Named after the sandy and muddy flats where they are most commonly found, sandbars are easily recognized for their large pectoral and dorsal fins. They eat mostly small bony fish as well as octopi and small crustaceans, and they pose little to no threat to humans. Currently listed on the IUCN Red List as a Vulnerable species, these sharks are primary targets in the Eastern USA for their meat and fins, and for game fishing. They are also hunted in the Eastern North Atlantic and South China Sea for their fins, meat, livers, and skin ❤🦈❤ . . . #yearofsharks #yearofsharksproject #shark #sandbarshark #painting #watercolour #art #artivism #artforgood #ocean #oceanconservation #ink #saveourseas #saveoursharks #respectthefin #respectsharks #nofear #nofinsoup #nofinsnofuture

#Repost @aproctor.art with @repostapp ・・・ Meet shark 7/365 in the #yearofsharks the Angel Shark! These sharks are often mistaken for rays because of their body shape and long pelvic and pectoral fins. They are ambush hunters who use the camouflage patterns on their skin to hide until their prey comes close enough to trap in their mouths. Angel sharks are also nocturnal hunters and use the light triggered from bioluminescent plankton to see their prey! Formerly common in large areas of coastal and continental shelves in the North Eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Seas, most of their habitat regions are subject to intense fishing. Angel sharks are very catchable from birth through adulthood, and are taken as bycatch in trawls, bottom long lines, and sea nets. Because of this, angel sharks have been declared locally extinct in many areas. They are currently listed as a Critically Endangered species ❤🦈❤ . #yearofsharksproject #ink #watercolour #painting #artforgood #artivism #shark #sharks #angelshark #saveourseas #saveoursharks #nofear #nofinsoup #nofinsnofuture #respectthefin #respectsharks #ocean #oceanconservation #sharkadvocate #sharkeducation

#Repost @aproctor.art with @repostapp ・・・ Super cool shark alert, the Greenland Shark is 9/365 in the #yearofsharksproject ! Part of the dogfish order, Greenland sharks are the only true subarctic shark- their flesh contains high levels of urea and trimethylamine oxide that acts as a natural antifreeze. They can also slow down their life processes as the waters get colder, which is handy in their deep arctic water habitats! Greenland sharks can grow up to 22ft in length but have never been recorded attacking humans, not even the divers who tag them. They do hunt large game, and have been known to ambush reindeer, seals, and polar bears that get too close to the edge of ice floes. These sharks are almost always blind, as parasitic copepods tend to attach themselves to the eyes and eat the tissue. However, there is some mutual symbiosis between the species- scientists theorize that the bioluminescence released by the crustaceans may help lure some smaller prey for the sharks. Greenland sharks have an incredibly slow growth rate, reaching sexual maturity around 150 years and living as old as 400! However, this slow growth rate has contributed to them being listed as Near Threatened, with past and present fishing pressure making their longevity difficult- it is suggested that the species are still recovering after being hunted in large groups during WWII for their livers that were processed into machine oil ❤🦈❤ . #yearofsharksproject #greenlandshark #shark #sharkadvocate #sharkeducation #art #painting #watercolour #ink #artist #artivism #artforgood #ocean #oceanconservation #saveourseas #saveoursharks #respectsharks #respectthefin #nofear #nofinsoup #nofinsnofuture #deepsea

#Repost from my Totally Awesome Vegan Conservationist friend...@lu_lu_mi_bella_vida / Text by @lu_lu_mi_bella_vida & @jim_abernethy Please DM me for image credit. --- The reality is, that sharks are not a problem, humans are. The ocean is the only home that sharks have to live in, humans homes are on the land, they can't live in the sea, just like Sharks homes are in the ocean not the land, so no matter how many there are in the vicinity of swimming/surfing humans who “visit” the sea, it's still their absolute given right to live there without being harmed. Sharks keep the ocean healthy, and 70% of our oxygen comes from the sea! We shouldn't be worried about the number of sharks inhabiting the ocean, we should be horrified if there’s an absence of them. There is no such thing as shark 'attacks' only shark accidents (mistaken identity), humans are not on a sharks menu, and when you enter the sea, you do so with respect and totally at your own risk. Shark accidents are extremely rare, more people are killed by vending machines and almost every animal on the planet, including our domestic dogs and cats! otherwise, don't go into the sea. Sharks have a right to live in their natural habitat unharmed, just as wild elephants, lions, tigers, gorillas, snakes, bears etc have a right to live in the wild. It's an anthropocentric mentality that has humans thinking that they have to kill sentient life just because it's not 'convenient' for them. Swap places with these amazing animals, and I'm sure your life would suddenly become as vulnerable as theirs, and their life would become as precious as yours. We need to shift our perspective and see with our hearts with respect and compassion, instead of the ego. We need to save sharks, eliminate the shark fin industry, worldwide! @Jim_abernethy @lu_lu_mi_bella_vida @wildlifevoiceinc #savesharks #oceanneedssharks #love #respectsharks #apexpredators #keyspecies 💙🦈 #compassion #conservation #savetheplanet #earthdayiseveryday #kindness #ilovesharks #worthmorealive #endextinction #saveouroceans #saveourplanet (at Mother Earth) https://www.instagram.com/p/CL9Ah1SJLBJ/?igshid=1d69zthe5nivq

Gorgeous photos by @juansharks of our Kauai seaster @chelseakauai diving with us and @oceanramsey @silkymerman @cobiandewey @tracyannsaltygirl @makodanny @justinfriesen Enjoying some after rain colors while trying to cut fishingline and weight off one of the sharks for the majority of this dive. #HelpSaveSharks #SaveTheOcean #Coexist #RespectSharks #MalamaManō #LearnAboutSharks #Swimwithsharks #sharkdiving #Savesharks #Sharks #shark #ocean #hawaii (at North Shore, Haleiwa, Hawaii) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3p2M4xHDJ7/?igshid=t8yry87fnjb2