Critical shark and ray habitats in Western Indian Ocean largely unprotected: Study

Category : Marine Life | Location : International  | Posted on 2026-02-06 09:03:20

Sharks and rays in the Western Indian Ocean are facing an extinction crisis. Almost half of the region’s 270 known species (46%) are currently threatened with extinction. A recently released study by the Shark Specialist Group of the IUCN, the global wildlife conservation authority, mapped out areas that are vital for the species’ survival, while finding that only a fraction of them overlap with currently protected areas.

Source: https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/critical-shark-and-ray-habitats-in-western-indian-ocean-largely-unprotected-study/