IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group

@whysharksmatter.bsky.social @saveourseas.bsky.social

This article discusses the importance of these animals, their conservation concern leading to the creation of this report, with notes on the process behind the scenes.

#shark #ry #chimaera #conservation #marine #research #news

What Does It Take to Write a Global Conservation Report? A New Assessment of Sharks Offers Answers • The Revelator A two-year effort reveals the latest shark conservation statistics, while providing insight into the process to protect large groups of species.

What Does It Take to Write a Global Conservation Report? A New Assessment of Sharks Offers Answers

Read this article featured on The Revelator with an interview from IUCN SSC SSG chair Rima Jabado on the Global status of sharks, rays, and chimaeras.

therevelator.org/global-conse...

Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the Xingu River in Brazil!

Learn more about the ISRA project: lnkd.in/eV9F8BZQ

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation #marine

Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the Falkland Islands Northeastern Slope, home to the threatened Greytail Skate and range-restricted Southern Thorny Skate.

ISRAs South American Atlantic compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation #marine

Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the transboundary area Queguay-Rio Negro.

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation #marine

Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the Guajira Central in Colombia, where there are undefined aggregations of the threatened American Cownose Ray.

ISRAs South American Atlantic compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation #marine

Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the Puerto de Pucallpa in Peru, where there are undefined aggregations of the Discus Stingray.

ISRAs South American Inland Waters compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation #marine

ONE MONTH ALERT

Reminder that the ISRA project is still accepting proposals for preliminary Areas of Interest in Australia and Southeast Indian Ocean for the next month, the final deadline is on August 16th.

For more updates on the ISRA project follow along!

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #marine

Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the Todos os Santos Bay in Brazil, home to the threatened Brazilian Guitarfish and a reproductive area for Longnose Stingray.

ISRAs South American Atlantic compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation

© IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group and Eloisa Pinheiro

At the upcoming CITES CoP20 from 24 November–05 December 2025 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, mobulids have been proposed to be uplisted from Appendix II to Appendix I.

...the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). But overfishing and a growing demand for their meat and gill plates still put them at risk.

Stronger action is needed to make sure these rays are safe for the future.

To try and secure conservation actions for these highly threatened species, mobulid rays have been listed under international agreements like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and...

Happy Shark Awareness Day from the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group (SSG)! This year we are putting the spotlight on mobulid rays.

Join us for a day of celebration and awareness-raising! Please use hashtags #SharkAwarenessDay and #mobulidrays

🦈 Shark Awareness Day 🦈 Let's change the way we view sharks! Often misunderstood, they're vital for healthy oceans. With 1,000 species of sharks, skates, and rays, they're diverse and fascinating.

Learn more at The Shark Trust 👉 www.sharktrust.org

#SharkAwarenessDay #MarineSpecies #DASSH

Heute ist Shark Awareness Day - Zeit, um auf die zunehmenden Gefahren aufmerksam zu machen, die Haien und Rochen drohen. Vor allem Überfischung und Beifang setzen den Tieren zu - mehr als ein Drittel aller Arten ist weltweit vom Aussterben bedroht. Wir müssen sie dringend besser schützen!

The global status of sharks, rays, and chimaeras | IUCN Library System

Today we are raising their profile and the need to better conserve these species. You can learn more about Angel Sharks in our 'Spotlight on Highly Threatened Groups' chapter here: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#angelshark #shark #ray #chimaera #conservation #marine

Angel Sharks have a unique evolutionary history dating back to the Late Jurassic Period.

Currently, this species group is amongst the most threatened group of sharks, with over 50% considered threatened with extinction according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to overfishing.

Happy International Angel Shark Day from the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group!

There are at least 24 species of angel sharks (Order Squatiniformes) and they occur across the world, from temperate to tropical waters, and from depths of <1m to 1,300m.

#BiodiversityFramework #ISRAs #KBAs #SharkScience #MarineConservation

Applying the Key Biodiversity Area Standard to Important Sites for Sharks The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework commits nations to conserving 30% of coastal and marine areas, “especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity.” Key Biodiversity Areas ...

These area-based management tools are complimentary and using them together can be powerful to ensure nations meet their 30x30 commitments under Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Find out how these tools can work together here: conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Exciting news: our new study just published!

We looked at how Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs) can also support the identification of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs).

Our findings? 1 in 5 ISRAs already qualify as KBAs.

Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the Falkland Islands Northwestern Slope, home to the threatened Greytail Skate and range-restricted Cousseau's Skate.

South American Atlantic compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation

Today’s featured Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) is the Bita-Meta-Orinoco Confluence, within it reside the range-restricted and threatened Orinoco Discus Stringray.

South American Inland Waters compendium: doi.org/10.59216/ssg...

#shark #ray #chimaera #ISRA #conservation

Congratulations to the organizers for an incredibly successful conference.

#ocsconference #ocs2025 #chondrichthyanscience #Shark #ray #chimaera #conservation

Today’s keynote address was delivered by previous SSG co-Chair Prof Colin Simpfendorfer through an inspiring talk about the history of shark and ray research in Australia. He was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work!

...as well as the Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA) (by our team member Dr Asia Armstrong). Our goal was to engage with early career scientists from the Oceania region and ensure they can contribute to our work to conserve shark, rays, and chimaeras globally.

...the Global Status of Sharks, Rays, and Chimaeras report (delivered by our Regional co-Vice Chairs Dr Chris Dudgeon and Dr Al Harry); the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (by one of our Red List Authority Coordinators Dr Cassie Rigby);

The IUCN Shark Specialist Group (SSG) was well represented and several members presented on their work. This included an overview of the SSG work (delivered by our Chair Dr Rima Jabado);