Once seen as a conservation success, southern right whales may now face renewed challenges. A study in Scientific Reports finds that some populations are slowing in recovery or declining, eliciting concern among researchers. Research suggests that shifting ocean conditions, especially changes in prey, are impairing whale health and breeding.

The Shark Trust has launched a collaboration with the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC), encouraging divers and snorkellers to contribute to ongoing citizen science initiatives aimed at improving knowledge of egg-laying shark and skate species.

Great white sharks, among the ocean’s most iconic predators, are now facing a real risk of extinction in the Mediterranean Sea. New scientific research indicates that the regional population is critically depleted, with sightings becoming increasingly rare and evidence pointing to a long-term and continuing decline.

Governments meeting at the recent CITES summit have agreed on a major expansion of protections for sharks and rays, marking what conservation groups describe as the most comprehensive advance for these animals in the convention’s history. The decisions significantly tighten international trade controls for more than 70 species, many of which are under severe pressure from overfishing and demand for fins, meat and other products.

A new study has found meat from critically endangered sharks being sold in US grocery stores under misleading labels. Researchers warn that the trade not only threatens vulnerable shark populations but also exposes consumers to potential health risks, including high levels of mercury.

Late July 2025 brought troubling news: U.S. Congressman Nick Begich (R–AK) introduced a draft bill that would significantly narrow the Marine Mammal Protection Act—a key law that has safeguarded whales, dolphins, seals and polar bears since 1972. Conservationists warn that the draft could undo decades of progress in protecting marine mammals from harm.

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has downgraded mackerel from a sustainable seafood choice to a cautionary amber rating, urging consumers to switch to herring or Cornish sardines instead. 

In response to scientific and community concerns, the NSW Government has listed the great hammerhead as vulnerable and the scalloped hammerhead as endangered under the Fisheries Management Act 1994.

"Formally recognizing that these two shark species are threatened is a significant step forward to protect some of our most vulnerable marine wildlife. We congratulate the NSW Government for taking a proactive approach to conserving these magnificent sharks, which are swimming against the tide of extinction," said Tooni Mahto, AMCS Marine Campaigns Officer.

First-ever tracking study in the Mediterranean

The new study reports that the mako shark travelled an estimated 408km over a period of 54 days, showcasing the vast distances these creatures can cover even at a young age. This discovery underscores the need to rethink traditional ideas about mako nurseries, areas where young sharks are born and grow up, as the tracked shark moved far from its presumed nursery near Tunisia.