“It’s been suggested that basking sharks would make fantastic indicators of climate change, because they’re basically continuous plankton recorders swimming around with their mouth open.”
Simon Berrow
In this entertaining TED talk by marine biologist Simon Berrow, once again the plight of sharks worldwide is brought to the fore. He debunks the “Jaws” myths surrounding these amazing creatures and emphasizes the need for more research and conservation.
His tales of difficulties obtaining DNA from the enormous basking sharks off the coast of Ireland, and the ensuing solution, end with his comments, “You always think you might have some legacy you can leave the world behind. And I was thinking of humpback whales breaching and dolphins. But hey, sometimes these things are sent to you and you just have to take them when they come. So this is possibly going to be my legacy - Simon’s shark slime.”
About Simon Berrow
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