Editor’s Note

Time and again, human greed and carelessness have been disrupting the balance formed over generations of evolution and adaptation. Be it in the political, social, or natural realm, some of these disruptions have been reversible, while others, not as much.

Inarguably, it is in the environmental realm that the most damage has been done. Sharks and corals have suffered more than any other marine animals: An estimated 100 million sharks are killed every year, and half of the world’s corals have already been lost, with as much as 90 percent of our reefs projected to be gone by 2050. Though both these groups of animals are at the extreme ends of the ocean’s food chain, they both have vital roles to play in the ecosystem.

Faced with these alarming figures, an army of scientists and conservationists have stepped up to defend, protect, and restore. Here, we would like to recognise and celebrate their achievements – small in their own ways, but significant in the grand scheme of things. Many of these heroes have dedicated their entire lives to saving our sharks and our reefs, and it is without a doubt that progress has been made. But if the rest of us sit back and leave the battle to them, it won’t be long before the figures catch up, and the damage becomes irreversible.