Photo by Craig O’Connell, Smithsonian Magazine
The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) is offering a presentation entitled Sharks: A Cultural and Conservation Story of these Misunderstood Creatures at the Bailey Homestead Pavilion on Thursday, March 14. The program, led by SCCF CEO Ryan Orgera, will begin at 7 p.m.
Sharks have long been perceived as mindless beasts who kill indiscriminately, but today their very existence is in peril. Humans kill over 100 million sharks per year, largely for their fins. We know that sharks are integral to a healthy ocean; without them entire ecosystems fail. The talk will explore how we understand sharks collectively and how these perceptions have led to the drastic reduction of global shark populations. Orgera will also talk about the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species – CITES – and why there is hope at home and abroad.
Before joining SCCF, Orgera worked for years as an international shark advocate for The Pew Charitable Trusts where he urged countries to support meaningful shark management measures. He is an expert on sharks in American culture.
The presentation is part of SCCF’s “Evenings at the Homestead” series at the Bailey Homestead Preserve, located at 1300 Periwinkle Way on Sanibel. Tickets are $10 and available through Eventbrite (visit www.sccf.org, click on Programs, then Evenings at the Homestead, then Eventbrite). Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and light refreshments will be available. Advance registration is required as space is limited.
For more information, call 239-472-2329.
