Daring...exciting...toothy...these words describe the many shark-related thrillers that often bring to mind vivid images of dramatic and terrifying scenes. Portraying sharks as the monster, such films can be harmful to the innocent creatures swimming in our oceans because they evoke fear in people who play at the beach or dive over a coral reef. Some individuals may even find themselves worrying about what’s lurking beneath the waves — and if it’s hungry. But in reality, sharks are some of the planet’s most misunderstood creatures, an issue worsened by the media’s love for drama and violence.

As an incredibly attractive location for marine life, Florida provides the ideal habitat for many sharks that suffer from this PR nightmare. In fact, a wide variety of shark species make our waters their home, including the protected hammerheads and angel sharks. In August 2013, for example, researchers at Ocearch in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, captured and tagged a 14-foot, 2,300-pound white shark named Katherine. Since that day, Katherine has traveled nearly 40,000 miles to visit Florida each year. Most recently, this incredible fish was spotted off the coast in Cape Canaveral.

Because of their diversity and the critical role each shark plays in the ecosystem, conservation efforts in the Sunshine State have become more important than ever. Thankfully Ocearch, which aims to monitor marine life and thereby promote conservation, is not the only organization working to save sharks. Rather, many individuals, groups, and businesses are working together to dispel the terrifying myths surrounding these animals. By promoting better education and awareness, these actions provide new knowledge, such as insights into their behavior, and increase public understanding of their not-so-scary nature.

Although individual sharks may be blissfully unaware of the issues they face, their existence as a whole is largely threatened by human actions. Commercial shark finning — a practice that involves capturing sharks, cutting off their fins, and discarding the carcass — is considered a threat that’s not only harmful to shark populations but also extremely wasteful. Researchers have estimated that this practice leads to the death of over 100 million sharks per year.

Even if sharks are not targeted by commercial fishing vessels, they may still be vulnerable as bycatch. A fishery that targets tuna or billfish, for instance, will likely catch some shark species in their nets. And while this isn’t intentional, it can still lead to the deaths of many sharks, decimating their populations. Other human impacts have also led to the reduction of shark populations, including habitat degradation. This all-encompassing term refers to the destruction of areas where sharks can survive, often as a result of climate change, pollution, or physical destruction.

But why are sharks so vulnerable - and why do they need saving from these issues? Sharks can live pretty long lives (the oldest living vertebrate is a Greenland shark that’s estimated to be at least 300 years old!), it takes them years to mature, and when they do reproduce, they usually have only a few pups. Collectively, these traits are known as life-history characteristics, which have been adapted over time and allow the sharks to fulfill a specific niche in their environment. But when an exorbitant number of sharks are killed each year as a result of human activity, it reduces their ability to survive long enough to reproduce. And if they can’t reproduce, then it’s only a matter of time before their numbers run out. Thankfully, there are a few heroes working to raise awareness and save the sharks.