What is the IUCN conservation status of zebra sharks throughout most of the Indo-Pacific?
Answer
Endangered
Globally, the zebra shark population faces substantial pressure from human activities, leading the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to assign the species the status of Endangered across the majority of its broad Indo-Pacific range. This precarious status is due to several factors, including targeted commercial fishing for their meat and fins, high rates of bycatch in destructive fishing gear like bottom trawls, and significant habitat degradation of the coral reefs and sandy areas they depend upon for survival and resting.
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