Shark Week, a.k.a the “Super Bowl of the Ocean,” is back for its 28th season and the National Aquarium is working with Discovery Channel to provide some unique, educational programming.
Throughout this week, the National Aquarium—on-site, via social media, and live-streaming through the Discovery Channel’s website—will host a variety of events and activities for shark fans:
From a National Aquarium press release:
- From July 6-8, the National Aquarium will host daily diver chats at 3:20 p.m. led by members of the Aquarium’s biological programs and education teams. Experts will answer questions from Blacktip Reef Shark Cam viewers and Aquarium guests. The public is encouraged to submit their questions in advance on Twitter using #SharkDiverChat.
- At 11 a.m. on July 7, the Aquarium will host its first-ever Facebook Q&A on sharks. The Q&A will bring together in-house shark experts and others from partner organizations including Ocearch.
- On July 8, the Discovery Channel will be live-streaming the National Aquarium’s Blacktip Reef shark feeding via Meerkat at 9 a.m.
- On July 9, shark researcher Chris Fischer will give a lecture entitled “Tracking Great White Sharks: Inspired Boy Becomes Global Explorer” as part of the Aquarium’s Marjorie Lynn Banks Lecture Series. Fischer, a well-known personality in outdoor television and conservation circles who’s show “Offshore Adventures” won two Emmys and was America’s most watched outdoor television show during its 180-episode run on ESPN, will discuss what inspired him to help great white sharks and other apex ocean predators.
Shark enthusiasts can also test their knowledge of the prehistoric, predators of the marine world throughout the week with an interactive quiz hosted live on the Aquarium’s website.
“The infatuation with sharks has grown exponentially over the years, and with it, so have the many myths,” said Holly Bourbon, curator of fishes at National Aquarium. “Shark Week is the perfect opportunity for us to debunk some of those myths and shed light on the beauty and truth behind these amazing animals.”
New highlights on the Discovery Channel this week include video footage of the biggest great white ever filmed, a mako shark cam, and expert discussions about the recent attacks of 11 people off North Carolina and South Carolina beaches.
Sharks have also been in the local news for other reasons lately, including a hammerhead sighting off Ocean City and the appearance of a giant great white—a 16-foot, 3,400-pounder—a half-mile off the Jersey Shore. It’s all coinciding this summer, by the way, with the 40th anniversary of Jaws—which we should note, if you prefer your shark viewing from the safety and comfort of a movie seat—is getting a pair of screenings over the next few days at The Senator.