How Sharks Affect the Ecosytem

Sharks are on top of the food chain. So, they keep the ocean balanced! It messes up the entire ecosystem if we cut down the numbers of sharks in the ocean. The ocean counts on sharks to make sure that the number of other marine animals such as fish and other species stay in check. Sharks are also, in charge of getting ride of the injured, dying or sick fish so that the ocean is full of healthy life. Without sharks the entire balance of the food chain is thrown off.


Shark Savers, a non-profit organization that aims to help save sharks around the world, conducted a scientific experiment to see what would happen if sharks were taken away from an ecosystem. The study took place in the mid-Atlantic part of the U.S.

When 11 species of sharks were nearly eliminated, 12 of the 14 species of fish that they had fed on became so plentiful that they damaged the ecosystem. The fish wiped out species that were on trophic levels beneath them, and the negative effects were felt throughout the entire trophic pyramid.

This is why we don't want to lose anymore sharks!!