The Endangered Angel Shark with Wings

This fish, which looks like a ray at first glance. It looks exactly like a ray just by looking at its pectoral fins that look like wings, but it has something like a shark's dorsal fin on its tail. In fact, this fish is called an 'angel shark'. It got its name because it swims like an angel flying in the sky.

Flatfish like angel sharks bury themselves in the sand to protect themselves from predators. Angel sharks also swim almost attached to the sandy bottom and hide themselves in the sand. The reason why angel sharks use camouflage is not for defense but for attack. They secretly hide and quickly hunt when prey approaches. Even though it looks like this, it seems that sharks are sharks after all.

Angel sharks are classified into about 27 species, and most of them are managed as endangered species. When looking at the extinction risk levels, you can see that the critically endangered (CR) level is the most common. Critically endangered (CR) means that there is a high possibility of facing extreme extinction in a short period of time, and most angel sharks may not exist in this world after a few years. Almost all species of angel sharks designated as endangered species are showing a declining population trend, so active conservation efforts seem to be necessary.

Marine pollution is a serious problem that we all need to solve together, and it is taking away the habitat of many marine creatures. Angel sharks are also losing their habitat due to marine pollution. Angel sharks are also disturbed by humans such as divers. Even if it's not fishing intended to catch angel sharks, angel sharks often get caught in fishing gear and die. The biggest problem is that there are no legal regulations to protect angel sharks. Since there is not much interest in angel sharks, there is little related research, and people's awareness is low compared to the endangered situation.

The Angel Shark Conservation Network (ASCN) has set several goals to protect angel sharks. First, since the damage from fishing is significant, the goal is to minimize the number of angel sharks that die due to fishing. They monitor commercial fishing and inform fishermen about angel sharks to reduce harm. They also designate Critical Angel Shark Areas to protect important habitats of angel sharks and are making efforts to protect vulnerable habitats. They also designate 'World Angel Shark Day' to raise awareness of the crisis facing angel sharks.

The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) collaborates with many organizations that protect angel sharks to receive sightings of angel sharks or conduct fundraising activities.

I hope more people will be aware of the crisis facing angel sharks and take an interest so that they can escape from the brink of extinction.