skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, April 11, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

AL bill to review life sentences without parole moves forward; FEMA grant cancellations spark FL outcry as hurricane season looms; NYS lawmakers urged to keep vehicle pollution protection; IRS Direct File saves PA tax filers time and money.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Speaker Johnson says safety net programs will be "protected" in House budget. Secretary of State Rubio defends the administration's revoking of hundreds of student visas, and rural libraries could close as federal funding is cut.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump's tariffs sow doubt and stress for America's farmers, rural Democrats want working class voters back in the fold, and a cancelled local food program for kids worries folks in Maine.

Debunking the horror: To oceans, sharks are vital, not villains

play audio
Play

Monday, October 14, 2024   

As Halloween approaches, a spooky campaign aims to clear up the common misunderstandings about some of nature's most feared creatures.

In collaboration with other organizations, Defenders of Wildlife is launching its "Real Scary Movies" campaign, to highlight how animals often vilified in horror stories - like sharks, bats, and wolves - are vital to the health of their ecosystems.

Jane Davenport, senior attorney with Defenders of Wildlife, said she hopes to dispel these myths - many of which she said have been fueled by Hollywood blockbusters, like the 1975 movie Jaws.

"Obviously, a shark attack on a human is a terrifying and, unfortunately, sometimes tragic event," said Davenport. "There's only about 70 unprovoked shark attacks on people every year, all around the world. But on the other hand, humans are killing northwards of 80 million sharks every year."

Davenport said she believes the shark's frightening reputation has contributed to a lack of focus on their preservation, leading some species toward extinction.

The shark-fishing industry defends its practices by claiming U.S. shark fisheries are among the most sustainable, with laws that prevent overfishing and enhance economic value.

The campaign urges the public to make more sustainable choices of seafood and consumer products, and to look beyond the scary imagery - even if it's just for Halloween fun.

For Davenport, the public should recognize that the real "spooky and scary" story is how human activities pose a significant threat to wildlife.

"Species like sharks and bats and wolves are not out there trying to do anything other than than live their lives," said Davenport. "And so, we really need to bring awareness and do some myth-busting, to try to dispel the image that these are creepy, scary creatures."

In the spirit of the season, the campaign will put a unique twist on popular scary movies to highlight the harmful impacts of issues like bycatch - when non-target marine animals are inadvertently hooked or netted by fishermen targeting other species.

It's a different perspective to consider while binging the Jaws series.



Disclosure: Defenders of Wildlife contributes to our fund for reporting on Climate Change/Air Quality, Endangered Species & Wildlife, Energy Policy, Public Lands/Wilderness. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1 and will last through the end of November. (Pixabay)

Environment

play sound

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has abruptly ended a key disaster-preparedness program, sparking concerns as another active hurricane season …


Environment

play sound

Wildlife conservationists are working with landowners and concerned Texans to recover at-risk species. Currently, more than 1,100 animals from …

Social Issues

play sound

The Social Security Administration has reversed its controversial plan to eliminate phone services for benefit claims, a move that would have forced …


Minnesota public health worker Amy Saupe, who is being laid off because of federal cuts, holds a sign at a demonstration in St. Paul on Thursday. (Mike Moen)

Social Issues

play sound

Minnesota officials have launched a new online tool detailing how the state is being affected by federal cuts. Public health workers keeping an eye …

play sound

Minnesota's unemployment rate is low, but the state still faces a skilled labor shortage. A regional college hopes to be a solution as it looks to …

Supporters of an expanded Direct File system say it could save Pennsylvanians more than $600 million in combined annual tax-filing fees and additional tax credits claimed directly from the IRS. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Pennsylvania is among a growing number of states offering residents access to the Internal Revenue Service's free tax filing system, Direct File…

Social Issues

play sound

A surge in federal funding has fueled a clean-energy boom in Pennsylvania and across Appalachia, according to a new report. Investments doubled in …

Social Issues

play sound

April is both National Poetry Month and National Library Month, and younger generations are embracing both. The American Library Association says …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021