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Today is Shark Awareness Day!! Posted @withregram • @maldiveswhalesharkresearch Happy #SharkAwarenessDay ! . Today we celebrate sharks in all their variety and splendour 🙌🏾 In the Maldives we are lucky enough to be home to more than 30 species of shark, 29 of which are globally endangered. It is imperative that we protect these keystone predators, and their habitat, from negative human impact such as targeted fisheries, bycatch, disturbance and unsustainable coastal development where sharks aggregate. Here are some of the ways in which sharks are valuable to our oceans 🌊 . 🦈 Sharks keep ocean ecosystems in balance; they are at the top of the food chain and by keeping prey populations in check they help regulate species abundance, distribution and diversity, which in turn impacts the health of marine habitats. . 🦈 Large predators like sharks are effective carbon sinks, and therefore help in the fight against climate change. . 🦈 Sharks boost the economy; sharks act as a natural attraction for eco-based recreation and tourism. A Maldives based study found that increasing shark populations can raise dive tourists' trip demand to the Maldives by 15%. . Check out our stories to found out what YOU can do to help sharks! . 📸 @sujugasim . #sharkawarenessday #whaleshark #shark #sharks #sharkscience #wildlife #animals #ocean #charity #nonprofit #uwphotography #marineconservation #freediver #scuba #diving #conservation #sea #maldives #maldivesislands #liveaboard #explore #sustainable #photography #southariatoll #travelphotography #sharkphotography #marinebiology