SAFE Sharks and Rays

Our very own Dr. Steve Kessel, Director of Marine Research at Shedd Aquarium and SAFE Shark and Ray Steering Committee member, presenting his work on the critically endangered bowmouth guitarfish at Sharks International 2026! Steve, Shark Ray 360, and the SAFE team are working with this species to assess genetics of bowmouth guitarfish in human care with a goal to eventually provide ex-situ born individuals for reintroduction back into the wild!

🛰️ “The Role of Spatial Ecology Research as a Critical Component of Elasmobranch Reintroduction Programs” by Dr. Steven Kessel (@shedd_aquarium) Presented during our “Elasmobranch Reintroductions: The Future Is Now” session at @sharks.international 2026 in Colombo, Sri Lanka FULL presentation on YouTube — link in bio! 🔗 #ReShark #SharksInternational2026 #StARProject #SharkRay360 #SpatialEcology

Today, the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group (SSG) joins the global celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity under this year’s theme: “Acting locally for global impact.”

Protecting biodiversity starts close to home. Local action — from research and education to fisheries management, policy, and community engagement — creates ripple effects that contribute to global conservation outcomes.

The IUCN SSC SSG brings together more than 230 experts from over 80 countries, working collaboratively to advance the conservation of the world’s sharks, rays, and chimaeras: more than 1,300 species globally. Across communities, institutions, governments, and organisations, our members contribute local knowledge and expertise to support biodiversity conservation worldwide.

Learn more about our work: https://www.iucnssg.org/


Illustration © IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group and Eloisa Pinhheiro