Sharks are a charismatic species that elicit people’s wonder and fear while playing key roles in natural ecosystems. As mobile top predators, they control prey populations and connect distant ecosystems. However, many shark populations are declining at a rapid rate because of their vulnerable life histories and the impacts of fishing and habitat modification, making them among the most endangered animals in the ocean. They are also the most poorly quantified groups of animals on the planet, as basic information on abundance and distribution is lacking for most species. 

Join Assistant Professor Francesco Ferretti of the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation to discover how you can be a part of the big data revolution in helping to fill this information gap to successfully increase our understanding of sharks, inform management, and promote conservation. 

Moderated by Julia P. Allen, Assistant Dean of Advancement for the College of Natural Resources and Environment