Today I'm discussing my favorite sharks, and yours, too. 
There has been a lot of media coverage lately about one of the world's most popular sharks: the great white. We're hearing false reports of white sharks in Australian lakes and off Martha's Vineyard, while researchers in other parts of Massachusetts and off Monterey, Calif., head to the coast to investigate confirmed reports of captured young white sharks -- both dead and alive. This remarkable species clearly invokes both fear and fascination in people. The fascination -- and the fact that white sharks are naturally rare and therefore vulnerable -- have combined to support exceptionally strong conservation action for the species. In fact, white sharks are among the most protected sharks in the world, as well as the favorite species of many a shark enthusiast.
White sharks fascinate me too, but I have a real soft spot for sharks (and related rays) that are perhaps less charismatic yet still highly worthy of conservation, such as the beleaguered spiny dogfish and oft-overlooked thorny skates. I'm partial to some big, exciting species too -- like the enormous basking shark, the mysterious Greenland shark and all kinds of wacky-looking sawfish.
So, what about you? What shark gets your interest? I welcome your posts about your favorite species of shark or ray and any questions you have on their conservation status.
PHOTO: Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus), Falmouth Bay off Cornwall, England. (Photo by Mark Webster / Getty Images)
Post your questions for Sonja in the Comments section below. She will be checking in to give you answers.
Wow! I didn't realize white sharks were that protected. Good to know. Basking sharks are among my favorite species as well. Also, bonnetheads and tigers.
Posted by: Amalthea | July 24, 2008 at 06:30 PM
Wow! I didn't realize white sharks were that protected. Good to know. Basking sharks are among my favorite species as well. Also, bonnetheads and tigers.
Posted by: Amalthea | July 24, 2008 at 06:30 PM
I would have to say that the Bull Shark interests me most of all because they can go in and out of fresh water with no problem. They are so fascinating!
Posted by: Charley | July 24, 2008 at 08:48 PM
Without a doubt the tiger shark...intelligent, gentle, curious animals. Thanks for blogging Sonja - I'll feature you on our blog shortly.
Posted by: Felix Leander | July 24, 2008 at 10:30 PM
My all time favorite is the Blue Shark. I love watching it move through the water. It makes it look so effortless. And like I've heard on many nature shows before, it looks like a ballerina as it dances through the water.
Posted by: Christina | July 25, 2008 at 02:17 PM
My favorite shark is the zebra shark. While at a Sea World camp, i was privileged to do a shark interaction with this amazing species. I went on a manatee expedition with Ocean Conservancy in February and was wondering if there was an opportunity to attend a shark expedition? I am very interested in sharks and would like to know of ways to help with their conservation. Thank you for your time, Michelle.
Posted by: michelle | July 25, 2008 at 02:38 PM
I have to say that I love just the idea of the great whites - the perfect predator. But my favorites based on underwater encounters are the hammerheads and the whale sharks. Let me know if you need pictures of either of these for your blog here or any future campaign. You can see a few of them in my "submerged" portfolio at my website: www.markgamba.com
The sharks along with most of the species in the sea will be needing humans to make several major changes in the way we live in the very near future. It is up to those of us paying attention to bring the awareness to the rest. Keep up the good work and let me know if I can help in any way.
Posted by: Mark Gamba | July 25, 2008 at 02:44 PM
My favorite shark has to be the Shortfin Mako shark. It is my understanding that they are the fastest fish in the ocean. How fast can they really swim? I love their sleek torpedo shaped bodies, obviously made for the speed they are known for. Aren't they also able to make thier body temperatures rise for efficiency while swimming in cold water?
Posted by: Bob Smyth | July 25, 2008 at 03:51 PM
It's thrilling to realize that sharks and all water beings who live in the fluid worlds
of oceans must of necessity be beings of love and light. We have heard stories
of sharks and dolphins, for example, which when often caught and entangled in fishing nets
are lovingly released from entanglement, remember with love those of us who have
much compassion for them. Love, we do surely realize, is the energy that gives
life to all that lives in the universe of light and love.
Posted by: maryann moon | July 25, 2008 at 07:03 PM
It's so glorious to contemplate that sharks and dolphins, for example, beings which
live in the fluid world of oceans, are made up of Love and Light. When any of us
Lightworkers holds compassion for them, and would, for example, release them
from entanglement in fishingnets, they will not forget the love and compassion
we share with them . The love we share with them they will not ever forget and
we need not fear them, fearful though they may have previously seemed.
Posted by: maryann moon | July 25, 2008 at 07:08 PM
One of my favorites would have to be the spinner sharks off the coast of florida who love to jump out of the water and also the Bull shark and its ability to swim into fresh water. I cannot wait to graduate with my marine biology degree and enter into the shark conservation field
Posted by: Daniel | July 25, 2008 at 09:56 PM
One of my favorites would have to be the spinner sharks off the coast of florida who love to jump out of the water and also the Bull shark and its ability to swim into fresh water. I cannot wait to graduate with my marine biology degree and enter into the shark conservation field
Posted by: Daniel | July 25, 2008 at 09:57 PM
One of my favorites would have to be the spinner sharks off the coast of florida who love to jump out of the water and also the Bull shark and its ability to swim into fresh water. I cannot wait to graduate with my marine biology degree and enter into the shark conservation field
Posted by: Daniel | July 25, 2008 at 09:57 PM
The Save Our Seas Foundation has some excellent videos on sharks and conservation, starting with this one
http://www.saveourseas.com/Video/#id=album-2&num=2
All people associated with the oceans and sharks need to see and hear this, over and over.
Posted by: Jeff Johnson | July 26, 2008 at 11:04 AM
I have been interested in sharks for as many years as I have been alive in my brain enough to care! My favorite shark has to be the Goblin Shark. It is mainly due to the fact that it is the least mentioned in any document or program in addition to the fact that it is the most interesting looking of the species and especially rare. As far as the sharks that are mentioned in most programs the reef sharks are amoung my favorite and possibly the only ones that I feel comfortable enough to approach in the water. Hammerheads of course are my ultimate favorite. Now I know most people are not concerned with what we like and don't like but I must say there is one thing that disturbs me.
I am very annoyed with pretty much all shark programs on TV and in documentary form. I am bored to death with Great White Sharks. It is so annoying that every show deems these sharks as the ultimate show of interest. The only time I ever get to see true footage on Mako sharks is when they are being tortured by deep sea fishermen and women. Not that it is a shark but the only time you ever see anything about sailfish/ Marlin is when they are stuffed/ mounted on seafood resturaunt walls. I have been very disapointed in all these programs. The Basking shark that is mentinoned in this Blog is a very interesting creature but I being a very avid viewer of these programs has the only true memory of learning about these creatures from a movie in the 80's that had a man fishing for them in Europe somewhere.
In conclusion to make this as simple as I can I will leave you all with this. I realize awareness is nessasary and that the demographic of shark enthusists are only concerned with the most well known sharks. This being said the programs about sharks are possibly awarded money based on this only. I just wish that the creaters of these programs would have a more well rounded display of sharks. If you only watch these programs you would think there were only about 10 breeds of sharks in the oceans and seas. Please, someone somewhere show the world and me especially some sharks and give the lame over played Great Whites a rest!
Posted by: Reed | July 27, 2008 at 09:12 PM
That is one awesome picture you posted!!
Fred Smilek
Email- Fred_Smilek@yahoo.com
Webpage- http://sites.google.com/site/fredjsmilek/
Fred Smilek is the acting president of the Society to Save Endangered Species. It was founded two years ago by Fred Smilek along with his two best friends Charles and Jonathan.
Posted by: Fred Smilek | January 21, 2009 at 03:35 PM
I love sharks! I know almost everything bout them!The bull shark is the most dangerous. I love Carribean reef, blue, and tiger sharks. I live in CA and there are plenty of Blue, horn, megamouth, swell, mako, great white, leopard, and pacific angel sharks. The picture on top is a basking shark.
Posted by: Melanie | October 23, 2009 at 07:30 PM