A Coronavirus Vaccine Could Kill Half A Million Sharks, Conservationists Warn

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Grey reef sharks, seen in Fiji, are among the top species of sharks fished for their liver oil.





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Brendl worries that a dependence on shark squalene in coronavirus vaccine trials is shortsighted and prevents the exploration of sustainable alternatives.

«Our ask is that we start testing the alternatives, because long term, we cannot rely on a wild animal resource for a global need of anything, she said.

When it comes to a potentially life-saving vaccine, Brendl isn’t saying that shark populations are worthier of protection than humans. But conserving the ocean’s top predators, she said, can in fact preserve the rest our ecosystem — humans included.

«They keep our fish stock healthy, they keep the food chain intact, they keep diseases out of other animal populations, she said. «Good luck trying to replace that when we lose them.

NPR’s Andrew Craig and Dorothy Parvaz produced and edited this interview for broadcast.