October 17th is international sawfish day. The talented artist Peppermint Narwhal created this wonderful graphic. To celebrate, sharkophile will cover the five species of sawfish, with information from the sawfish conservation society. Rostrum: a beaklike projection, especially a stiff snout or anterior prolongation of the head in an insect, crustacean, or cetacean. In the case […]
How to safely release a sawfish if caught
In addition to capture on hook-and-line, sawfish can easily become entangled in lost fishing gear or nets.
Largetooth sawfish gain added protections in Caribbean
The largetooth sawfish will receive added protection in Caribbean countries thanks to the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol under the Cartagena Convention. Under the new agreement, the 17 member countries will impose new national laws to protect the critically endangered species and take actions to allow for the recovery of the species. The […]
SharkoFiles: Largetooth Sawfish
Sharks and rays are some of the world’s most threatened animals, with a quarter of all species at risk of extinction. Among the sharks and rays, sawfish are some of the most threatened, with all five species listed as Critically Endangered or Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Largetooth Sawfish […]
Silky sharks, sawfish gain extra protection in Caribbean
A coalition of Caribbean nations unanimously voted to add largetooth sawfish and silky shark to the Annexes of the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife Protocol. “We are very pleased that our proposals could count on so much support,” said Paul Hoetjes, of Coordinator of nature policy for the Caribbean Netherlands of the Dutch Ministry of […]
World’s weirdest sharks and rays on the brink of extinction
Sharks that use a whip-like tail to stun their prey, rays with saws on their faces, and river rays half the length of a bus are among the most unique species at risk of extinction according to the latest ranking from international conservation charity Zoological Society of London’s pioneering EDGE of Existence program. The new […]
SWFL playing vital role in sawfish resurgence
PORT OF THE ISLANDS — For thousands of years, the sawfish was one of the most ferocious predators roaming the marshy shorelines of the Florida Peninsula. Fossil records found throughout the state show that the peculiar creature, which is closely related to both sharks and stingrays, and its evolutionary ancestors date back over 10,000 years. […]