Before Humans, These Waters Belonged to Sharks
What Happened
Scientists studying fossilized shark scales, nicknamed “shark dandruff,” discovered that coral reefs on Panama's Pacific coast supported about 20 times more sharks than nearby Caribbean reefs 3,000 to 7,000 years ago. The finding comes from analysing thousands of tiny tooth-like scales preserved in ancient reef sediments.
Key Takeaways
Not all oceans were created equal. Even before human fishing, some ecosystems naturally supported far more sharks than others. Understanding these ancient baselines can help set more realistic conservation goals.