OVERVIEW
This lesson will depict the effect that sharks have in the Caribbean coral reef system and will show students how over-fishing of sharks has a ripple effect on the marine ecosystem. Students will learn about the balance in the reef ecosystem among sharks and other carnivorous fish, their prey, and algae. Students will see that predatory behavior is not inherently negative and that predators are an important part of a balanced ecosystem.

This lesson is one in a series exploring the history, biology, and ecology of the National Marine Sanctuaries. It was developed for National Geographic's Oceans for Life program, in collaboration with and with support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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