Why Everything You Know About Shark Conservation Is Wrong: An Interdisciplinary Look At Public Misunderstanding Of Conservation Science

Abstract

Sharks are some of the most ecologically important, most threatened, and most misunderstood animals on Earth. If we are to avoid extinction of animals that have been around since before trees existed on land, strong conservation protections based on evidence and data are an urgent necessity. Fortunately, more people care about the environment and want to help than ever before. Unfortunately, ocean conservation discussions are plagued by misinformation, pseudoscience, and extremism. In this talk, Dr. David Shiffman will present some key results from his decade of work trying to understand the causes and consequences of public misunderstanding of ocean conservation threats and their solutions. Where did so many people learn wrong information about these important topics, and what can experts do to get things moving in the right way?