What is the white sharks role in the marine ecosystem?
White sharks play a crucial role in the marine ecosystem by helping to suppress pinniped (seals and sea lions) populations. The only real threats white sharks face are from humans, as well as the occasional killer whale. According to marine fisheries expert, Burr Heneman, who drafted California’s white shark protection legislation, “White sharks, orcas, and disease are about the only factors limiting seal and sea lion populations in California, and research increasingly confirms that the white shark population is pretty small and highly vulnerable to fishing pressure.” Q: How large is the white shark population? Currently, there are no population estimates available for white sharks. However, there is agreement between shark biologists that their numbers are very low. Low numbers are typical for top-level, apex predators that are long-lived, slow growing, late-maturing, and have a low reproductive potential. Q: What do scientists know about the white shark population? Since there is no
