Carcharodon carcharias Genomic Resources. Carcharodon carcharias

The white shark genome project is one with both conservation and scientific implications. Being apex predators, white sharks exert top down control of their ecosystem but a number of aspects of their life history and ecology make them extremely vulnerable (e.g. long lifespans and generation times, sea surface temperature sensitivity, long migration routes) and the species is in decline worldwide. Further complicating conservation efforts is that their protection is internationally administered (with serious consequences for efficacy) and the market for white sharks in fisheries remains a constant threat.