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Emperors of the Deep: The Ocean's Most Mysterious, Misunderstood and Important Guardians
Sharks are ruthlessly efficient predators, the apex of 450 million years of evolution. They are older than trees, have survived five extinction events and are essential to maintaining balanced ocean ecosystems, but how much do we really know about their lives? The first book to reveal the hidden world of sharks, Emperors of the Deep draws upon the latest scientific research to examine four species in detail - mako, tiger, hammerhead and great white - as never before. An eye-opening tour of shark habitats ranges from the coral reefs of the Central Pacific where great whites mysteriously congregate every autumn in what researchers call a festival for sharks, to tropical mangrove forests where baby lemon sharks play in social groups and to the frigid waters of the North Atlantic, home to 400-year-old Greenland sharks, the world's longest-lived vertebrates. McKeever also traces the evolution of the myth of the `man-eater' and exposes the devastating effects of the fishing industry on shark populations: In 2018 only four people died in shark attacks while we killed 100 million sharks. At once a journey through the misunderstood world of sharks and an urgent call to protect them, Emperors of the Deep celebrates these iconic predators that continue to capture our imagination - and that desperately need our help to survive.
311 pages, Paperback
First published June 25, 2019
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July 11, 2024
...the sensors jammed into a mako’s head resemble the cockpit of an F-35 fighter jet. [presumably without the design flaws and cost overruns] The mako’s sensors are equal in sophistication to the fighter jet’s advanced systems except they are bundled in nerves, flesh, and blood.Not comforting.
It was the shark tournament that spurred him to action. William McKeever has had a lifelong interest in sharks, ever since his father took him fishing in Nantucket Sound as a kid. An encounter with a caught (and released) dogfish led to long curiosity-driven hours at the library, hunting down, then devouring all he could find on sharks. A few years ago, a lifetime later, on a weekend in Montauk, he got to see appalling scene after appalling scene, large numbers of sharks on display, most thrown away post photo, a Breughelesque scene of mindless genocidal mayhem, otherwise known as the Montauk Shark Tournament. A bit more research revealed that, despite the bad rap sharks have gotten from our popular media, (I mean you, Spielberg) most shark “attacks” are the equivalent of a dog bite. It really is the sharks who are probably wondering if it’s safe to go back into the water.
While sharks kill an average of four humans a year, humans kill 100 million sharks each year. That is not a typo. Humans kill 100 million sharks each year.
William McKeever - image from McKeever’s site
Many of us engage in small ways to try to help when we see outrages in the world. Whether that means trying to help elect public officials who share our concerns, contributing to non-profits engaged in doing battle in our particular areas of interest, maybe volunteering to help out in some way. McKeever was a Wall-Street managing director at Paine Webber, UBS, and Merrill Lynch, and an analyst for Institutional Investor magazine, sharing his expertise on NBC, CNBC, the Wall Street Journal. But it turned out he had bigger fish to fry, and his financial success on Wall Street allowed him the means to pursue his passion. Bringing to light the damage that recreational fishing, particularly scenes of carnage like the one he had seen at Montauk, and the even greater mass annihilation of the world’s shark population by commercial fishing, became his mission. In 2018, he founded a conservancy tasked with helping protect sharks and other fish that man is wiping out, by showing sharks in a new light, as the magnificent creatures they are, survivors extraordinaire, who were here before the dinosaurs, and will probably still be here after people are gone, if we don’t wipe them out first.
Hammerhead Shark - image from McKeever’s site
In order to put together educational materials. You need to learn what there is to learn. Although McKeever’s interest had been of long-standing, and although he knew a hell of a lot, having produced two documentary films about sharks, McKeever visited major oceanographic facilities across the planet, interviewed leading scientists and conservationists, and distilled what he learned down to a very readable and informative 295 pages. In addition to producing this book, he and his team are working on a documentary film. It was hoped that it would be available in 2020, but it does not appear it was ever completed.
Tiger Sharks - image from McKeever’s site
His investigative sojourn took two years, and was truly global, from Montauk, and Cape Cod, to the Florida coast and Keys, the Dry Tortugas, and Hawaii. He traveled to Taiwan, Cambodia, Australia, South Africa and the Bahamas. And I am sure I missed a few. He also interviewed experts, without literally diving in, in many other locations.
The Dry Tortugas - Bush Key - from our vault
While occasionally these field trips were duds, not sighting anything more than a descending dorsal fin in Shark Alley, SHARK bloody ALLEY in South Africa, (although to be fair, not seeing sharks in Shark Alley does speak to the impact humans have had on shark population, so maybe not a dud after all), or noting his arrival in a place just to tick the box and then off to some other place. But mostly the first-person accounts of his meetings with a diverse set of experts, and his observations, both land-based and in the water, are illuminating, sometimes very surprising, and sometimes somewhat grim.
Shark Alley in rush hour - image from National Geographic
McKeever concentrates on four sharks in particular, the Mako, Tiger, Hammerhead and Great White, offering fascinating information about each.
Numerous popular articles have described the brain of a white shark as being the size of a walnut, a misleading and inaccurate comparison. The brain of an adult white shark is shaped like a “Y,” and from the scent-detecting bulbs to the brain stem, a shark’s brain can measure up to approximately 2 feet in length…relative to the body weight of birds and marsupials…the great white’s brain is massive.Makos and Great Whites hunt using their blazing speed, then close the deal with insanely powerful jaws, nicely lined with many large, very sharp teeth; Tiger sharks are also deadly fast, but they prefer to swim slowly and ambush prey with a sudden burst of speed. Tiger sharks like to sneak up on divers, disappearing and reappearing like a magician’s trick, which unnerves many. Can’t imagine why.
Mary Lee - a great white with over 75,000 FB followers- image from her site
Sharks serve a very useful function in marine ecology. An impressive list of items found in very omnivorous Tiger shark stomachs, boat cushions, tin cans, license plates, tires, the head of a crocodile, for example, reinforces the notion that the shark is a high-tech machine assigned the modest job of ocean cleanup.
When tigers remove garbage—weak and sick fish—they remove from the ocean bacteria and viruses that can harm reefs and seagrass. However, the tiger’s work extends beyond mere custodial work: as apex predators, tiger sharks play an important role in maintaining the balance of fish species across the ecosystem. Moreover, the research shows that areas with more apex predators have greater biodiversity and higher densities of individuals than do areas with fewer apex predators.Sorry, no Land Sharks.
Land shark - image from from SNL Fandom
Sharks face considerable dangers beyond the risk of chowing down on diverse awful flavors of tire and tags that are not to their liking. You will share McKeever’s outrage when you read his description of the Montauk Tournament. There are gruesome descriptions of the vile, cruel behavior engaged in by people on commercial, and some sport fishing vessels. It makes one ashamed to be a human. You will shudder when you read of the practice of finning, done to satisfy the booming Asian demand for shark fin soup. Sharks face huge perils from sports fishermen, but the greatest danger is from long-lining. Ships drop fishing lines that are sometimes tens of miles long, with a baited hook every few feet. The catch is massive, but only part of what is caught is what the fishermen want. The rest, called bycatch, is thrown overboard, usually dead, sometimes not. It is the equivalent of clearcutting forests or mountaintop-removal mining. Kill them all and toss what you don’t want. Thus the stark disparity in shark-deaths-by-human versus human-deaths-by-shark. McKeever looks at what is likely the impact of climate change on some places where one might expect sharks in abundance but in which they have become scarce.
Denticles on a hammerhead – image from hammerheadsharks.weebly.com
There are many details about sharks that may force the word “wow” or “cool” from your lips. Like denticles. Rub a shark’s skin (a small, friendly shark) one way, and it is smooth. Reverse direction and it will feel like sand paper, or worse. Millions of years ago, sharks traded scales in for dermal denticles. These are small scale-like growths that function both as a sort of chain-mail protection and as an aid to swimming speed, as they reduce friction. Ok, you may have known about those, but what about a cephalofoil? Yeah, go ahead, look it up.
The Rainbow Warrior - image from Greenpeace
McKeever spends some time on The Rainbow Warrior, Greenpeace’s well-known vessel, learning a great deal about the challenges marine creatures face from unregulated international fishing. The chapter on human trafficking in the fishing industry is must-read material. You will be shocked at what he learned. It is clear that owners of fishing vessels that use and mistreat slave labor have no more regard for human life than they do for the sharks they slaughter by the millions. It was news to me that many of these ships remain at sea for years at a time, offering not even the possibility of escape for desperate captives. I had no idea.
While the book is not suffused with the stuff, McKeever shows a delightful sense of humor from time to time. This is most welcome in a tale that can be quite upsetting at times. His writing is clear, direct, and mostly free of poetic, rapturous description, which is just fine. He tells what he has learned and believes is important for us to know. His personal experiences with close encounters of the shark kind are engaging and relatable.
Shark brain -image from wikimedia
You will learn a lot from Emperors of the Deep. Some information may be a bit familiar, but I found that there was a lot in here that was news. I expect most of us have some general knowledge of sharks, and the image in our heads is probably the one created by Steven Spielberg in 1975. One of the best things you will get from this book is at least some appreciation for the range of sharks that share our planet, and what differentiates them from each other, but much more importantly an appreciation for how critical they are to the ecosystem, how much of a threat to people they aren’t, and how quickly we are wiping them out. There is a shark that swim sideways. Whoda thunk? You will gain a new appreciation for the significance of sea grass as a key player in the sustenance of marine ecosystems.
Seagrass - image from Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Gripes – The book could really use an index. There is a center section with color photographs. These are fine. I would have preferred graphics, whether drawings or photos, that illustrated the notions he was describing, particularly as regards shark anatomy. There are times when the author seems to lose his focus. For instance, his visit to Brisbane and a bit of attempted kayaking in a rough sea may have been a fun memory for him, but had not much to do with the mission of the book, as he dashes off 340 miles to catch a ferry to the Coral Sea, where the subject at hand is re-engaged. Descriptions of a shark brain, or denticles, differences in the eyes of diverse species, and sundry more items would have been greatly enhanced by the presence of right-there images. More curiosity than a gripe, I wondered about what McKeever had been up to between the time he left Merrill Lynch and when took up conservation. Finally, the book could have used a list of organizations mentioned in the book, with contact information.
Lego Mako Shark - image from ideas.lego.com
The shark week schedule for 2024 can be found on its Discovery Channel site, here
==========In the summer of 2019 GR reduced the allowable review size by 25%, from 20,000 to 15,000 characters. In order to accommodate the text beyond that I have moved it to the comments section directly below.
I have also (August, 2023) put the entire, unbroken-up review on my site, Coots Reviews. Come on in. The water's fine.
September 6, 2020
Months after finishing Emperors of the Deep, I'm still debating between two and three stars. Time brings clarity to many things, but apparently my reading opinions can be immune.
So. I LOVE sharks. I love crazy, man-eating, fictional sharks (Jaws, Bait, Meg) And I love real life, majestic, endangered sharks. They're just really freaking cool. I will admit, I was totally scared of them as a kid. But I was scared of a lot of things in my early single digit years - sharks, snakes, balloons, the vacuum, the ghost of Abraham Lincoln, Return to Oz.
Years upon years later, sharks still fascinate me. As with anything that has the potential to literally eat me I will always have some trepidation around them. But that's significantly outweighed by the fact that just because they could eat me, doesn't mean they want to. Even in the more predatory species, humans aren't usually on the menu. Most bites are investigatory or accidental.
Besides, I'd be really cranky if someone strolled into my home like they owned the damn place, then screamed at me to get away from them.
In the United States, a person has a 1 in 265 million chance of being killed by a shark.
That's one of the things this book does well. I think over the past few years, there's been an incredible amount done towards repainting sharks as the super cool animals they are and not as targeted killing machines. It's a book that puts an incredible amount of effort into educating the reader.
Unfortunately, it's a little dry. There are so many cool facts and statistics it wants to tell that it sometimes overwhelms the narrative.
The big thing that overwhelms the narrative is the ocean conservation angle. It becomes straight up preachy. And I say this as a big believer in worldwide conservation efforts to protect our environment and everything living in it (including us!) But just because I happen to agree with the viewpoint the book is representing, doesn't mean that it's not awkward and heavy handed.
There are entire chapters that just seem to veer sharply to the side, detailing the horrors of over-fishing, shark finning, and even the slave trade on fishing boats. Ultimately it becomes a distraction and throws off the pacing irreparably. I hate to say it, but this book is more about the impact of the fishing industry on our shark population, and less about the sharks themselves.
I didn't have an awful time reading Emperors of the Deep, but it didn't amaze me either. There's some great research and detailed facts about many species of sharks. I just wish it wasn't overwhelmed by an excess of fishing industry horrors.
*Thanks to Edelweiss and HarperOne for the review copy.*
So. I LOVE sharks. I love crazy, man-eating, fictional sharks (Jaws, Bait, Meg) And I love real life, majestic, endangered sharks. They're just really freaking cool. I will admit, I was totally scared of them as a kid. But I was scared of a lot of things in my early single digit years - sharks, snakes, balloons, the vacuum, the ghost of Abraham Lincoln, Return to Oz.
Years upon years later, sharks still fascinate me. As with anything that has the potential to literally eat me I will always have some trepidation around them. But that's significantly outweighed by the fact that just because they could eat me, doesn't mean they want to. Even in the more predatory species, humans aren't usually on the menu. Most bites are investigatory or accidental.
Besides, I'd be really cranky if someone strolled into my home like they owned the damn place, then screamed at me to get away from them.
In the United States, a person has a 1 in 265 million chance of being killed by a shark.
That's one of the things this book does well. I think over the past few years, there's been an incredible amount done towards repainting sharks as the super cool animals they are and not as targeted killing machines. It's a book that puts an incredible amount of effort into educating the reader.
Unfortunately, it's a little dry. There are so many cool facts and statistics it wants to tell that it sometimes overwhelms the narrative.
The big thing that overwhelms the narrative is the ocean conservation angle. It becomes straight up preachy. And I say this as a big believer in worldwide conservation efforts to protect our environment and everything living in it (including us!) But just because I happen to agree with the viewpoint the book is representing, doesn't mean that it's not awkward and heavy handed.
There are entire chapters that just seem to veer sharply to the side, detailing the horrors of over-fishing, shark finning, and even the slave trade on fishing boats. Ultimately it becomes a distraction and throws off the pacing irreparably. I hate to say it, but this book is more about the impact of the fishing industry on our shark population, and less about the sharks themselves.
I didn't have an awful time reading Emperors of the Deep, but it didn't amaze me either. There's some great research and detailed facts about many species of sharks. I just wish it wasn't overwhelmed by an excess of fishing industry horrors.
*Thanks to Edelweiss and HarperOne for the review copy.*
September 3, 2019
A very interesting book. Emperor's of the Deep looks at the interesting world of sharks. Using the most recent information about the research and testing that is current, this books gives us some fascinating information.
Each section focuses on a major shark such as Great Whites or Hammerheads. Replete with scientific and odd information, such as how the denticles of a Great White help it to swim and how that natural system was studied at Harvard to create more aerodynamic wings. Mainly focusing on the Big Four (Whites, Tigers, Hammerheads and Makos), it does have information on other shark species.
The book also does a very good job of illustrating the horrors of what man has done and is doing to sharks. Such as 100 million sharks are killed a year for everything from sport fishing to suspect medical cures. Though that was great, I am going to be honest and say I didn't care for or about the motivations of sport fishermen or their exploits. The weakest parts of the book, to me, are these parts where he describes the personalities, tours, and adventures of some of these people.
While not a great book it was very interesting. It has a lot of up to date information on sharks. As a person quite interested in these awesome creatures, I enjoyed this book. Had he focused on other sharks instead of sports fishermen I might have liked this even more. Still a good addition to any shark enthusiast's library.
Each section focuses on a major shark such as Great Whites or Hammerheads. Replete with scientific and odd information, such as how the denticles of a Great White help it to swim and how that natural system was studied at Harvard to create more aerodynamic wings. Mainly focusing on the Big Four (Whites, Tigers, Hammerheads and Makos), it does have information on other shark species.
The book also does a very good job of illustrating the horrors of what man has done and is doing to sharks. Such as 100 million sharks are killed a year for everything from sport fishing to suspect medical cures. Though that was great, I am going to be honest and say I didn't care for or about the motivations of sport fishermen or their exploits. The weakest parts of the book, to me, are these parts where he describes the personalities, tours, and adventures of some of these people.
While not a great book it was very interesting. It has a lot of up to date information on sharks. As a person quite interested in these awesome creatures, I enjoyed this book. Had he focused on other sharks instead of sports fishermen I might have liked this even more. Still a good addition to any shark enthusiast's library.
October 14, 2019
This book was heading for a solid 3 stars, despite it being somewhat repetitive and sort of dry. It started out well enough, with interesting facts about sharks and shark species, but then went into a lot of the issues behind commercial fishing, which initially I didn't have a problem with but after being told for the 20th time how important sharks are for keeping the rest of the ocean in balance and healthy I started to check out.
But it wasn't until this that I got annoyed.
I asked Carrier if girls were unnerved by working with sharks.
It was a question in regards to a man talking about a camp that taught children about sharks. The camp was split into boys and girls and both got to handle sharks. I'm not sure why he singled out girls here, but it was irritating to me especially after he had interviewed Lesley Rochat, a woman who strongly advocates for sharks and often dives with them.
But it wasn't until this that I got annoyed.
I asked Carrier if girls were unnerved by working with sharks.
It was a question in regards to a man talking about a camp that taught children about sharks. The camp was split into boys and girls and both got to handle sharks. I'm not sure why he singled out girls here, but it was irritating to me especially after he had interviewed Lesley Rochat, a woman who strongly advocates for sharks and often dives with them.
October 14, 2020
This book is based on a two year journey by the authour to reignite his childhood fascination with sharks and to take him behind the public image of a dangerous, rampaging man killer that sadly many otherwise intelligent people still hold.
During the course of his two year investigations he traveled to some truly amazing places (of which journeys and dives I am immensely jealous). He talked to many leading scientists, conservationists and activists as well as regular people whose lives happen to intersect with sharks in other ways. Reflecting the broad range of investigations, as well as the mobility of sharks as a species, this is a truly international book taking the reader all over the world, to the middle of the empty oceans and into the depths of human iniquity, as it looks as international slavery as well as international slaughter of marine life.
This is not always an easy book to read for a couple of quite different reasons. In terms of content the slaughter of about 100 million sharks annually is enough to bring tears to the eyes, especially when you realise that this will probably mean their ultimate extinction within our lifetime. The appalling international indifference to the state of the oceans and their overexploitation is always hard for me personally to read about. Some people may be horrified by the common practice of slavery on fishing boats, or as the authour so pithily remarks "It's amazing, but there are more people living in slavery today than in any other time in human history." [pg 180]
There is another way in which this book can be difficult to read though and that is a certain lack of organisation that creeps into the structure about half way through. The first few chapters describe sharks, the authour's fascination, individual chapters for types of sharks, for example chapter 5: The quest for the Tiger shark. Or chapter 1: Searching for Mary Lee, which delighted me as one of my best friends was one of the trackers for the great white shark in question. There is always a conservation element, but in the early part of the book it is well integrated. About the middle of the book I think this structure breaks down a bit and I see that as a gauge of the authour's distress as he learns more about what is being done to sharks world-wide. There are a lot of statistics and a lot of figures, an immense amount of research that he is obviously trying to fit in, in such a way as to alarm people into acting to save these animals from extinction. The problem is, that this totally understandable and laudable distress can make for choppy reading in the last part of the book.
Now, some personal things I noted were that the frenetic traveling seems to have addled some of the authour's memories: 'When I arrived in Brisbane and saw its palm trees, deep blue skies, and white sand beaches...." [pg 186] man you are...confused is the kind word... I lived in Brisbane for ten years, I have just moved away there are no white sandy beaches (though I grant you blue skies). The only beach is an artificial one in Southbank, otherwise you have an hours drive to get to muddy, mangrove beaches and an ugly industrial port. I think he was getting confused with Byron Bay which he traveled to next and does have nice beaches. Confusingly, he never dives with sharks at Byron, even though they have world class shark dives... Next he goes to Heron island, where he could easily have snorkeled with small reef sharks by stepping off the beach, but doesn't.
When the authour does go diving, his descriptions of the underwater world, like his descriptions of sharks are wonderful. There are too few books written for those of us who love the underwater, probably because it is a difficult thing to write about, so I enjoyed all of those parts immensely.
Now, as a writer who is not a scientist but spoke to a great many, I get that he is trying to give full credit to the people who helped him. But as most of them say similar things about conservation these individual stories can be repetitious for the reader. Also, some of the figures he gives (and I did not read all of them in detail) are contradictory, once within a single paragraph. There are a lot, a LOT of figures and I enjoy stats and I like figures, but there were still too many and often I felt they were presented erratically. Erratic out of context figures increase in the last half of the book, as I mentioned before and if I struggled I am sure many other people will have an even harder time. For many other people though this will be an immensely useful resource, with so much information and so many valuable references that I imagine many a budding marine biologist will find it on recommended reading lists. Having a marine biology degree, though it is quite an old degree now, meant that a lot of the new research was both relevant and exciting. I think all scientists will love this book, flaws and all.
With all it's problems, I would still also completely recommend this book to any general reader with an interest in sharks, oceans or international fishing. The joy and fascination the author feels about sharks is a marvelous reading experience. His rare ability to communicate the underwater world in writing made me at once wild to go diving right away and still satisfied my inability to do so at present. People less into active conservation, or statistics may have to skim read here and there, but I feel that this in no way diminishes the overall impact of the book.
During the course of his two year investigations he traveled to some truly amazing places (of which journeys and dives I am immensely jealous). He talked to many leading scientists, conservationists and activists as well as regular people whose lives happen to intersect with sharks in other ways. Reflecting the broad range of investigations, as well as the mobility of sharks as a species, this is a truly international book taking the reader all over the world, to the middle of the empty oceans and into the depths of human iniquity, as it looks as international slavery as well as international slaughter of marine life.
This is not always an easy book to read for a couple of quite different reasons. In terms of content the slaughter of about 100 million sharks annually is enough to bring tears to the eyes, especially when you realise that this will probably mean their ultimate extinction within our lifetime. The appalling international indifference to the state of the oceans and their overexploitation is always hard for me personally to read about. Some people may be horrified by the common practice of slavery on fishing boats, or as the authour so pithily remarks "It's amazing, but there are more people living in slavery today than in any other time in human history." [pg 180]
There is another way in which this book can be difficult to read though and that is a certain lack of organisation that creeps into the structure about half way through. The first few chapters describe sharks, the authour's fascination, individual chapters for types of sharks, for example chapter 5: The quest for the Tiger shark. Or chapter 1: Searching for Mary Lee, which delighted me as one of my best friends was one of the trackers for the great white shark in question. There is always a conservation element, but in the early part of the book it is well integrated. About the middle of the book I think this structure breaks down a bit and I see that as a gauge of the authour's distress as he learns more about what is being done to sharks world-wide. There are a lot of statistics and a lot of figures, an immense amount of research that he is obviously trying to fit in, in such a way as to alarm people into acting to save these animals from extinction. The problem is, that this totally understandable and laudable distress can make for choppy reading in the last part of the book.
Now, some personal things I noted were that the frenetic traveling seems to have addled some of the authour's memories: 'When I arrived in Brisbane and saw its palm trees, deep blue skies, and white sand beaches...." [pg 186] man you are...confused is the kind word... I lived in Brisbane for ten years, I have just moved away there are no white sandy beaches (though I grant you blue skies). The only beach is an artificial one in Southbank, otherwise you have an hours drive to get to muddy, mangrove beaches and an ugly industrial port. I think he was getting confused with Byron Bay which he traveled to next and does have nice beaches. Confusingly, he never dives with sharks at Byron, even though they have world class shark dives... Next he goes to Heron island, where he could easily have snorkeled with small reef sharks by stepping off the beach, but doesn't.
When the authour does go diving, his descriptions of the underwater world, like his descriptions of sharks are wonderful. There are too few books written for those of us who love the underwater, probably because it is a difficult thing to write about, so I enjoyed all of those parts immensely.
Now, as a writer who is not a scientist but spoke to a great many, I get that he is trying to give full credit to the people who helped him. But as most of them say similar things about conservation these individual stories can be repetitious for the reader. Also, some of the figures he gives (and I did not read all of them in detail) are contradictory, once within a single paragraph. There are a lot, a LOT of figures and I enjoy stats and I like figures, but there were still too many and often I felt they were presented erratically. Erratic out of context figures increase in the last half of the book, as I mentioned before and if I struggled I am sure many other people will have an even harder time. For many other people though this will be an immensely useful resource, with so much information and so many valuable references that I imagine many a budding marine biologist will find it on recommended reading lists. Having a marine biology degree, though it is quite an old degree now, meant that a lot of the new research was both relevant and exciting. I think all scientists will love this book, flaws and all.
With all it's problems, I would still also completely recommend this book to any general reader with an interest in sharks, oceans or international fishing. The joy and fascination the author feels about sharks is a marvelous reading experience. His rare ability to communicate the underwater world in writing made me at once wild to go diving right away and still satisfied my inability to do so at present. People less into active conservation, or statistics may have to skim read here and there, but I feel that this in no way diminishes the overall impact of the book.
April 29, 2019
It is quite remarkable that in 2019 we still don’t know much about sharks. We know little of their mating habits, their territories, their abilities,their lifespans, their value in ecology and in dollar/ecotourism terms. William McKeever goes a long way to filling in the gaps in Emperors of the Deep.
There are about 400 species of shark left that we haven’t totally obliterated. At 400-600 million years, sharks are among the oldest survivors. They have come in a literally unbelievable variety of shapes and sizes, including one with an upright buzzsaw of teeth in its mouth, and of course the hammerhead, with one eye at each end of the T. Some work in packs, some are loners. McKeever examines them closely, giving an entire chapter to each of the Big Four.
The great white shark is a traveler, a nomad. Scientists attach trackers to their dorsal fins, and find them crossing the Atlantic or from California to Hawaii and back like it was a stroll. Another was tracked in a straight line from South Africa to Australia and back, racking up about 70 miles a day. Tens of thousands of miles are in their territories. They go deep. Great whites think nothing of swimming at a mile of depth, and can rise or dive with total comfort and ease and dizzying speed.
The mako is the top predator. It is a speed demon with extraordinarily sharp senses of smell and electro-sensitivities. From its pointed head to its powerful body, it is a streamlined predator. It can track prey for hours, making a final sprint at up to 45 mph. Tuna, the bullet of the seas, is its main target. McKeever tells the story of a gigantic 1323 pound mako, caught (and tortured to death). It had an entire sea lion in its stomach, which it had fought and swallowed whole a couple of days earlier. Fighting for its life on a line, a mako will jump 20 feet out of the water, several times. Makos have such a large range they can run afoul of 19 different jurisdictions in their territory, and the chance of a mako being killed in the north Atlantic in any year is a worrying 30%.
Hammerhead sharks are possibly the most unusual of animals. Their T-shaped heads have eyes on the ends. The bigger they are, the more their vision overlaps, giving them better and better depth perception. The front of the head also contains a series of noses. As the shark swims, it passes water through the sensors, giving it not just recognition but direction for the source. To maximize the tool, the hammerhead sweeps its head back and forth as it swims, like a blind person with a cane. With such good vision, it prefers the shallows, where the bottom is visible. Others, like the great white, rely on other senses, and swimming through total blackness is no bother.
Tiger sharks are the clever ones. They track, corner and ambush prey. They like to see, but not be seen. Their teeth are a sort of A or Y shape, differentiating them from all other sharks. The force of their jaws is rated at 3 tons per square centimeter, which McKeever says is the weight of two cars applied to one spot. Combined with the serrated teeth, this is a killing machine.
Shark numbers are down 75-80% over the past 15 years. They are roadkill, called bycatch in fishing terms, of nets and hooks meant for others. They are also caught illegally 24 hours a day by mostly Asian fish processors, simply for their fins, used in a largely tasteless soup that can go for up to $25,000 a bowl in China. The still-living tubes that are their bodies are dumped back into the ocean where they fall to the bottom and drown.
There is a dramatic chapter on slavery, in which Asian men are kidnapped for fishing vessels that may not put to shore for years at a time. They are regularly beaten, kept awake with drugs, and worked 20 hours a day, while being fed next to nothing outside of fish scraps. When necessary, they are simply dumped overboard. The boats can fish for years not just because labor is free, but because there are gigantic reefer ships – floating fish freezers and processing plants, that they can transfer their catch to when their little boats fill up. It’s an evil system that is rapidly depleting the oceans of sharks, tuna and numerous other species. They like to carry flags of multiple nations in case they are inspected, which is quite illegal itself. They like to export to Western countries, which put all kinds of legal restrictions on fishing, for sustainability reasons. Odds are high you have bought fish (even just canned tuna) caught by slaves.
A real problem is some sharks’ remarkable range. A few countries protect them, some simply welcome them, and some have nothing to say. Passing from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, sharks are terrifically at risk. A hundred million are killed each year. Unlike other fish however, sharks don’t spread a million eggs out for sperm to fertilize. They nurture 12-20 young in pregnancies that last nearly two years. Some give birth to just two at a time. The math says this cannot go on much longer.
Sharks sense movement with their sight when possible, with smell, and with electrosensors that receive signals of movement. Any sort of disturbance under water will bring them to investigate. They don’t simply attack anything that moves, either. They know what they want and when they want it. There are legions of stories in which men faced sharks, and the sharks simply wheeled and left the scene. The number of shark attacks of swimmers is so tiny as to be meaningless, especially considering how many more millions of people flock to the beaches and seas today. Culling sharks does nothing to lessen the number of attacks. It just unbalances the ecological matrix of the oceans, McKeever says.
There is an excellent chapter on the cascading effects and unintended consequences of shark reduction around the world. In example after example, McKeever shows that the reduction or removal of the top predator has results that ricochet right down to sea grass, which feed and shelter innumerable species in the food chain. By keeping the middle-sized predators in check, sharks prevent them from clearing out the coral reefs, mangrove swamps and shore grasses which nurture life in the oceans. They are the vultures of the deep, cleaning up whale carcasses, picking out the diseased and the weak fish, and so helping other species to improve and increase. Taking sharks out of the equation upsets the whole balance, making coral reefs barren dead zones. Their role is critical.
McKeever has done a remarkable job of assembling this knowledge, travelling the world, and seeing for himself. Sharks have been his passion since childhood, and it shows. Emperors of the Deep is both respectful and personal. He ends with the sadly obligatory calls for greater vigilance, tighter laws, more co-operation and better appreciation to save the shark from extinction and the planet from having to go on without them. After half a billion years, they deserve better.
David Wineberg
There are about 400 species of shark left that we haven’t totally obliterated. At 400-600 million years, sharks are among the oldest survivors. They have come in a literally unbelievable variety of shapes and sizes, including one with an upright buzzsaw of teeth in its mouth, and of course the hammerhead, with one eye at each end of the T. Some work in packs, some are loners. McKeever examines them closely, giving an entire chapter to each of the Big Four.
The great white shark is a traveler, a nomad. Scientists attach trackers to their dorsal fins, and find them crossing the Atlantic or from California to Hawaii and back like it was a stroll. Another was tracked in a straight line from South Africa to Australia and back, racking up about 70 miles a day. Tens of thousands of miles are in their territories. They go deep. Great whites think nothing of swimming at a mile of depth, and can rise or dive with total comfort and ease and dizzying speed.
The mako is the top predator. It is a speed demon with extraordinarily sharp senses of smell and electro-sensitivities. From its pointed head to its powerful body, it is a streamlined predator. It can track prey for hours, making a final sprint at up to 45 mph. Tuna, the bullet of the seas, is its main target. McKeever tells the story of a gigantic 1323 pound mako, caught (and tortured to death). It had an entire sea lion in its stomach, which it had fought and swallowed whole a couple of days earlier. Fighting for its life on a line, a mako will jump 20 feet out of the water, several times. Makos have such a large range they can run afoul of 19 different jurisdictions in their territory, and the chance of a mako being killed in the north Atlantic in any year is a worrying 30%.
Hammerhead sharks are possibly the most unusual of animals. Their T-shaped heads have eyes on the ends. The bigger they are, the more their vision overlaps, giving them better and better depth perception. The front of the head also contains a series of noses. As the shark swims, it passes water through the sensors, giving it not just recognition but direction for the source. To maximize the tool, the hammerhead sweeps its head back and forth as it swims, like a blind person with a cane. With such good vision, it prefers the shallows, where the bottom is visible. Others, like the great white, rely on other senses, and swimming through total blackness is no bother.
Tiger sharks are the clever ones. They track, corner and ambush prey. They like to see, but not be seen. Their teeth are a sort of A or Y shape, differentiating them from all other sharks. The force of their jaws is rated at 3 tons per square centimeter, which McKeever says is the weight of two cars applied to one spot. Combined with the serrated teeth, this is a killing machine.
Shark numbers are down 75-80% over the past 15 years. They are roadkill, called bycatch in fishing terms, of nets and hooks meant for others. They are also caught illegally 24 hours a day by mostly Asian fish processors, simply for their fins, used in a largely tasteless soup that can go for up to $25,000 a bowl in China. The still-living tubes that are their bodies are dumped back into the ocean where they fall to the bottom and drown.
There is a dramatic chapter on slavery, in which Asian men are kidnapped for fishing vessels that may not put to shore for years at a time. They are regularly beaten, kept awake with drugs, and worked 20 hours a day, while being fed next to nothing outside of fish scraps. When necessary, they are simply dumped overboard. The boats can fish for years not just because labor is free, but because there are gigantic reefer ships – floating fish freezers and processing plants, that they can transfer their catch to when their little boats fill up. It’s an evil system that is rapidly depleting the oceans of sharks, tuna and numerous other species. They like to carry flags of multiple nations in case they are inspected, which is quite illegal itself. They like to export to Western countries, which put all kinds of legal restrictions on fishing, for sustainability reasons. Odds are high you have bought fish (even just canned tuna) caught by slaves.
A real problem is some sharks’ remarkable range. A few countries protect them, some simply welcome them, and some have nothing to say. Passing from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, sharks are terrifically at risk. A hundred million are killed each year. Unlike other fish however, sharks don’t spread a million eggs out for sperm to fertilize. They nurture 12-20 young in pregnancies that last nearly two years. Some give birth to just two at a time. The math says this cannot go on much longer.
Sharks sense movement with their sight when possible, with smell, and with electrosensors that receive signals of movement. Any sort of disturbance under water will bring them to investigate. They don’t simply attack anything that moves, either. They know what they want and when they want it. There are legions of stories in which men faced sharks, and the sharks simply wheeled and left the scene. The number of shark attacks of swimmers is so tiny as to be meaningless, especially considering how many more millions of people flock to the beaches and seas today. Culling sharks does nothing to lessen the number of attacks. It just unbalances the ecological matrix of the oceans, McKeever says.
There is an excellent chapter on the cascading effects and unintended consequences of shark reduction around the world. In example after example, McKeever shows that the reduction or removal of the top predator has results that ricochet right down to sea grass, which feed and shelter innumerable species in the food chain. By keeping the middle-sized predators in check, sharks prevent them from clearing out the coral reefs, mangrove swamps and shore grasses which nurture life in the oceans. They are the vultures of the deep, cleaning up whale carcasses, picking out the diseased and the weak fish, and so helping other species to improve and increase. Taking sharks out of the equation upsets the whole balance, making coral reefs barren dead zones. Their role is critical.
McKeever has done a remarkable job of assembling this knowledge, travelling the world, and seeing for himself. Sharks have been his passion since childhood, and it shows. Emperors of the Deep is both respectful and personal. He ends with the sadly obligatory calls for greater vigilance, tighter laws, more co-operation and better appreciation to save the shark from extinction and the planet from having to go on without them. After half a billion years, they deserve better.
David Wineberg
July 24, 2024
I love watching shark week every year and have a love for the misunderstood animals. Many of the things in this book I already knew about because of all the shark knowledge I've learned over the years watching shark documentaries, but there was some things I didn't know about and enjoyed learning.
This is definitely a book introducing you to the main species of sharks you see or hear about the most and their habits. For shark understanding and conservation, I think this was well put together and is an important read if you want to know more about sharks and why we shouldn't eradicate them from the oceans that are their home just because we want to safely swim in their habitat.
This is definitely a book introducing you to the main species of sharks you see or hear about the most and their habits. For shark understanding and conservation, I think this was well put together and is an important read if you want to know more about sharks and why we shouldn't eradicate them from the oceans that are their home just because we want to safely swim in their habitat.
November 19, 2023
This book is a kind of Mythbusters episode, only it takes on the idea that sharks are our natural enemies, bloodthirsty sea creatures that are just waiting for the opportunity to tear us limb from limb. Just like the book's subtitle says, sharks are extremely misunderstood and we actually kill far more of them in a year than they do us (and that's a massive understatement). This isn't the best nonfiction book I've ever read - the writing left something to be desired - but it's definitely successful in encouraging the reader to see sharks in a new way.
Click here to hear more of my thoughts on this book (and one other book on sharks) over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
Click here to hear more of my thoughts on this book (and one other book on sharks) over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
November 11, 2024
Super informative and entertaining collection of shark stories, facts, and science. Reminded me that I care too much about the losing battle of shark conservation to pursue it as a career, but I’m happy it’s in hands much more capable than mine
July 30, 2020
2.5 stars
I was looking forward to reading this book as I am a huge lover of wildlife and so I read a lot of wildlife and nature books. I have a huge respect and interest in sharks and this seemed to be a new and exciting book to read to gain more knowledge about different species. Sadly, this book didn't have the readability that other wildlife books have.
The content of the book looks into a few species of sharks including great white, mako and tiger sharks. It started off well but I quickly began to notice that it was like the book hadn't been edited. The author went off on random tangents that didn't link to the content of the chapter. It would have been a better book if it was reduced in length and therefore cutting out loads of the repetition that is in each chapter.
The writing wasn't engaging and instead of making sharks seem exciting creatures, often made me feel rather sleepy. There are a few chunks that were highly interesting but it wasn't enough to save this book for me.
The actual information about sharks is rather limited. There is more about shark fishing and hunting than the biology of the sharks. Although I agree these books need a conservation message and to explain how vulnerable these creatures are, it was overdone and very repetitive. Also the writer seemed to introduce each scientist he spoke to and give us a detailed description of their background which was completely unnecessary.
Overall, I am highly disappointed as this was not the shark book I was hoping for. The author wants to make people excited about sharks. If I came in with no love of sharks then I don't think I would leave feeling excited.
Please note that I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was looking forward to reading this book as I am a huge lover of wildlife and so I read a lot of wildlife and nature books. I have a huge respect and interest in sharks and this seemed to be a new and exciting book to read to gain more knowledge about different species. Sadly, this book didn't have the readability that other wildlife books have.
The content of the book looks into a few species of sharks including great white, mako and tiger sharks. It started off well but I quickly began to notice that it was like the book hadn't been edited. The author went off on random tangents that didn't link to the content of the chapter. It would have been a better book if it was reduced in length and therefore cutting out loads of the repetition that is in each chapter.
The writing wasn't engaging and instead of making sharks seem exciting creatures, often made me feel rather sleepy. There are a few chunks that were highly interesting but it wasn't enough to save this book for me.
The actual information about sharks is rather limited. There is more about shark fishing and hunting than the biology of the sharks. Although I agree these books need a conservation message and to explain how vulnerable these creatures are, it was overdone and very repetitive. Also the writer seemed to introduce each scientist he spoke to and give us a detailed description of their background which was completely unnecessary.
Overall, I am highly disappointed as this was not the shark book I was hoping for. The author wants to make people excited about sharks. If I came in with no love of sharks then I don't think I would leave feeling excited.
Please note that I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 17, 2019
A fascinating rundown on the biology and nature of sharks that gets overwhelmed by its conservationist message.
Some chapters break down the history and of biology individual species into interesting tidbits and others focus on recent discoveries about shark behavior-- these supposed loners are actually pretty social and will even teach their buddies where to find food. The dangers to sharks caused by over fishing, long-line fishing, shark-fin soup, and trophy fishing are brutally detailed and the shark's importance to the ocean's ecosystem is clearly laid out.
The problem is the the book is gradually drifts into a general message of ocean conservation and gets bogged down by entire chapters centered on human trafficking in the fishing industry and China's domination of the market that bombard you with facts and figures on things like fishing quotas. it's also a long, dry slog before it gets back to being about sharks again, and the book never gets it's momentum back.
Some chapters break down the history and of biology individual species into interesting tidbits and others focus on recent discoveries about shark behavior-- these supposed loners are actually pretty social and will even teach their buddies where to find food. The dangers to sharks caused by over fishing, long-line fishing, shark-fin soup, and trophy fishing are brutally detailed and the shark's importance to the ocean's ecosystem is clearly laid out.
The problem is the the book is gradually drifts into a general message of ocean conservation and gets bogged down by entire chapters centered on human trafficking in the fishing industry and China's domination of the market that bombard you with facts and figures on things like fishing quotas. it's also a long, dry slog before it gets back to being about sharks again, and the book never gets it's momentum back.
November 10, 2023
A quick fun read for anyone who wants to know more about sharks. While McKeever is a bit strange in his discussion of women in the book compared to men (e.g when commenting on appearance), he does strike the balance between personal reflection and involvement vs objectivity reasonably well. The colour pictures in the copy I had were really good at adding to the book too.
July 11, 2019
This eye-opening book explains how fishing is threatening this keystone species. It also offers a harrowing look at some commercial fishing practices. A must read.
July 25, 2022
I really love the ocean and animals, particularly sharks, so this one was right up my alley. McKeever delves into both sides, that of Green Peace as well as shark hunters. He also goes into detail about how nature has engineered this remarkable creature. The writing is thoughtful and respectful to families who have lost lives to bull sharks as well. If you are scared of sharks, this book really will help you better understand them and how they help heal our world.
- Reviewed by Christie S.
- Reviewed by Christie S.
January 9, 2024
More like 3,5
February 20, 2024
Would highly recommend this book!.
Sharks are not man eaters and are very important for keeping the oceans balanced . They are threatened by millions of them that are killed every year by shark hunting tournaments on the east coast.
Sharks are not man eaters and are very important for keeping the oceans balanced . They are threatened by millions of them that are killed every year by shark hunting tournaments on the east coast.
April 30, 2024
I thought this was a very well written and researched book on the natural history of sharks and why they are important to our oceans.🦈 I like that the author focuses on a variety of species of sharks and not just the ‘charismatic’ species such as great white and tiger sharks. He also talks about overfishing and how it has led to the needless deaths of 100 million sharks every year. Sharks are certainly worthy of the same respect we give to tigers, elephants, pandas, and polar bears and I hope that the younger generations learn to respect rather than fear them.
December 21, 2019
If everything you know about sharks comes from reading (or watching) Jaws, then you should treat yourself to this very different perspective on the apex predators of the oceans. It was a fascinating and educational read. I certainly won’t look at sharks the same way again, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready to go swimming with them either.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
September 8, 2019
Incredible read for anyone wanting to know the truth about Sharks.
This book opened my eyes to SO many things I had no clue about. It’s sickening how ignorant we all are, and this book is one step toward making things right.
This book opened my eyes to SO many things I had no clue about. It’s sickening how ignorant we all are, and this book is one step toward making things right.
July 7, 2020
trigger warning
The premise of this book is simple: Sharks have an awful image because of media, so let's gather all the coolest facts about sharks in one place to change people's minds!
This means that this book is highly accessible and aimed towards people without or with low knowledge about the topic.
Be warned that this book deals with - for me - unexpectedly dark topics.
This book starts off with the elephant in the room: Jaws.
Though initially being published as a book, most people know this title by the Stephen Spielberg adaptation which I can't really sum up because I never saw it. I just never saw the appeal in a movie that tells you how evil animals are, when I always felt that the evil beings are humans. And it's not like there is nothing to chose from if you happen to want to watch a Spielberg movie, right?
Anyway, Jaws is deeply ingrained in popculture, and has inspired follow-ups like The Meg and Sharknado. Which, again, I haven't watched.
But apparently everybody else did, and formed their opinion on a species by horror movies. Smart move.
In the US, there are shark fishing tournaments in which sharks get caught and afterwards thrown away because the laws forbid the trade of shark meat. You have to consume it yourself, but few of the participants actually want that, so after weighing and fotographing, the carcasses get thrown in the bin, albeit a big one.
Every time a human is bit by a shark at a surfing tournament, the media call out for sharks to get culled in the vicinity of said event, without bothering to ask specialists what makes you likely to get bit by shark.
Good news for people with periods: A few small drops of blood are not enough to make a shark aware of you. For that, the ocean is too big. Another important factor that draw sharks are electrical impulses they can register, and the sounds you make. If you thrash around like an animal in distress, you're much more likely to draw these predators.
If you meet a shark, simply do nothing and most likely it won't bother you. If you should happen to get attacked, hit the snout.
50% of all shark attacks happen in the US, and 50% of that happen because someone annoyed a shark and had to bear the consequences - and another interesting fact: 5% of all shark "attacks" are lethal. 5. What people call attacks get registered as a bite, and it might be that it's as bad for you as a dog bite. Not to underestimate, but nothing to swear revenge for.
Most likely you surprised your animal or it wanted to explore what you are, which it does with it's mouth. And if you have teeth like a shark, blood is drawn quickly.
Cool shark facts: Cat sharks glow in the dark! Bull sharks thrive in both sweet and salt water! Big whites probably eat giant squid! Nobody has seen this, but sharks have been recorded to dive deeper and 3,700 feet, what else would they do down there?
After being told how awesome sharks are by themselves, we get to know about the role they play in the ecosystem. How important it is that somebody removes trash and feeds on ill animals so the illnesses won't spread. Did you know that a shark in the area increases the diversity of gathered species instead of decreasing it?
Through various networking points, sharks protect seagrass. The biggest feeders on seagrass are seacows and turtles who have few animals to fear due to size. Studies suggest that without sharks, those animals would eat all the seagrass, and the seagrass in turn is responsible for a lot of fresh air due to photsynthesis, and it filters the water and sand it grows upon.
Another important topic, and this time one I didn't see coming, is human trafficking and the correlation between sharks, shark fin soup, thuna, and slavery. Thuna is cheap. Why? Because the workers get exploited beyond any reason. Won't go into detail, but the mentioned trigger warnings might give you some ideas in which direction it goes.
All the while we're told all these things, the author travels around the world to go diving and meet people who do research or are activists. If all these facts didn't bother you, we're told about the economical value of sharks, which is threatened because some few people and nations don't want to play by some simple rules.
To conclude this book, the author gives a list of things that need to change in order to save sharks. Since quite a few are based in what you've read, I won't give them here because I am not sure how comprehensible I can do it.
But: Apparently, the whales were worse off as whale-hunting was banned than sharks are today and managed to recover. So, if measures are taken now, we still can prevent the worst from happening.
My opinion on this book? Five stars. I learned things while being entertained - at least in parts. Some parts were heavy to digest.
Sharks still are not my favourite animal in the ocean, but then they have to compete with octopi, which is not easy. But I feel informed, delighted and angry, all at the same time.
Despite having some fear for the deep seas because I can't do anything if I should happen to be there except die, I wished for being able to go there to see what lives there.
I want to join Greenpeace, and I am really glad I have been a vegetarian for so long. At least they won't get my money to continue the horrors.
Go and read this.
I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
The premise of this book is simple: Sharks have an awful image because of media, so let's gather all the coolest facts about sharks in one place to change people's minds!
This means that this book is highly accessible and aimed towards people without or with low knowledge about the topic.
Be warned that this book deals with - for me - unexpectedly dark topics.
This book starts off with the elephant in the room: Jaws.
Though initially being published as a book, most people know this title by the Stephen Spielberg adaptation which I can't really sum up because I never saw it. I just never saw the appeal in a movie that tells you how evil animals are, when I always felt that the evil beings are humans. And it's not like there is nothing to chose from if you happen to want to watch a Spielberg movie, right?
Anyway, Jaws is deeply ingrained in popculture, and has inspired follow-ups like The Meg and Sharknado. Which, again, I haven't watched.
But apparently everybody else did, and formed their opinion on a species by horror movies. Smart move.
In the US, there are shark fishing tournaments in which sharks get caught and afterwards thrown away because the laws forbid the trade of shark meat. You have to consume it yourself, but few of the participants actually want that, so after weighing and fotographing, the carcasses get thrown in the bin, albeit a big one.
Every time a human is bit by a shark at a surfing tournament, the media call out for sharks to get culled in the vicinity of said event, without bothering to ask specialists what makes you likely to get bit by shark.
Good news for people with periods: A few small drops of blood are not enough to make a shark aware of you. For that, the ocean is too big. Another important factor that draw sharks are electrical impulses they can register, and the sounds you make. If you thrash around like an animal in distress, you're much more likely to draw these predators.
If you meet a shark, simply do nothing and most likely it won't bother you. If you should happen to get attacked, hit the snout.
50% of all shark attacks happen in the US, and 50% of that happen because someone annoyed a shark and had to bear the consequences - and another interesting fact: 5% of all shark "attacks" are lethal. 5. What people call attacks get registered as a bite, and it might be that it's as bad for you as a dog bite. Not to underestimate, but nothing to swear revenge for.
Most likely you surprised your animal or it wanted to explore what you are, which it does with it's mouth. And if you have teeth like a shark, blood is drawn quickly.
Cool shark facts: Cat sharks glow in the dark! Bull sharks thrive in both sweet and salt water! Big whites probably eat giant squid! Nobody has seen this, but sharks have been recorded to dive deeper and 3,700 feet, what else would they do down there?
After being told how awesome sharks are by themselves, we get to know about the role they play in the ecosystem. How important it is that somebody removes trash and feeds on ill animals so the illnesses won't spread. Did you know that a shark in the area increases the diversity of gathered species instead of decreasing it?
Through various networking points, sharks protect seagrass. The biggest feeders on seagrass are seacows and turtles who have few animals to fear due to size. Studies suggest that without sharks, those animals would eat all the seagrass, and the seagrass in turn is responsible for a lot of fresh air due to photsynthesis, and it filters the water and sand it grows upon.
Another important topic, and this time one I didn't see coming, is human trafficking and the correlation between sharks, shark fin soup, thuna, and slavery. Thuna is cheap. Why? Because the workers get exploited beyond any reason. Won't go into detail, but the mentioned trigger warnings might give you some ideas in which direction it goes.
All the while we're told all these things, the author travels around the world to go diving and meet people who do research or are activists. If all these facts didn't bother you, we're told about the economical value of sharks, which is threatened because some few people and nations don't want to play by some simple rules.
To conclude this book, the author gives a list of things that need to change in order to save sharks. Since quite a few are based in what you've read, I won't give them here because I am not sure how comprehensible I can do it.
But: Apparently, the whales were worse off as whale-hunting was banned than sharks are today and managed to recover. So, if measures are taken now, we still can prevent the worst from happening.
My opinion on this book? Five stars. I learned things while being entertained - at least in parts. Some parts were heavy to digest.
Sharks still are not my favourite animal in the ocean, but then they have to compete with octopi, which is not easy. But I feel informed, delighted and angry, all at the same time.
Despite having some fear for the deep seas because I can't do anything if I should happen to be there except die, I wished for being able to go there to see what lives there.
I want to join Greenpeace, and I am really glad I have been a vegetarian for so long. At least they won't get my money to continue the horrors.
Go and read this.
I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
January 24, 2025
Really interesting book. Did not know much about sharks prior but was always interested. Save the Sharks!
March 20, 2020
"Emperors of the Deep" by William McKeever was a fascinating read. The book is exhaustive on both the scientific discoveries about sharks, their role in the ecosystem of the ocean, and their many adaptive characteristics that has propelled them to the top of the food chain as an apex predator. While sharks have excellent natural abilities, there is little reason for humans to fear that sharks will harm or kill humans. There are a few dozen shark bites that occur every year, but death by shark attack is less likely than being struck by lightning.
McKeever also covers the devastating effects of overfishing tuna using techniques like long-line fishing that might catch 10 tuna and 5 sharks, which have its fins cut off and the rest of the shark is tossed back into the water where it slowly and helplessly sinks to the ocean's floor drowning because it is not able to swim without its fins. Fishermen catch sharks for shark fin soup a delicacy in China that was previously reserved for the emperor and wealthy. The demand for shark fins continue to rise causing shark populations sink year after year. Other problems include sport fishing that occurs along the entire Eastern coastline of the US where a shark fishing sports tournament might host 100+ boats all trying to find and capture the most and largest sharks in a single day or weekend.
Another horrifying aspect of global fishing is human trafficking from destitute parts of Southeast Asia like Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand where people are lured into "jobs" where they are captured and drugged and never paid for the forced labor on fishing boats. The slaves are beaten and drugged with amphetamines to stay awake and work. If they cannot work, then they are killed and thrown overboard. Vessels are also used to transport sex slaves and prostitutes and drugs. It is all so sad that these practices are "normal" at sea and go unchecked all over the world without any publicity or awareness to the rest of the world. The captains of these boats make little to no money for their legal activities fishing for tuna, and then illegally sell shark fins on the black market to make maybe $100, while the boat's slaves make no money at all.
New global tracking and satellite monitoring is giving governments and consumers the ability to see where a fish was caught and what type of fishing practices were used for the catch. This new technology can be leveraged to hold fishermen and countries using illegal or dangerous fishing practices accountable and consumers can "vote with their dollars" about where and how they want their fish harvested. Our oceans are not an inexhaustible resource and we must do our part to ensure that we can keep the food supply healthy for generations to come.
McKeever also covers the devastating effects of overfishing tuna using techniques like long-line fishing that might catch 10 tuna and 5 sharks, which have its fins cut off and the rest of the shark is tossed back into the water where it slowly and helplessly sinks to the ocean's floor drowning because it is not able to swim without its fins. Fishermen catch sharks for shark fin soup a delicacy in China that was previously reserved for the emperor and wealthy. The demand for shark fins continue to rise causing shark populations sink year after year. Other problems include sport fishing that occurs along the entire Eastern coastline of the US where a shark fishing sports tournament might host 100+ boats all trying to find and capture the most and largest sharks in a single day or weekend.
Another horrifying aspect of global fishing is human trafficking from destitute parts of Southeast Asia like Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand where people are lured into "jobs" where they are captured and drugged and never paid for the forced labor on fishing boats. The slaves are beaten and drugged with amphetamines to stay awake and work. If they cannot work, then they are killed and thrown overboard. Vessels are also used to transport sex slaves and prostitutes and drugs. It is all so sad that these practices are "normal" at sea and go unchecked all over the world without any publicity or awareness to the rest of the world. The captains of these boats make little to no money for their legal activities fishing for tuna, and then illegally sell shark fins on the black market to make maybe $100, while the boat's slaves make no money at all.
New global tracking and satellite monitoring is giving governments and consumers the ability to see where a fish was caught and what type of fishing practices were used for the catch. This new technology can be leveraged to hold fishermen and countries using illegal or dangerous fishing practices accountable and consumers can "vote with their dollars" about where and how they want their fish harvested. Our oceans are not an inexhaustible resource and we must do our part to ensure that we can keep the food supply healthy for generations to come.
August 5, 2020
This is not JAWS, but I read it in honor of shark week!
This is a very interesting book. It is straight-up nonfiction. McKeever looks at four species—Mako, Tiger, Hammerhead, and Great White. The book is jammed with fascinating details starting with sharks’ pre-historic secrets and how they are the world’s most feared and most misunderstood predator (THANK YOU JAWS).
If, like me, and you have never lived more than 30 miles from saltwater, have fished saltwater, prefer saltwater fishing, own boats, sold boats, dive, or dove, but never NOT been afraid of what was in that water. ... McKeever’s book delivered almost all of what the jacket promised. It didn't dispel any of my misplaced fear, but it might have curved some of my misconceptions about these animals, and it did make me think about a world where sharks were no more…. That made me smile for a moment, but then I considered the ecosystem and the shark's need to be in their rightful place because they are essential to maintaining a balanced ecosystem, and I let that dream go.
McKeever asserts that we can learn much from sharks, I just decided to learn what I needed to know about them from him and skip the shark’s mouth, so to speak!
Sharks are 50-million years older than trees (WOW)
Sharks have survived five extinction-level events, including the one that killed off the dinosaurs;
Sharks have electroreception, a sixth-sense that lets them pick up on electric fields generated by living things from like 6 miles away (AMAZING);
Sharks can dive 4,000 feet below the surface;
Sharks account for only 6 human fatalities per year, while humans kill 100 million sharks per year.
Sharks are generally not looking for people to eat, they are looking for dinner, but humans are generally not what was on the menu, so don’t go out beyond the wave break.
If humans don’t stop killing them, humans will drive them to extinction, and I don’t mean anglers.
Believe it or not, this was a super interesting read. It had a steady pace and kept moving forward.
3.7 stars
Happy Reading!
This is a very interesting book. It is straight-up nonfiction. McKeever looks at four species—Mako, Tiger, Hammerhead, and Great White. The book is jammed with fascinating details starting with sharks’ pre-historic secrets and how they are the world’s most feared and most misunderstood predator (THANK YOU JAWS).
If, like me, and you have never lived more than 30 miles from saltwater, have fished saltwater, prefer saltwater fishing, own boats, sold boats, dive, or dove, but never NOT been afraid of what was in that water. ... McKeever’s book delivered almost all of what the jacket promised. It didn't dispel any of my misplaced fear, but it might have curved some of my misconceptions about these animals, and it did make me think about a world where sharks were no more…. That made me smile for a moment, but then I considered the ecosystem and the shark's need to be in their rightful place because they are essential to maintaining a balanced ecosystem, and I let that dream go.
McKeever asserts that we can learn much from sharks, I just decided to learn what I needed to know about them from him and skip the shark’s mouth, so to speak!
Sharks are 50-million years older than trees (WOW)
Sharks have survived five extinction-level events, including the one that killed off the dinosaurs;
Sharks have electroreception, a sixth-sense that lets them pick up on electric fields generated by living things from like 6 miles away (AMAZING);
Sharks can dive 4,000 feet below the surface;
Sharks account for only 6 human fatalities per year, while humans kill 100 million sharks per year.
Sharks are generally not looking for people to eat, they are looking for dinner, but humans are generally not what was on the menu, so don’t go out beyond the wave break.
If humans don’t stop killing them, humans will drive them to extinction, and I don’t mean anglers.
Believe it or not, this was a super interesting read. It had a steady pace and kept moving forward.
3.7 stars
Happy Reading!
August 9, 2020
If you’re passionate about sharks and interested in learning more about shark and marine ecosystem conservation, you’ll enjoy this book. While McKeever primarily explores the Big Four shark species (great white, mako, hammerhead, tiger), there is plenty of information to be found about lesser known species along the way.
Each chapter is incredibly thorough and detailed, with expert interviews, newsworthy events, and personal anecdotes that keep it from feeling too dry or dense. The structure can sometimes feel a bit repetitive, but I chalked those moments up to McKeever’s passion for the subject matter and determination to make his point.
While the book focuses on the life and biology of sharks, the narrative also delves into subjects I didn’t expect to learn so much about (i.e., fishing and human trafficking, shark-fishing tournaments, the shark-fin trade). Some of these chapters can be difficult to read because they expose so many of the atrocities humans commit against shark populations, but I think the book would’ve suffered without including them. It’s clear that McKeever’s goal is to share his passion for shark and ocean conservation; excluding the darker, more uncomfortable chapters from this book would’ve done the reader a disservice by presenting an inaccurate portrayal of sharks and the threats they face.
I would encourage anyone with an existing or growing interest in sharks and ocean conservation to give this book a go. It’s a compelling read with a wealth of information that left me curious and eager to learn more. Plus, it’s a great way to kick off your next Shark Week binge.
Each chapter is incredibly thorough and detailed, with expert interviews, newsworthy events, and personal anecdotes that keep it from feeling too dry or dense. The structure can sometimes feel a bit repetitive, but I chalked those moments up to McKeever’s passion for the subject matter and determination to make his point.
While the book focuses on the life and biology of sharks, the narrative also delves into subjects I didn’t expect to learn so much about (i.e., fishing and human trafficking, shark-fishing tournaments, the shark-fin trade). Some of these chapters can be difficult to read because they expose so many of the atrocities humans commit against shark populations, but I think the book would’ve suffered without including them. It’s clear that McKeever’s goal is to share his passion for shark and ocean conservation; excluding the darker, more uncomfortable chapters from this book would’ve done the reader a disservice by presenting an inaccurate portrayal of sharks and the threats they face.
I would encourage anyone with an existing or growing interest in sharks and ocean conservation to give this book a go. It’s a compelling read with a wealth of information that left me curious and eager to learn more. Plus, it’s a great way to kick off your next Shark Week binge.
August 5, 2020
A book about sharks with extra chapter for hammerheads? I'm in!
This book describes how awesome, admirable, flawless and fabulous sharks are. It also explains why they are important for our oceans, why we mustn't fear them just because we saw some horror movies and how they are in danger because of overfishing and climate change. New to me was the fact that there is so much slave labour/human trafficking at fishing vessels and there's a whole chapter on it, which was very enlightening.
Just four stars instead of five because of a few things I didn't like, first oft all the author's suggestions for "more sustainable finning" - dude, finning just exists for feeding rich people a so called "delicacy". People don't need to eat sharks at all." I also didn't understood why he made a point about sharks being not that dangerous and then being super surprised every time when he saw people diving/swimming with sharks and not getting bitten - I wondered if he ever watched shark water. I also slightly rolled my eyes at this part: "Seacamp invites children to spend several weeks at various times of the year learning about the oceans and sharks in the Keys. [...] I asked Carrier if girls were unnerved by working with sharks." I mean. Really?
Apart from this the book is very good, informative and surely an important read, I strongly encourage everyone to get informed and learn more about these wonderful animals.
This book describes how awesome, admirable, flawless and fabulous sharks are. It also explains why they are important for our oceans, why we mustn't fear them just because we saw some horror movies and how they are in danger because of overfishing and climate change. New to me was the fact that there is so much slave labour/human trafficking at fishing vessels and there's a whole chapter on it, which was very enlightening.
Just four stars instead of five because of a few things I didn't like, first oft all the author's suggestions for "more sustainable finning" - dude, finning just exists for feeding rich people a so called "delicacy". People don't need to eat sharks at all." I also didn't understood why he made a point about sharks being not that dangerous and then being super surprised every time when he saw people diving/swimming with sharks and not getting bitten - I wondered if he ever watched shark water. I also slightly rolled my eyes at this part: "Seacamp invites children to spend several weeks at various times of the year learning about the oceans and sharks in the Keys. [...] I asked Carrier if girls were unnerved by working with sharks." I mean. Really?
Apart from this the book is very good, informative and surely an important read, I strongly encourage everyone to get informed and learn more about these wonderful animals.
July 13, 2020
This was an interesting read. I learned more about tuna than I intended when I picked this book up. Also about the insane human rights violations committed in the fishing industry. Obviously, I learned about sharks as well.
The author was a bit repetitive, making the same point over and over again when it was sufficiently relayed the first or second time. Also, it seemed a bit disconnected. Sometimes a memoir of shark adventures and sometimes learning about sharks and sometimes advocacy. To be clear, I'm down for all 3 of these things, it was just presented weirdly.
The poor author went to South Africa after the pesky orca scared off the Great White Sharks in 2017. My husband and I were lucky enough to visit and cage dive in 2016, so we had a much more successful experience than he did. Be prepared to either stop eating seafood altogether or to spend substantially more on traceable pole and line caught American seafood as a result of reading this book.
The author was a bit repetitive, making the same point over and over again when it was sufficiently relayed the first or second time. Also, it seemed a bit disconnected. Sometimes a memoir of shark adventures and sometimes learning about sharks and sometimes advocacy. To be clear, I'm down for all 3 of these things, it was just presented weirdly.
The poor author went to South Africa after the pesky orca scared off the Great White Sharks in 2017. My husband and I were lucky enough to visit and cage dive in 2016, so we had a much more successful experience than he did. Be prepared to either stop eating seafood altogether or to spend substantially more on traceable pole and line caught American seafood as a result of reading this book.
July 13, 2019
Excellent
Great read about one of the most fascinating animals in the ocean and their struggles to survive in the anthropocene.
Great read about one of the most fascinating animals in the ocean and their struggles to survive in the anthropocene.
August 14, 2020
Excellent perspective on sharks. Lots of excellent stories, facts, and statistics.
March 9, 2021
Brilliant book. Also introduced me to two amazing new words - ovoviviparous and oophagy
April 14, 2021
This book ended up being far more important than I initially realized. It reminded me a lot of Susan Casey's investigative journalism books about sharks, dolphins, and ocean waves; so much information packed into a single book waiting to blow your mind every chapter.
The title of this book can be misleading to the average reader thinking it only focuses on sharks on a biological level. Whenever you study a species and the conservation of said species you will go down a deep rabbit hole of a myriad of associated topics. This is because conservation as a subject is multifaceted; you need to study the species, its environment, media misrepresentation, various threats it faces, global warming, governing bodies and laws, conservation efforts, and etc. You cannot read a book about shark conservation without expecting to learn about other aspects of the issues surrounding sharks. It's not all dorsal fins, multiple rows of teeth, and behaviors of the ocean's apex predator.
This book is really incredibly written. McKeever does a great job in abruptly addressing many issues from not villainizing cultures that consume shark but the inhumane shark finning industry and the capitalism that drives it. He discusses responsible fishing practices, human trafficking and the people who are abused, tortured, killed, and enslaved for years on fishing boats across the world. He brings up shark killing competitions that happen here in the US where attendees end up not even consuming or using the sharks they killed for sport, the shark fin trade here in the US, and various everyday products you could be using and eating that contain shark. This book educates people on how to responsibly purchase and consume foods, especially fish, through research to ensure you are not contributing to the global slave industry. Just because a can of tuna is cheap monetarily doesn't mean it didn't get to your grocery store at a high price environmentally and at the cost of human lives.
I learned a great deal from this book. McKeever highlights the importance of understanding that environmental conservation also includes the protection of human life. If the lives of humans are not valued and respected how can we expect animal lives, which are generally deemed lesser globally, to be protected? An island can protect sharks through their governing body but as soon as that shark swims into the waters of another country that protection is lost. Because nature does not follow human-made borders McKeever addresses the need for international collaboration and organizations to have global jurisdiction in protecting all species of the world from exploitation and endangerment.
Sharks are one of my favorite animals; I have so much love and respect for the magnificent creatures that they are. I loved reading about all of the organizations and scientists in this book who are working to protect sharks and help trafficked people who have been victimized by the fishing industry. I cannot recommend this book enough.
The title of this book can be misleading to the average reader thinking it only focuses on sharks on a biological level. Whenever you study a species and the conservation of said species you will go down a deep rabbit hole of a myriad of associated topics. This is because conservation as a subject is multifaceted; you need to study the species, its environment, media misrepresentation, various threats it faces, global warming, governing bodies and laws, conservation efforts, and etc. You cannot read a book about shark conservation without expecting to learn about other aspects of the issues surrounding sharks. It's not all dorsal fins, multiple rows of teeth, and behaviors of the ocean's apex predator.
This book is really incredibly written. McKeever does a great job in abruptly addressing many issues from not villainizing cultures that consume shark but the inhumane shark finning industry and the capitalism that drives it. He discusses responsible fishing practices, human trafficking and the people who are abused, tortured, killed, and enslaved for years on fishing boats across the world. He brings up shark killing competitions that happen here in the US where attendees end up not even consuming or using the sharks they killed for sport, the shark fin trade here in the US, and various everyday products you could be using and eating that contain shark. This book educates people on how to responsibly purchase and consume foods, especially fish, through research to ensure you are not contributing to the global slave industry. Just because a can of tuna is cheap monetarily doesn't mean it didn't get to your grocery store at a high price environmentally and at the cost of human lives.
I learned a great deal from this book. McKeever highlights the importance of understanding that environmental conservation also includes the protection of human life. If the lives of humans are not valued and respected how can we expect animal lives, which are generally deemed lesser globally, to be protected? An island can protect sharks through their governing body but as soon as that shark swims into the waters of another country that protection is lost. Because nature does not follow human-made borders McKeever addresses the need for international collaboration and organizations to have global jurisdiction in protecting all species of the world from exploitation and endangerment.
Sharks are one of my favorite animals; I have so much love and respect for the magnificent creatures that they are. I loved reading about all of the organizations and scientists in this book who are working to protect sharks and help trafficked people who have been victimized by the fishing industry. I cannot recommend this book enough.
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