A new study published in Nature Communications suggests that nearly two -thirds of coral reef shark and ray species worldwide are facing extinction. The study evaluated risks for 134 reef-associated species. Results suggest that the risk of extinction for coral species is roughly double than for sharks and rays overall, of which there are 1,199 known species. The authors found that 59% of coral reef shark and ray species are threatened with extinction, including, surprisingly, bull sharks and manta rays, both found in waters of over 60 countries, including those with greater fishing pressure and weaker governance, such as Brazil, Tanzania and Indonesia. The study found that overfishing was the main threat to the species at risk, but that this was compounded by habitat loss and climate change. It suggested…
