World of Sharks

Ask Us Anything About Sharks (Round 2)! With Dr James Lea

We're diving back into our mailbag to answer more of your burning sharky questions! In this episode we address all sorts of fascinating queries such as how bioluminescence evolved in sharks, which species are capable of breathing while they’re not swimming, and whether sharks are really older than trees. Plus, we take deep dives into several awesome species – great white sharks, grey reef sharks, pocket sharks and of course, James’ favourite, the velvet belly lantern shark. 

Specific question timestamps:

Q1: Are there any shark species that are showing signs of adapting well to climate change? [3.36 – 10.21]

Q2: Has there ever been more observations of any of the two species of Mollisquama (pocket sharks)? [10.31 – 13.20]

Q3: How did bioluminescence in species like the pocket shark evolve? Was it independent, or did their last common ancestor have bioluminescent fluid? [13.40-15.11]

Q4: We rarely hear about white sharks in the vicinity of South America, either ocean, with the exception of seasonal migrations of NA white sharks into the US South Atlantic coast and Caribbean. My question is: why not? [15.22 – 21.49]

Q5: Which shark species can stay still and breathe through buccal pumping? [21.59-28.44]

Q6: Which species of shark and ray are most closely related? [28.54 – 37.50]

Q7: What is the most surprising thing you’ve learnt in your career (when you first started, vs. most recently)? [37.58 – 44.58]

Q8: Shark [bite incidents] often go unreported for various reasons despite the best efforts of educational institutes to accurately record them. What do you think the real number of global [incidents] might be? [45.06-52.14]

Do you have any questions you'd like researched and answered on the pod? Get in touch! You can email isla@saveourseas.com or message us on socials: @saveourseasfoundation.

 

 

Painting the Town Blue: Artivism and Bringing the Ocean to the Streets with Tré Packard and Akira Biondo

Art has the power to change perspectives, spark dialogue, and raise awareness of the complex issues facing our ocean. This is exactly why PangeaSeed was established. Since its inception in 2010, PangeaSeed has brought together local artists and their communities to collaborate on large-scale, vibrant public artworks on the walls of their towns and cities, depicting the ocean, her inhabitants, and the challenges she faces, in line with PangeaSeed's mission to bridge art and science. Over the last decade,  over 500 murals have been created in locations across the world. Ahead of their travels to Seychelles, Isla sat down with executive director and director of operations for PangeaSeed, Tre and Akira, to discuss the intersection of art and ocean conservation, the importance of community and connection, and how sharks started an entire movement. 

You can find out more about PangeaSeed here www.pangeaseed.org, or on social media (@pangeaseed and @seawalls_). 

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

Follow us on socials! We are @saveourseasfoundation across all platforms. 

All Shark, No Bite - How Ocean Acidification Could Affect Shark Teeth with Max Baum

In August 2025, a paper published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science suggested that ocean acidification could negatively impact a shark's most useful tool: their teeth. We speak with the papers lead author, Max Baum, about this research, and what the findings could mean for the sharks of tomorrow. Plus we take a deep dive into the wonders of shark teeth, and meet a decidedly unbothered tiger shark named Farida.

You can read the paper we discuss in this episode here: Simulated Ocean Acidification Affects Shark Tooth Morphology 

You can also follow Max on Instagram (@maxbaum_insights) and discover more about his work here: www.ocean-insights.org.

Full shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast.

Find out more about us by following @saveourseasfoundation across all platforms!

The Secret History of Sharks! Shark Evolution and Adaptations with Professor John Long

Sharks have been around a long, long time (over 450 million years!). But how did they evolve into the extraordinarily diverse and successful group of animals that we have today? On today's episode, we meet palaeontologist and author of The Secret History of Sharks, Professor John Long, to discuss a thrilling story of evolutionary experimentation, fossilised clues, and above all, survival.

The Secret History of Sharks is available now: https://www.quercusbooks.co.uk/titles/john-long-2/the-secret-history-of-sharks/9781529427356/

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

 

Shark Depredation: An Emerging Challenge in Shark Conservation with Mina Hatayama

The Maldives has served as a shark sanctuary for 15 years, and is now one of the most diverse regions for sharks and rays in the world. But with great success comes a new problem: conflict with humans. Fishers are reporting a loss of some of their catch to sharks, an issue known as depredation. For her PhD, SOSF project leader Mina Hatayama is seeking to understand depredation in the Maldives, studying shark behaviour and how it impacts local fishers and their attitudes towards sharks. She will also be asking the very intriguing question of whether hotter sharks are hungrier sharks, exploring the potential role of ocean warming in these increased depredation incidents, as well as working closely with the local fishing community to understand their perspectives and co-develop sustainable solutions.

In this episode, we dive into the challenges of humans and sharks sharing space and resources. It’s a really insightful conversation that weaves together all kinds of issues, from human attitudes and shifting baselines, to the influence of global threats such as climate change on human-wildlife interactions. We also discuss how complex and delicate these situations can be, and the realities of navigating an interdisciplinary project. 

Read more about Mina’s ongoing SOSF project here https://saveourseas.com/project/attitudes-and-costs-from-a-new-conservation-challenge/ and here https://www.fishandfisheries.com/minahatayama.

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

 

 

Nurse Sharks: The Sharks That Like to Cuddle with Sergio Madrigal Mora

Sometimes called the 'couch potatoes of the sea', nurse sharks are famous for their laid back attitude to life spending most of their days cosied up in piles, napping. But their gentle, docile nature doesn't make them any less special. In this episode, we sit down with SOSF project leader and PhD Researcher Sergio Madrigal Mora - who has spent a lot of time hanging out with the Labradors of the shark world - to discuss how nurse sharks are perfectly adapted to life in the tropics and why they form 'cuddle huddles' on the sea floor. And, we learn more about Sergio's research into the influence of changing temperatures on the movements of Pacific nurse sharks in Costa Rica's St Elena Bay.

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

You can follow Sergio on Instagram: @sergiomm_77 or @tiburones_ucr. You can find us across all platforms as @saveourseasfoundation.

Papers mentioned in this episode: https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v750/meps14733,
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022098125000589,
https://connectsci.au/mf/article/75/2/MF23162/61130/Long-distance-
dispersal-of-the-endangered-Pacific

 

How Do Sharks See The World? A Deep Dive Into Shark Vision with Dr Lily Fogg

We know sharks have incredible senses, but just how good is their eyesight? In this episode, we explore the world through a shark's eyes with fish vision expert Dr Lily Fogg. How does fish vision compare to our own? How do the eyes of a fish living on a vibrant coral reef differ from those hanging out in the murky depths? And do sharks see in technicolour, or multiple shades of grey?

We also take a dive deep into Lily's most recent research, which investigated the eyes of the world's longest living vertebrate: the greenland shark. Her findings challenge a commonly held perception of these ancient creatures, and push the boundaries of what we thought was physiologically possible...

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

You can read the full study on greenland shark vision here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-67429-6

You can find SOSF on social media by searching for @saveourseasfoundation across all platforms. 

 

Ask Us Anything About Sharks! With Dr James Lea

To kick off our new season, we're diving into our mailbag to answer your burning questions! From speedy sharks to mimicry and even fossilised shark poop, we're leaving no stone unturned...

Thank you to everyone who sent in a question - we had so many we ended up doing two episodes! Part 2 will be out later in the season.

Questions answered (with timestamps):

• 04.54: Do any sharks, other than megamouth sharks, use mimicry?
• 14.15: Are megamouth sharks regional endotherms? 
• 19.22: Do magnetic shark deterrents work?
• 30.28: Are hydrothermal vent species able to move around? 
• 32.54: How do we know which prehistoric shark fossilised poop came from?
• 41.13: How do basking sharks find their food? 
• 47.49: Which is the fastest shark?
• 52.34: If you could pass one international law to help sharks, which would it be?

You can also read our answers in the shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

Making Way for Sharks and Rays: Where Do We Go From Here? With Sarah Fowler & Rima Jabado

The conversations that shape the fate of sharks and rays rarely happen in quiet laboratories or out at sea. More often, they unfold in fluorescent-lit halls, behind nameplates and microphones, inside sprawling congress centres where global decisions about nature are made. At the IUCN World Conservation Congress, surrounded by thousands of delegates debating the future of biodiversity, host Isla sat down with SOSF Scientific Advisor Sarah Fowler and Chair of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group, Dr Rima Jabado, to discuss how far we’ve come in the race to save sharks and rays from extinction – and what steps we need to take next to ensure their future on this planet. 

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

Find out more about the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) here: www.saveourseas.com or follow @saveourseasfoundation across all platforms. 

Bioluminescence: How Glowing Sharks Light Up the Deep

Did you know that there are over 60 species of shark who are luminous? In this episode, we learn all about the sharks who light up the darkness of the deep sea. How are they able to produce their own light? And why have they evolved the ability to glow? We are joined by Professor Jerome Mallefet, an expert in bioluminescence who has studied some of the most fantastical species on earth, including a shark with lightsabers on its back - the velvet belly lanternshark - and the largest known luminous vertebrate, the kitefin shark.  

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

Find us on socials! @saveourseasfoundation