GILBERT ISLANDS (KIRIBATI)- Overfishing is not just a sign of modern times. Hundreds of years ago species vanished by overfishing. That is the important conclusion of a study of ancient Pacific weaponry. In Kiribati at least two shark species.
A collection of vicious weapons made of shark teeth reveals that two species of sharks vanished from the reefs of Kiribati before scientists even noticed the species were there.
Until about 130 years ago, residents of the Gilbert Islands, which make up much of the Republic of Kiribati in the Pacific Ocean, used teeth from dusky sharks (Carcharhinus obscrus) and spotfin sharks (Carcharhinus sorrah) to make swords, spears, daggers and other fearsome weapons. Today, spotfin sharks can be found near Australia and Indonesia, and dusky sharks can be spotted near Fiji — but neither plies the waters around Kiribati.
Read more at NBC News.