In the Name of Sharks

François Sarano
Polity, £15.99

François Sarano’s skilful use of language quickly draws you into his world of sharks. Literature and history have portrayed these cartilaginous fishes as species to be feared; even the renowned marine biologist Jacques Cousteau wrote of a ‘redoubtable man-eater and incompatible monster’.

Throughout the 10 chapters the author aims to create a better understanding of these ancient chondrichthyans and change the way we think about sharks. With 536 species, sharks have colonised all marine environs from the Arctic to the Antarctic, from surface waters to the abyss, but their numbers are shrinking dramatically due to the pressures of human extraction, pollution and climate change. Population replacement cannot be matched by reproductive capacity, as sharks have very low fecundity because of their long gestation, late maturation (the Greenland shark only becomes sexually mature at 100 years old) and lack of parental care.

The text is highlighted by the author’s drawings, photographs and diagrams, with additional QR codes directing the reader to video clips that bring the text to life.

François Sarano is an oceanographer, professional diver, research director and consultant who is dedicated to understanding and protecting the oceans. His passion for – and relationship with – sharks goes back many decades, experiencing mutual trust and harmony with these fish (especially ‘Lady Mystery’, a 5.5m, 1.5 tonne great white). Sarano’s book expresses how desperate he is for humans to wake up and care for something the majority of us will never see: the world of the shark.

Jean Wilson MBE CBiol FRSB