Sawfish On The Brink Of Extinction, Gone In Over Half Its Natural Habitats

So what's behind the sawfish decline? Commercial fishing is the animal's primary opponent. Industrial nets snag their once-useful saws, and individuals meet their ends as bycatch. Pollution and habitat loss also present problems — as does marine poaching for teeth and fins, which are prized as trophies and traditional medicine elements. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature categorizes three of the five sawfish species as Critically Endangered and two as Endangered.