Shark tours make people 40% more likely to protect sharks

Shark populations around the world are in rapid decline, facing mounting threats from human activities. With a third of shark species threatened with extinction, new research suggests that shark ecotourism could help turn the tide by encouraging people to take lasting action to protect them.New research from the University of Sydney found that people who participate in shark ecotourism are more likely to take action to protect sharks, including making donations, signing petitions and speaking up online, than those who do not. This is the first study to demonstrate that shark ecotourism can inspire a lasting commitment to conservation, with participants more likely to take action.Alongside increasingly positive media coverage and online attitudes towards sharks, the findings suggest that this tourism offers more than economic benefits. It could help protect declining shark populations. The findings are published in the journal Ocean Sustainability.How shark tourism can lead to conservationPic credit: Juan OliphantOver the past 50 years, shark populations have declined by 71%. A third of shark species are now threatened with extinction. At the same time, shark ecotourism is growing, ...