A new push for protecting sharks and lions
Despite the relative infrequency of its attacks on humans, the great white shark has achieved a fearsome reputation, thanks largely to the 1975 film “Jaws.” Viewed with trepidation and fascination, it is now a prized catch for trophy hunters, who sell its jaws and teeth at great profit. Similarly prized by hunters is the African lion, a formidable cat whose fame has almost nothing to do with the 1996 film “The Ghost and the Darkness.” Both predators’ numbers are rapidly dwindling. Countries that prize the animals — Australia and Madagascar for the sharks, Kenya for the lions — are seeking to have them added to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), signatories to which are meeting this week. Both additions face opposition from countries that favor instead stronger national protective measures (and that happen to benefit from trophy hunting).
