These iconic and endangered shark-like rays were once found in warm, coastal waters of 90 nations and are now presumed extinct in more than half. Overfishing and habitat loss have reduced spatial occupancy, leading to local extinctions in 55 of the 90 nations, which equates to 58.7% of their historical distribution.
Despite several international treaty mandates, most of the nations where sawfish presence is uncertain and extinction probability is very low have yet to establish legal protections for sawfishes (e.g., Madagascar, Colombia, and Panama).