Since the release of Jaws, numerous shark related cartoons have been released with the fearsome shark often playing a formidable character. These cartoons have a lot to answer for in the eyes of shark conservation, as they have all helped to stereotype the shark into the role of the predator that we perceive it to be today. Here are a few of the world’s most famous sharks and, through shark conservation, what we can learn from them:
Jaws
Jaws certainly has an awful lot to answer for in terms of shark conservation. Okay, so it might have helped in making people aware of what dangers lurk in the deep, dark ocean, but it also scared a lot of people off sharks. The shark was portrayed as a blood thirsty killer, when in actual fact shark attacks are a rare occurrence; so rare in fact that you’re more likely to die from a coconut then you are a great white shark attack. However, something good did come out of the movie, the author of ‘Jaws’ was so surprised at the commotion that his book caused, that he now works hard to ensure the safety of sharks in the ocean.
Sharky and George
Sharky and his flounder friend, George were the original crime busters of the sea, but unlike Jaws, Sharky was a huge pink shark and not really very scary at all. His main job was fighting the various gangs that hung around Seacago and his main villain was Dr. Jelly, the self proclaimed master of the sea. According to the lyrics, Sharky’s pink nose is what helped to make him such a great detective and the producers certainly got that right. A shark can detect a single drop of blood from over two miles away, so it is any wonder then that Sharky and George were never defeated?
Bruce the Shark
In the ‘Finding Nemo’ movie, Bruce is a great white shark who speaks with Australian accent and wants to give up fish forever. He attends weekly meetings with his friends, Anchor and Chum, where the motto is ‘Fish Are Friends, Not Food’. However, like someone with an addiction he occasionally slips up and eats a fish, although he really doesn’t mean to. In real life, great white sharks rarely eat fish as they see them as a low energy prey. They are more likely to attempt to hunt sea lions, seals and dolphins which are fattier and more energy rich. Shark conservation volunteers have studied the sharks hunting techniques and found that, when given the choice between a square target and a seal shaped target, the great white shark will always go for the seal shaped target, which is what they believe causes the majority of shark attacks on surfers.
Don Lino
Don Lino is another fearsome shark and in ‘Shark Tale’ he is head of a mob of criminally inclined sharks. Don Lino wants his sons to take over ‘the business’, which further adds to the stereotype that all sharks are ruthless killers. However, after a tragic accident kills his son, Frankie, it emerges that his surviving son Lenny, who likes dressing as a dolphin and is a vegetarian, isn’t going to be much use.
Vegetarian sharks seem to a popular concept in animated movies, but in reality there are no vegetarian shark species. Some sharks, such as tiger sharks have been known to eat absolutely anything. Shark conservation volunteers have found rubber tyres, sea snakes, wine bottles and license plates inside carcasses of this creature, earning it the nickname ‘dustbin of the sea’.
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