Jhene Aiko is on a mission to help stop the inhumane practice of shark hunting. The singer is collaborating with the Humane Society to launch a campaign about saving these underwater creatures from the unethical act of shark finning.
The 23-year-old Los Angeles native was "shocked" to learn just how gruesome shark finning can be. Aiko can't even fathom how thes hunters cut the fins off of these unsuspecting sharks, then just discard them back into the ocean for them to sink and die.
The Grammy-nominated artist teamed up with celebrity photographer Nick Saglimbeni to harness her inner shark in order to raise awareness. Saglimbeni is known for photographing the Kardashian-Jenner family, including their infamous Christmas portraits, Nas, Gabrielle Union, T.I., Roselyn Sanchez, Vanessa Lachey, Kevin Hart, Erika Medina, and many more.
A photo posted by Nick Saglimbeni (@nicksaglimbeni) on Feb 18, 2016 at 11:22am PST
“Tens of millions of sharks are killed each year due to the demand of shark fin soup,” Aiko told the Humane Society. “These fisherman fish for sharks and they just cut off their finds and they leave them to drown and drop to the bottom of the ocean. They leave them to die."
Each year, around 73 million sharks are killed to supply the key ingredient to this dish that some people consider a delicacy. In some Asian countries, eating shark fins shows your elite status in the area, according to humanesociety.org. Aiko says it's unfair.
Aiko hopes this campaign will not only open people's eyes to the harmful practices, but also teach people to not fear sharks. The "Bed Peace" singer believes they are living creatures with feelings, just like humans.
"Overfishing is bringing many shark species to the point of extinction," Aiko told the Humane Society. "I think that's really sad. I have a 7-year-old and we both love all wildlife, all animals. We love the ocean, and it would be really sad for her to grow up and only be able to see pictures of these animals."
To find out more information about shark finning and Aiko's connection to the campaign, head to hsi.org.
