Don't Pet This Shark

Imagine you’re splashing around in the ocean. Suddenly, in the distance, you spot a shark. And not just any shark. A massive great white shark, one of the most formidable predators in the ocean. What would you do?

Most people would swim away in terror. 

But that’s not what happened last January, when a woman named Ocean Ramsey spotted a great white off the coast of Hawaii. She swam right up to the fearsome creature and stroked its rough skin. She had her friend snap a few photos, which she posted on Instagram. 

“Beyond magic!” she wrote. “Beautiful.” 

Ramsey often poses with sharks. She wants people to see sharks are not the dreadful monsters they are often made out to be, and to inspire others to help conserve them. 

And sharks do need our protection. Each year, between 70 and 100 million sharks are killed by humans. Most are hunted for their fins. Shark fin soup is a prized dish in many countries. 

Now, many species of sharks are nearly extinct. Others, including the great white, are threatened. This is catastrophic. All of us on Earth—humans, animals, plants—are connected. If something happens to one species, it can trigger a chain reaction that affects others. 

For example, if great white sharks were to disappear, the number of seals would skyrocket. That’s because great whites eat seals. All those seals would gobble up small fish until there weren’t many left. What would happen to the birds that survive by eating those smaller fish? What about the humans who fish for food or as their jobs? Without sharks, many creatures would struggle to survive.

When it comes to trying to safeguard sharks, we should all care as much as Ramsey. But still, scientists expressed horror over her photo. Getting so close to a shark is dangerous for humans—and sharks.

And of course, Ramsey isn’t the only one throwing caution to the wind to get pictures with wild animals. Instagram is filled with selfies of people hugging elephants and nuzzling lion cubs.

But taking these kinds of selfies can be dangerous for humans—and cruel to wild animals.

According to the organization World Animal Protection, it’s OK to photograph animals in their natural habitats—from afar. Indeed, sharing such photos can inspire respect for wild creatures. But avoid selfies with animals that are being held, hugged, or restrained, that are being baited with food, or that could hurt you.

So yes, learn everything you can about sharks and other creatures that fascinate you—and work to defend them. But if you want a good animal picture for Instagram, pose with your dog.