Imagine the terror and pain a shark attack brings with it, and imagine the lengthy healing process that survivors face. Next, imagine you’re a shark attack survivor, and envision yourself joining forces with other survivors to save the animals responsible for causing your life to flash before your eyes. One group of survivors is doing just that – looking beyond the fact they were attacked, and working tirelessly to save a troubled group of marine animals.
The Shark Attack that Started it All
In 2004, an Orlando reporter named Debbie Salamone was enjoying a swim off the coast of Cape Canaveral, FL, when a curious shark bit her foot, completely severing the Achilles tendon. Salamone’s recovery took weeks, and it took months for the wound to completely heal. Surprisingly, in the years since the attack, she has become a champion for sharks, bringing dozens of shark attack survivors together in an unprecedented effort to save these threatened apex predators.
It took some time for Debbie to make the 180-degree turn from hating sharks and planning to consume shark steaks, to recognizing that she could not in fact blame a shark for its natural behavior. Once she forgave the shark that bit her, she learned more, ultimately deciding to raise awareness of the plight sharks face worldwide.
Turning the Tide
Together with scientists from Stony Brook University and the Pew Environment Group, Salamone helped to conduct a large-scale sampling of shark fin soup sold within the United States. Many who reported consuming it were surprised to discover that they were in fact eating endangered animals, and most had no idea what type of shark they were eating.
The study, which was released in August of 2012, revealed that rules regarding shark fishing worldwide must change, if sharks are to survive. During the course of the study, the group collected several samples of shark fin soup from restaurants in fourteen US cities. They extracted DNA samples, which were then tested by Institute for Ocean Conservation Science professor Demian Chapman, with the help of Chicago’s Pritzker Laboratory.
Of the 32 bowls of shark fin soup tested, researchers discovered that eight bowls contained fins belonging to vulnerable or endangered shark species, including smooth and scalloped hammerheads, shortfin mako, spiny dogfish, and school sharks. Another eighteen bowls contained DNA sourced from near threatened shark species, including bull sharks and copper sharks. And interestingly, one sample from a Denver restaurant contained zero shark DNA, proving that people really have no idea what is in the soup they’ll readily pay up to $100 per bowl for.
The study’s release was deliberately timed to coincide with the Discovery Channel’s annual Shark Week programming, which illustrates the animals’ ferocity while highlighting their importance as predators and showcasing the vital role they play in keeping marine environments healthy.
By joining together, shark attack survivors hope to transform the way many people think about sharks, and they highlight the importance of countering long-standing stereotypes. After all, Debbie Salamone says, “We’re in the ocean to begin with because we love it. If we can stick up for sharks, that turns a lot of heads. We all wanted to turn something really bad into something with a positive impact, then our suffering wasn’t for nothing.” Like the survivors, we all can make a difference by sharing our knowledge and sticking up for the sharks. Without them, our oceans would quickly turn to lifeless waterscapes.