Tattoo by Pepa Heller.

After the media frenzy that has ensued following the bizarre and rare shark attacks in Sharm el-Sheikh, it’s no wonder so many people have an unnatural fear of these prehistoric creatures. Sharks are not furry and cuddly. Even still, they possess a beauty that tugs at the fabric of our egos. Powerful and sleek, they glide through the ocean with elegant efficiency. Four hundred million years of evolution has resulted in one of the most efficient marine predators, making the shark one of nature’s most fascinating examples of natural selection.

While some might think the shark is the ultimate predator, it is really humans that are truly the killers. Man is hunting many shark populations to the brink of extinction. Roughly 73 million sharks are killed for their fins every year. Some shark populations have declined by as much as 99% in the past 35 years and there are no multinational limits on shark fishing anywhere in the world, let alone regulations for international waters. Studies have shown that when shark populations crash, the impact cascades down through the food chain, often in unpredictable and deleterious ways. We depend on oceans to give us life on this planet, the marine ecosystem relies on these predators, and now these magnificent creatures are relying on us.

Remember: Tattoos are forever… and so is extinction. To see all of the FANTASTIC art featured on Bush Warriors Tattoo of the Day, and to learn more about this initiative, please click here. You can also share photos of your own wildlife tattoos and enjoy others’ at our Facebook group, Bush Warriors Inked Nation for Conservation.

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