Pledge to protect sharks

Each year across the globe, tens of millions of sharks are hunted down, only to have their fins sliced off and their bodies thrown back into the ocean, often left to die an agonizing death.

"Finning" is done to satisfy an appetite for dishes such as shark fin soup, which may be served at celebratory occasions in some cultures to showcase one's wealth or in honor of guests.

Consuming shark fin soup is cruel and unnecessary. In fact, laws have been enacted in 17 states to ban or limit the trade in shark fins, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is poised to implement a federal law. Demand is going down in China—the largest market for shark fins—but more work needs to be done to bring crucial protections to vulnerable shark populations.

Many shark species today are threatened with extinction, but you can help save them by pledging to protect them today and encouraging your friends and family to do the same.