A photographer revealed a disturbing photo of a dead shark washed up on Beit Yanai Beach in Israel. Researchers believe it succumbed to warming waters driven by climate change.
What happened?
According to Green Prophet, locals were worried about the shark sighting because it signified overheating waters. Beachgoers noticed the shark early in the morning late last month, and it wasn't the first along the coast.
Marine biologists were investigating the cause of the death and believed the aforementioned sources, along with overfishing and the impacts of desalination efforts, were the culprits. Pictures showed the shark bloodied, and the outlet reported it had been injured by fishing nets.
Israel's coastal waters are warming faster than the global average, prompting large predators such as sharks to move in search of habitable environments.
Why is the dead shark concerning?
Earlier this year, a diver was killed by a shark, showing marine activity is indeed changing, as Green Prophet said. Also, scientists say that desalination, which Israel is using to secure its water supply, is altering the coast. With water being pumped to refill the Sea of Galilee, brine discharge can disrupt the salinity and temperature conditions to which marine species and ecosystems have become accustomed.
Sea turtles and whales are also suffering from these effects, as well as those of warming waters and increasing plastic pollution. While the shark that washed ashore recently was only one animal, it reveals the system is under pressure, with more beachings and human-wildlife conflict predicted, according to Green Prophet.
What's being done to help?
Conservation efforts have allowed one shark species to return to the waters of Papua New Guinea, revealing their positive impacts on society and the world.
Individually, we can help by switching to all-electric appliances and vehicles, reducing plastic consumption, and buying from sustainable brands that care about how their products affect people and the environment.
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