Counting the Mako: teacher key

Mako Sharks, grade 12 edition, written for 12th grade and up. The mako's numbers have fallen. See what the records say, which rules protect it and what is still not known about makos.

Read the book. Print this page for the key.

Questions and answers

1. What does the IUCN Red List say about the shortfin mako, as of November 2026?
   • It is Endangered (answer)
   • It is extinct
   • It is safe
2. By how much did the IUCN estimate the global population fell?
   • 4.6 percent
   • 46.6 percent, weighted by region (answer)
   • 100 percent
3. Which countries banned keeping makos caught in Atlantic fisheries?
   • Only Japan
   • None
   • Canada, then Spain and Portugal (answer)
4. Why are makos vulnerable to overfishing?
   • They are slow to mature and have young only every three years (answer)
   • They lay many eggs
   • They live one year
5. What did the 2021 review find about overfishing?
   • It affected none
   • It affected all 391 threatened species (answer)
   • It helped sharks
6. Why are makos a vital part of ocean life?
   • They are tiny
   • They eat plants
   • They are top predators (answer)

Words

• overfishing: catching too many
• endangered: at risk
• isotope: element form
• predator: animal hunter