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Molly Latham
Dr. Cassel
English 101-E000
30 November 2016
Sharks and Global Warming
Global warming is a permanent issue that is impossible to stop at the high rate it has
reached. Global warming is the gradual rise in climate temperature from the carbon dioxide
emission that comes from human activities. Since the majority of people are misinformed or
unaware of the severity of this issue, they continue to contribute to the rate of global warming,
not knowing they are the reason it started and the reason it has reached unstoppable effects.
Although spreading awareness about global warming will bring attention and awareness to its
severity, its impossible to stop global warming at the rate it has reached. The issue of global
warming affects many environmental factors, including the increase in shark attacks.
Global warming was started by carbon dioxide emission. The increase in carbon dioxide
levels has caused the overall temperature of earth to increase. This is similar to the greenhouse
effect; carbon dioxide is getting stuck and building up in the earths atmosphere, similar to how
the suns warmth can become trapped as well. Car exhaust, burning fossil fuels, deforestation,
and other pollutants emit carbon dioxide. There can be natural causes that emit carbon dioxide
too, such as decomposition, ocean release, and respiration, but human activity has contributed to
global warming the most.
Global warming causes warmer temperatures, which in turn affects other things in the
environment. The warmer atmosphere is causing warmer and saltier bodies of water, the sea

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levels are rising, and sharks are being affected. The rising sea levels are causing islands to be
taken over and the tides of the ocean on beaches to come in closer to civilization. The higher
salinity levels from warmer water has bleached the coral reefs and caused sharks to change their
behaviors. Sharks prefer warm, salty water, so they move to the shores of beaches, while beachgoers are getting in the water because the temperature outside is getting warmer.

The visual represents a few effects of global warming. The sea level is rising, which will
eventually take over the island, leaving the man to be stranded in the middle of the ocean. The
change in ocean temperature causes the sharks to move in areas where humans usually are,
where its warmer. Sharks dont hunt humans. If a shark attack occurs, they are rarely fatal and it
is caused from the confusion of a shark.

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The academic journal "Ocean Acidification And Global Warming Impair Shark Hunting
Behaviour and Growth," by Jennifer Pistevos, is written about how global warming is affecting
sharks. The rise in temperature increases the amount of CO2 in the water which affects sharks
behaviors. A study was done on different sharks to observe what happens when CO2 levels are
increased. Different species of sharks were altered differently, but overall the sharks had a
reduced lifespan, their odor tracking abilities decreased which can lead to malnutrition and a
decrease in growth and survival, and they swam in different patterns.
The national geographic article, "North Carolina's 'Perfect Storm' for Shark Attacks" by
environmental scientist, Brian Howard, discusses the reasons for more shark attacks on North
Carolina's beaches; warmer weather, higher salinity, a bloom of bait fish, fishing near swimmers,
and global warming. The warmer weather causes sharks to come to the shores while more people
get in the water to cool off; a combination inevitable of attacks. The higher salinity, or higher salt
content, is from the drought, causing the water on the shore to be less diluted from no runoff and
saltier, which sharks prefer. Sharks favorite prey, menhaden or "bait fish," swim towards the
shore in large amounts, leading the sharks to the coasts. The locations where most people are
fishing are near the shores where swimmers are. The smell of bait or blood from fishing draws
the sharks in and leaves them injured and confused, causing a greater chance of injury to
humans. Global warming makes warmer water temperature and warmer atmosphere temperature.
People go into the water to cool off where they come in contact with the sharks that have also
come to the warmer shores.
Even though there is factual evidence of global warming, people still dont believe it is a
real issue in the world today. Some say global warming is a hoax, people dont take it seriously,

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or they dont believe in the climate change at all. There have been numerous companies of
researchers and scientists who study this topic and try to help bring an understanding. There are
some people who are well educated on this topic, some hear about it but dont realize its severity,
and others dont believe global warming is real. Without being correctly informed and aware of
the severity of global warming, nothing will change.
"Confronting the Realities of Climate Change," by scientists Juliet Christian-Smith and
Astrid Caldas, is an informative article about the causes of global warming, the effects, and how
we can slow it down. The overload of carbon dioxide from humans is causing global warming to
speed up. The sea level is rising, there's longer and more damaging wildfire seasons, more
frequent heat waves, and more flooding. It is necessary that the amount of emissions being put in
the atmosphere is controlled and reduced, deforestation is stopped, and the repercussions of
global warming are prepared for.
The rate of global warming has increased over the years, and it is now impossible to stop
completely, but it can be slowed down. Humans have to realize how they are contributing and
control it. Its difficult to stop using cars or stop using factories, but it is possible. If the human
activity adding to the rate of global warming is not reduced, the environment will get worse, and
it will be almost impossible to slow down the effects. Being correctly informed and aware of this
issue can help earth in extreme ways.

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Works Cited
Christian-Smith, Juliet and Astrid Caldas. Confronting the Realities of Climate Change. Union
of Concerned Scientists. The Climate Accountability Scorecard. N.d.
http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming#.WCSoaFew7lI. 10 Nov. 2016.
Howard, Brian C. North Carolinas Perfect Storm for Shark Attacks. National Geographic. 2
July 2015. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/06/150629-north-carolina-sharkattacks-science/. 4 Nov. 2016.
Pistevos, Jennifer C. A., et al. "Ocean Acidification And Global Warming Impair Shark Hunting
Behaviour And Growth." Scientific Reports (2015): 16293. Academic Search Complete.
Web. 4 Nov. 2016.
Sharks and Global Warming. Sharks-World. WordPress. October 26, 2016. Cartoon. Fear
Beneath. Web. October 30, 2016.