In Hawaii, shark conservation isn’t so much of a problem. This is because tiger sharks are considered sacred on America’s 50th State. The name ‘aumakua’ is given to them and they are believed to be the ancestral spirits of native Hawaiians. You wouldn’t treat your ancestors the way that sharks are treated in some other cultures, but the sacred status that sharks have been given in Hawaii ensures that they remain largely ignored by the public.
However, sharks also have a very unique purpose on the Aloha state; they help to teach baby albatrosses to swim. This wonderful video by National Geographic shows exactly how tiger sharks give baby albatross chicks the push they need in order to fly. Clue? It’s not that hard to pluck up the courage when you have an angry tiger shark biting away at your ankles
It’s likely that the shark’s sacred status in Hawaii has also helped to save the albatross. Without tiger sharks, most young albatross wouldn’t be able to pluck up the courage to learn to fly such long distances, in such a short space of time. Tiger sharks are responsible for killing 10% of all albatross chicks, and again, nature seems to work in mysterious ways, as if the albatross population were to grow suddenly then there simply wouldn’t be enough food to go around. Shark conservation may be great for sharks, but in Hawaii it’s also good news for the humble albatross.
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