David Shiffman is an interdisciplinary marine conservation biologist who studies threats to sharks, how to protect sharks, and public attitudes about both. He lives in Washington, D.C., and is the author of Why Sharks Matter: A Deep Dive with the World's Most Misunderstood Predator. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Miami. Follow him on Twitter @WhySharksMatter
The Pokémon universe goes hard on ecology and climate science
The Pokémon franchise, including its recent game Pokémon Pokopia, is inspired by real animals and their ecology. It’s no surprise that so many scientists love to try and “catch ’em all”
Deepwater Sharks Are Threatened by Demand for Liver Oil
One in seven species of deepwater sharks and rays is threatened with extinction because of the liver oil and meat trade and emerging fishing technologies that make it possible to catch deep-sea fishes
Everything You Know about Shark Conservation Is Wrong
Sharks need our help, but many widespread conservation messages are not based on scientific evidence
‘March Mammal Madness’ Brings Simulated Animal Fights to Huge Audiences
The annual science education event describes imaginary encounters to teach ecology
Sharks Never Run Out of Teeth
The fish always have another set ready to fill their jaws
An Ambitious Strategy to Preserve Biodiversity
The so-called 30 by 30 plan would protect 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters from development by 2030
Smooth Handfish Extinction Marks a Sad Milestone
For the first time the IUCN Red List has officially declared a marine fish alive in modern times to be extinct
To Save Endangered Sharks, You Sometimes Need to Kill a Few
A unique partnership between scientists and commercial fishermen is yielding crucial information that is helping conserve shark populations
Scientists Should Stop Naming Species after Awful People
And they ought to consider revoking names that never should have been honored in the first place
When One Protected Species Kills Another, What Are Conservationists to Do?
What if great white sharks threaten sea otters? Dilemmas are on the rise in an increasingly disrupted environment
The Strange World of Nighttime Open-Ocean Diving [Slide Show]
Underwater photographer Jeff Milisen swims with animals that most people never get to see
New Shark Week Film Shows Rarely Seen Sharks of Cuba
"Tiburones," on the Discovery Channel in early July, highlights growing U.S.–Cuban ocean science partnerships
Trade in Shark Fins Takes a Plunge
An analysis of trade statistics suggests that efforts to educate shark fin soup consumers is working
Long-Term Sperm: Shark Gives Birth 4 Years after Contact with Male
The brownbanded bamboo shark’s belated delivery almost doubles the previous record for sperm storage
Could an Animal’s Name Save It from Extinction?
Taxonomists name a new snail after the cement company that holds its fate
Island Nation Sets Up World’s First Crowdfunded Marine Protected Area
Palau raises over $50,000 to support the creation and enforcement of a Pacific Ocean no-fishing zone the size of France
Predatory Fish Have Declined by Two Thirds in the 20th Century
First-of-its-kind analysis of hundreds of food web models shows that the decrease has mostly taken place since the 1970s
The Surprising Beauty and Biodiversity of Freshwater Fauna [Slide Show]
Lakes, rivers and streams are home to an amazing—and overlooked—menagerie of aquatic life
The Best Shark Biologists and Conservationists to Follow During Shark Week
These researchers and educators can teach you more about sharks as the fascinating, ecologically important and threatened multiple species that they are
Scalloped Hammerheads Become First Shark Species on the U.S. Endangered Species List
Two distinct population segments are now listed as threatened and two are listed as endangered by the National Marine Fisheries Service
Wildlife at Belize Resort Pushed by Travolta Could Have Trouble Stayin’ Alive
The A-list actor is promoting a proposed billionaire’s playground in Puerto Azul, complete with a private airport and racetrack, that could endanger the marine habitat
Cull Kill Includes Small Tiger Sharks along with Intended Victims [Video]
Photos from Australia's controversial shark extermination show that released tiger sharks are also dying—both from the stress of capture and improper handling
Shark Riders Pose Threat to Conservation Gains Made with Diving Ecotourism [Slide Show]
Excessive handling of sharks, including riding, worries scientists and scuba-diving businesses
Tiger Shark Shot and Dumped at Sea as Cull Begins in Western Australia
The policy is opposed by scientists, conservationists and a majority of Australian voters