Half a Million Sharks Could be Killed for Covid-19 Vaccine, Conservationists Warn - The Telegraph

A basking shark, one of the species which has a liver rich in squalene: Alexander Mustard/2020VISION /PA

The Telegraph did a piece on the role that sharks are playing in the race to find a Covid-19 vaccine, and what could happen to already declining shark populations. Despite this being a tricky subject, journalist Olivia Rudgard, did a fantastic job including each facet of the matter. If you would like to dive deeper into why sharks are even involved in vaccine development, click here to explore our Shark Free Products campaign. To sign and share our petition, go to: Stop Using Sharks in COVID-19 Vaccine - Use EXISTING Sustainable Options.

“Estimates from California-based group Shark Allies suggest that immunising everyone in the world with one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine containing squalene would require around 250,000 sharks, depending on the quantities used.

This doubles to half a million if two doses are required, as researchers say is likely. 

Many of the species targeted for being rich in squalene, such as the gulper shark and the basking shark, are classed as vulnerable, meaning that their populations are decreasing and they could become endangered if the circumstances threatening them continue. 

Stefanie Brendl, founder and executive director of Shark Allies, said: “Harvesting something from a wild animal is never going to be sustainable, especially if it's a top predator that doesn't reproduce in huge numbers.

“‘There's so many unknowns of how big and how long this pandemic might go on, and then how many versions of it we have to go through, that if we continue using sharks, the numbers of sharks taken for this product could be really high, year after year after year.’”