News Digest - January Our selection of top shark stories, highlighting the latest news and discoveries from around the world... South Australia bans fishing of many sharks and rays in its waters 2nd January The state government said the new rules prohibit both recreational and commercial fishing of critically endangered species such as the whitefin swellshark (Cephaloscyllium albipinnum), oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus), gray nurse shark (Carcharias taurus) and green sawfish (Pristis zijsron); as well as endangered ones like the greeneye spurdog (Squalus chloroculus), southern dogfish (Centrophorus uyato) and basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus). Additionally, fishing of all stingarays in the genus Urolophus and skates in the genera Dipturus and Dentiraja are banned. Love bites? Whale shark tries stalking and biting to woo a female: Rare footage reveals their unusual mating rituals 8th January Rare footage filmed by a multi-institutional research team from Australia captured a sexually mature male whale shark following and biting a smaller female in the wild, revealing new insights into the mating rituals of these elusive creatures. 'Serrated blade' stuck in rock on UK beach is ancient sea creature tooth, experts say 15th January A "serrated blade" found sticking from a rock in the United Kingdom has been identified as a "nearly perfect" prehistoric shark tooth, experts say. India's Fisherfolk Lead Whale Shark Rescue Effort 16th January The Wildlife Trust of India’s “Pan India Whale Shark Project” has rescued and released 1,001 whale sharks that were accidentally entangled in fishing nets, which the agency says is a milestone that reflects the remarkable collaboration between conservationists, government agencies, and the country’s compassionate fishing communities in saving these gentle giants of the ocean. Great white shark's 9-million-year-old ancestor found in Peru 20th January Paleontologists in Peru on Monday unveiled the 9-million-year-old fossil of a relative of the great white shark that once inhabited the waters of the southern Pacific Ocean, where it liked to devour sardines. The nearly-complete Cosmopolitodus Hastalis fossil was found some 235 km (146 miles) south of Lima in Peru's Pisco basin, a hot, desert area famed for frequent discoveries of ancient marine species. Feeding sharks ‘junk food’ takes a toll on their health 30th January In general, sharks have a reputation as swimming garbage cans that unflinchingly dine on whatever they can fit in their jaws. But in French Polynesia, blacktip reef sharks that frequent places where tourists toss them low-quality scraps are taking a hit to their metabolic and reproductive health Manage Cookie Preferences