Instructor Guide
AWARE Shark Conservation
K. What sharks are found in your local area or travel destination and what is their conservation status? Note to Instructor: in this section introduce sharks commonly seen in your area and identify their conservation status. If you are teaching only the knowledge development section of this course, or if you do not see sharks in your area, you may choose any sharks to discuss. In both instances it is recommended that you limit discussions to a maximum of five species. Do not over-teach this section as the aim of the course is that students become shark conservationists, not experts in a particular shark species. Teach only enough for them to be able to identify sharks during training dives and appreciate what they are seeing. An important part of this section is to tell students what sharks mean to you. Tell them how thrilling it is to see a shark and relate interesting stories that will make them anticipate the experience. Do not tell alarming “horror” stories as the objective is not to scare students or impress them with your bravery; the aim is to inspire them to become shark conservationists. If possible work with your students to research the conservation status of your chosen sharks so they learn how the Red List process works. If this is not logistically possible you can research this information and present it in class. Provide students with the Red List link so that they can explore the information on their own in the future. 1. Topics to discuss for each shark species include: • Name (common and scientific) • Identification methods; use photos to illustrate key identification features • Habitat; where should students look to find this shark during training dives (if applicable)? • Key characteristics and behaviours such as feeding habits and unique biological features • Conservation status • Find the conservation status of each shark on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: www.iucnredlist.org/ • You can search the database using the scientific name or common name. You are more likely to find the shark you are looking for by using the scientific name. • You can retrieve a list of all included sharks by typing the word “shark” into the search field.
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Specialty Course Instructor Guide