Daggernose Shark

Sharks are a very misunderstood animal. There are more than 400 types of sharks, but the most well known is the Great White shark. Many people are afraid of sharks and shark attacks, but there are only about 100 shark attacks per year, and most of those are mistaken identity cases. Only ¼ of shark attacks are fatal. Though most people only know of the great white, there are plenty of other interesting species of sharks, one of which is the daggernose. The daggernose usually lives in shallow, coastal waters near Brazil and Trinidad, but has been seen in other places. It is relatively small (about 4.9 feet), and has a long ‘dagger-like’ nose. It is grey or brown with a white belly and large, paddle-shaped pectoral fins. They have small eyes, so it is likely that daggernoses use their dagger-like nose to sense surroundings more than they use their eyesight. While there is not a lot of information on the daggernose’s diet, it seems they eat schooling fish.

Some sharks are fished commercially for many items, the most famous of which is shark fin soup. ‘Finning’ is where the fins are removed from a shark and then the still alive shark is thrown back in the water to die. Like many sharks, the daggernose is endangered because of hunting. The main reason that the daggernose shark is endangered is commercial fishing and bycatch. Daggernoses are sometimes fished for their meat, but the main reason they are critically endangered is bycatch. Bycatch is when unintended prey are caught in a fishery meant for other fish or animals. Many of the fisheries that catch the daggernoses are outside of the regulations put in place to help daggernoses and other endangered animals. Because of hunting and bycatch, the daggernoses’ population has been at a 90% decrease rate for the last 10 years.