Why I'm Happy Lush Cosmetics supports Fin Fighters UK

I can't remember exactly when I became obsessed with Sharks.  Maybe it was the time I found a sharks tooth on the beach.  It might even have been the time I first saw Deep Blue Sea.  I don't know.  I just remember arguing with a boy named Fraser in primary school about how he was a nasty little creep for hating sharks and wanting them to die.  I decided because of that experience to learn everything I could about sharks and 14 years later I'd definitely say I've progressed.

First off, I now know it wasn't hatred he had for sharks but it was fear.  This fear stemmed from the famous summer blockbuster Jaws.  I think I can safely say the majority of people have seen Jaws, it's like Star Wars, you can't not see it.  I'm sure I'd seen it before I actually saw it.  The chilling music... The daunting music... It's famous.  So why was he afraid? Well, it's the first movie to install shock into a young mind or even the mind of an adult that there is the possibility if you step into ocean waters you may lose your leg.  Or life.  There wasn't a movie of its kind back in the 70s and suddenly people were scared of the water.

Jaws taught us there's a really big shark that eats people.  

And not only does it like to eat people, it likes to stalk ocean shores waiting for little boys on floaties to go out for a paddle.  And this was as powerful as it gets.  Why? Well, we are either that little boy as we're around his age and think a shark would eat us.  Or we're an adult and maybe even a parent who can replace that little boy with a little kid we know ourselves.  Kids are as innocent as it gets in this world and a shark ate one.  It's the devil walking but swimming.

It's a great thriller.  It's even a great book if you've got the chance to read it.  But that's what it's down to... The story is fictitious.  It's been grafted, expanded and exaggerated enormously on true events that happened 10 years before the book was written.  Peter Benchley wrote the book based on personal events and events in 1964 of a man who purposely hunted down Great Whites for sport.  Sounds familiar? Hello Quint.

When Jaws came out in cinemas there was a great enthusiastic reaction to sharks as people wanted to learn about them to be like Hooper (a marine biologist)  On the other hand, there was a really bad reaction which no one foresaw.  Groups of men went out on a shark killing spree to be like Quint and they slaughtered so many sharks wanting to catch "Jaws".   But they entirely ignored Jaws was a fictitious piece.

Today, 40 years later the slaughter still goes on.  However, it's even worse as it really is for personal gain rather than a reaction of underlying fear hidden by a shaking pride and ego.  Sharks are brutally murdered for their fins for a delicacy in cultures.  Shark Fin Soup is a delicacy in China usually served at weddings and for anniversaries.  This sickens me.  What sickens me even more is how this comes about.  Sharks are hauled onto fishing boats by bait and their fins are cut off.  The sharks are then dumped back into the ocean to die an inhumane death.

Organisations like Fin Fighters UK are working to serve and protect an animal that should be left the hell alone to begin with.  It shouldn't need defending.  It's the King of the Ocean! But sadly they aren't left alone.  And even more devastating is sharks actually need our help.  I was so pleased when I heard Lush were supporting Fin Fighters.  I'll try and put it into words actually; I felt this really funny feeling in my stomach and it fluttered up to my chest and my chest swelled and felt tingly.  It felt lighter even though my heart beat a little faster.  I was so proud to be a Lushie that day.  In America I know Lush do 'Shark Fin Soap' in protest to this horrible act and I asked whether Lush UK would consider doing the same campaign.  It doesn't matter if the UK doesn't have shark 'attacks' or finning occur... The UK can be a voice in this issue and we are neglecting it terribly.

Although Lush support and respect this cause, I'm aware quite a few Lushies might not know a lot about Sharks even if they know about the cause.  Here's some things that I found really cool when learning about sharks:

• The most threatening shark to humans actually isn't the Great White ("Jaws") It's the Bull Shark as this shark can come into shallow water and can be found in rivers, unlike Great Whites.  You can be knee high in water and a Bull Shark can grab you - I've seen it! It's also pretty aggressive and territorial and if you're on the receiving end of an 'attack' you would have a fight to get away opposed to Great Whites.  When a Great White 'attacks' it usually takes a bite - which unfortunately can result in the lose of limb, have you seen how big their jaws are? - it quickly realises you aren't what it wants and will go away.  Whereas the Bull Shark likes to continue on in 'attacks' since you are its prey regardless of you tasting good/bad
• The majority of shark 'attacks' are a case of mistaken identity.  From the depths of the ocean humans tend to look and sound like sharks delicacy of seals.  The way we flap around and move in the water amits the same frequency seals do in the water.  This is where Great Whites releasing you ties in as they quickly realise you aren't a seal and don't taste great. Also wearing a watch in the ocean can be a big no-no. 
• Places like Sea World and other Aquarium places like to use the Sand Tiger Shark as the shark to display, as it looks pretty terrifying in dimmed lighting and being in a tight room like you've got no escape only makes this fear worse.   But in reality, it's pretty much non-threatening and won't harm humans.  It's only known to attack when provoked.
• The fastest shark in the world isn't even the Great White either, it's the Mako Shark.  
• Sharks are much older than Dinosaurs! They were roaming the Earth's ocean long before Dinosaurs existed.
• The biggest shark in the ocean is the Whale Shark and although it's big in size, it poses no threat to humans.  It must use its entire body to swim so it won't attack humans like other sharks do.  However, don't be mistaken.  If you are hit by its tail it could cause some serious damage as the force would be really, really strong.  The Whale Shark glides along in water and takes food from water it picks up.  Basically, it filters food from water it takes in.
• And a Great White has really impressive teeth.  Not the kind of teeth a dentist wants to look at though! Its teeth can tear through flesh, meat and bone effortlessly.  So just remember - if a Great White wants to eat you, it certainly will!

And here is a true picture of a Shark that needs our help.  Not an electronic flop.

I also want to write about why you should support this cause.  I use to wonder how people couldn't be fascinated by sharks since I was fascinated by them.  I didn't realise then it was a personal interest and not a global or shared one.  It's like a hobby in one way.  Some like the piano and some don't.  Some aren't interested in sharks and some are.

My breath was taken away when I first learned and then saw Sharks breach the water when jumping for prey.  Yes, this is true! I've watched a lot of documentaries involving Chris Fallows who was heavily involved in Cape Town Africa capturing (photographs) the first ever Great White breaching the water.  It's truly something magical for shark lovers when you first see it.  Every time you see it afterwards its always really amazing but there's nothing like the first time you see it. My breath was taken away.

Sharks are amazing creatures and humans are killing them.  They are one of the oldest creatures (if not the oldest one) we have remaining on Earth and they are being slaughtered.  They hold so much history humans can't compare to and they're not receiving respect where it is due.  Sharks are not like chickens or sheep where humans have fields of them and breed them for human diet.  We have no control over their breeding like we do farm animals (please note I'm not saying farm animal breeding is right I'm only stressing we're about to cause extinction beyond the cruelty already served for sharks)  We are about to cause extinction in sharks.  And it's rather incredible that the king of the ocean becomes the size of an ant to our hands.  I hope and hope and hope we will be 'Fin Free by 2023' ending the sale and distribution of sharks fins.  And with Lush supporting this amazing organisation I feel more free to speak my mind on the matter as I know Lush and Lushies are behind this organisation, behind me and behind the creatures I love.

Thank you for reading.

Instagram: @lushvoyage

Click here to go to Fin Fighters UK website 

All images in this post are from Google.  I did not take or create any of them and I do not take ownership of them.  I use them as part of this post in support.  

'Fin Fighters' graphic is from Fin Fighters UK website.