In a shocking report, half a million sharks may have to be killed to immunise the entire world with the Covid-19 vaccine, according to a shark support group. According to estimates made by conservationists, around three million sharks are killed every year for squalene, which is also used in cosmetics and machine oil.
In a shocking report, half a million sharks may have to be killed to immunise the entire world with the Covid-19 vaccine, according to a shark support group. According to estimates made by conservationists, around three million sharks are killed every year for squalene, which is also used in cosmetics and machine oil.
Sharks are harvested for a natural oil called squalene, which is currently used as an adjuvant in various vaccines to increase the effectiveness of a vaccine by creating a stronger immune response.Around 3,000 sharks are needed to extract one tonne of squalene.
A California-based group Shark Allies has said that immunising everyone in the world with one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine containing squalene would alone require around 250,000 sharks, and the numbers would double to half a million, if two doses are required, as researchers say is likely.
According to the Shark Allies, species targeted for being rich in squalene include the gulper shark and the basking shark, which are classed as vulnerable, meaning that their populations are decreasing and they could become endangered if the circumstances threatening them continue.
The organisation has also launched an online petition asking pharmaceuticals to stop using sharks for development of COVID-19 vaccines and use existing “non-animal squalene” options instead.
“Why would a company choose to use shark-derived squalene in their adjuvants, over sustainable plant-based alternatives? The only answer we can see is cost. Plant-based squalene is approximately 30 percent more expensive than shark squalene. One of the reasons shark squalene is cheaper is because of the ease of extraction of squalene from the shark,” Shark Allies claims.
"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 are 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," Stefanie Brendl, founder and executive director of Shark Allies told a US-based news website.
There are fears that a sudden rise in demand for liver oil could threaten populations and see more species become endangered.
Sharks are harvested for a natural oil called squalene, which is currently used as an adjuvant in various vaccines to increase the effectiveness of a vaccine by creating a stronger immune response.Around 3,000 sharks are needed to extract one tonne of squalene.
A California-based group Shark Allies has said that immunising everyone in the world with one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine containing squalene would alone require around 250,000 sharks, and the numbers would double to half a million, if two doses are required, as researchers say is likely.
According to the Shark Allies, species targeted for being rich in squalene include the gulper shark and the basking shark, which are classed as vulnerable, meaning that their populations are decreasing and they could become endangered if the circumstances threatening them continue.
The organisation has also launched an online petition asking pharmaceuticals to stop using sharks for development of COVID-19 vaccines and use existing “non-animal squalene” options instead.
“Why would a company choose to use shark-derived squalene in their adjuvants, over sustainable plant-based alternatives? The only answer we can see is cost. Plant-based squalene is approximately 30 percent more expensive than shark squalene. One of the reasons shark squalene is cheaper is because of the ease of extraction of squalene from the shark,” Shark Allies claims.
"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 are 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," Stefanie Brendl, founder and executive director of Shark Allies told a US-based news website.
There are fears that a sudden rise in demand for liver oil could threaten populations and see more species become endangered.