Don't Pet This Shark
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don't pet this shark. This woman gets close to sharks to help protect them. But is that a good idea? By Lauren Tarshis Imagine you're splashing around in the ocean. Suddenly in the distance, you spot a shark. And not just any shark. A massive great white shark, one of the most formidable predators in the ocean. What would you do? Most people would swim away in terror. But that's not what happened last January when a woman named Ocean Ramsey spotted a great white off the coast of Hawaii. She swam right up to the fearsome creature and stroked its rough skin. She had her friend snap a few photos, which he posted on Instagram. Beyond Magic, she wrote Beautiful, protecting sharks. Ramsey often poses with sharks she wants people to see. Sharks are not the dreadful monsters they are often made out to be, and to inspire others to help conserve them. And sharks do need our protection. Each year, between 70 and 100 million sharks are killed by humans. Most are hunted for their fins. Shark fin soup is a prized dish in many countries. Now, many species of sharks are nearly extinct. Others, including the great white are threatened. This is catastrophic. All of us on Earth. Humans, animals, plants are connected. If something happens to one species, it can trigger a chain reaction that affects others. For example, if great white sharks were to disappear, the number of sales would skyrocket. That's because great whites eat seals. All of those seals would gobble up small fish until there weren't many left. What would happen to the birds that survived by eating those smaller fish? What about the humans who fish for food or as their jobs without sharks? Many creatures would struggle to survive. No sharks snuggles when it comes to trying to safeguard sharks. We should all care as much as Ramsey, but still scientists express horror over her photo. Getting so close to a shark is dangerous for humans and sharks. And, of course, Ramsey isn't the only one throwing caution to the wind to get pictures with wild animals. Instagram is filled with selfies of people hugging elephants and muzzling lion cubs. But taking these kinds of selfies can be dangerous for humans and cruel to wild animals, According to the organization World Animal Protection, it's okay to photograph animals in their natural habitats from afar. Indeed, sharing such photos can inspire respect for wild creatures. But avoid selfies with animals that are being held, hugged or restrained, that are being baited with food. Or that could hurt you. So, yes, learn everything you can about sharks and other creatures that fascinate you and work to defend them. But if you want a good animal picture for instagram, pose with your dog.