Shark meat found in pet food
BBC Wildlife|Spring 2022
Consumers in South-East Asia are unwittingly feeding endangered sharks to their cats and dogs due to poor labelling
Simon Birch
Shark meat found in pet food

A STUDY HAS FOUND THAT SOME pet foods contain meat from endangered sharks.

Inspired by a 2019 US study that found shark meat in pet food, scientists investigated whether there was shark DNA in 45 pet food products from 116 brands on sale in Singapore. Of the 144 samples taken, 31 per cent contained shark DNA, most of which came from blue, silky and whitetip reef sharks.

The populations of the silky shark and the whitetip reef shark are listed as vulnerable according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

This story is from the Spring 2022 edition of BBC Wildlife.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the Spring 2022 edition of BBC Wildlife.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BBC WILDLIFEView All
Does cloning create identical copies?
BBC Wildlife

Does cloning create identical copies?

EMBRYOS ARE MADE OF STEM CELLS that divide to give rise to different types of cells, everything from skin to brain cells. Scientists once thought that reproductive cloning creating a genetically identical copy of an individual organism - would be impossible without using stem cells and that the path leading to mature 'differentiated' cells was irreversible. But clawed frogs proved them wrong...

time-read
2 mins  |
June 2024
Tool-using animals
BBC Wildlife

Tool-using animals

Our pick of 10 species that exhibit this special skill

time-read
3 mins  |
June 2024
Mission Blue
BBC Wildlife

Mission Blue

Sylvia Earle has dedicated her life to marine conservation; she tells BBC Wildlife why protecting the ocean is essential to all life on earth

time-read
7 mins  |
June 2024
RESHARK
BBC Wildlife

RESHARK

The world's first shark rewilding initiative has seen zebra sharks released in the waters of Indonesia's Raja Ampat archipelago

time-read
8 mins  |
June 2024
ON DECK
BBC Wildlife

ON DECK

Ferries aren't just for transport, they're also perfect vessels for conservation

time-read
8 mins  |
June 2024
IT'S A COLOURFUL LIFE
BBC Wildlife

IT'S A COLOURFUL LIFE

Delve into the unique and complex biology of the clownfish, arguably the world's most famous fish

time-read
8 mins  |
June 2024
BAHAMAS BENEATH
BBC Wildlife

BAHAMAS BENEATH

A dive into the waters of this famous island nation with the creatures that call it home

time-read
3 mins  |
June 2024
"To save the reef, we need everybody involved"
BBC Wildlife

"To save the reef, we need everybody involved"

Indigenous peoples may hold the key to protecting the Great Barrier Reef

time-read
7 mins  |
June 2024
SPINNING AROUND
BBC Wildlife

SPINNING AROUND

Going around in circles proves fruitful for this filter-feeder

time-read
3 mins  |
June 2024
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT
BBC Wildlife

BLINDED BY THE LIGHT

On balmy evenings, amorous beetles put on a spellbinding show in North American forests

time-read
3 mins  |
June 2024