Shark charity releases smartphone app to support conservation campaign

The Shark Trust's 'Great Eggcase Hunt' campaign, which is being supported by a new smartphone app, has resulted in over 75,000 shark egg cases being collected from British beaches to conserve endangered species.

Since the project began over ten years ago, volunteers have recorded 13 separate species of shark, skate and ray eggs cases across the British coastline.

The charity has launched the app so that volunteers can better record and share their findings in the conservation drive.

The Shark Trust estimates that there are over 30 species of shark around the UK coastline but that over half of these are threatened or near threatened on the list of endangered species.

The campaign is focusing on identifying shark species from distinctive egg cases and find the location of shark nurseries.

Paul Cox, the charity's managing director, said: "You don't need to be a scientist to be a citizen scientist – it's easy to record findings, pictures and locations on the project website or on the new smartphone app. It is the combined efforts of scientists, conservationists and the public that is making the difference, encouraging positive change one step at a time."

Shark Trust conservation officer Cat Cordon said: "The Great Eggcase Hunt has received an overwhelming response from the public and, thanks to our supporters, we now have an extensive and ever expanding database of egg case records, which continue to provide us with crucial information on the distribution of shark, skate and ray species."

Source: Shark charity releases smartphone app to support conservation campaign