Squalene "The Other Shark Killer"

Squalene found in sharks livers, is perhaps the second most sought after raw product of sharks. Where the value of the animal is almost worthless compared to just its liver. Used in high end cosmetics millions of animals each year are killed just to acquire their squalene. Unfortunately this poor use of sharks gets almost no media attention compared to the well covered and ongoing eco disaster of shark finning. Here's a graphic example of why the shark conservation community should focus in 2009 on the twin killers of sharks, finning and squalene harvest.

This gravid female Tiger shark is having her liver carefully harvested while near term pups litter the ground in the UAE. This is a scene being replayed in thousands of small ports all over the planet right now. The bigger the shark the more squalene a fisherman can harvest leading to the one time "targeted kills" of entire breeding populations:

Gulper Sharks in Tasmania

It's been a banner year for shark discoveries, from recent new shark species discoveries in the South Pacific to this Gulper Shark (Centrophorus granulosus), In Tasmamia last week.

Thought to be almost extinct in these waters researchers were surprised to find this one.

Dogfish have been hunted relentlessly over the past decade for their livers which hold squalene used as a moisturizer. Ironically, some commercial shark diving operations in South Africa also use shark livers to attract white sharks for paying tourists.

While the rest of the planet fights against shark finning-deep water sharks like the Gulper Shark are loosing the battle as well. Unfortunately for the deep water species we know almost nothing about their reproductive habits.