Sharks deserting coral reefs as oceans heat up, study shows

Sharks are cold-blooded, ‘if it gets too hot they’re going to need to move,’ the research project’s leader said. Photograph: Johann Mourier

Sharks are deserting their coral reef homes as the climate crisis continues to heat up the oceans, scientists have discovered.

This is likely to harm the sharks, which are already endangered, and their absence could have serious consequences for the reefs, which are also struggling. The reef sharks are a key part of the highly diverse and delicate ecosystem, which could become dangerously unbalanced without them.