The Humane Society International (HSI) and the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) released photos of tiger sharks and a bull shark that were ensnared in drum lines off the coast of the Magnetic Island in Northern Queensland.
Nicola Beynon, head of campaigns of HSI, said the photos showed that the animals “met a cruel end” because the sharks were just left there to die slowly.
Both conservation groups believe that by releasing the photos public should convince the Queensland government to finally ban the “controversial culling program,” according to a report by the Daily Mail.
“These images show the intense suffering inflicted on marine animals by this outdated practice. Not only does the Queensland Government insist on slaughtering sharks, but it has recently passed legislation making it illegal to document the horror,” Beynon told The Daily Mail.
According to the Australian Shark Report Card, the population of tiger sharks, which were frequently caught, already dropped up to three quarters and will continue to decrease if government officials will not intervene and manage the problem.