Welcome to World of Sharks, a podcast all about sharks, rays and their underwater habitat brought to you by the Save our Seas Foundation. Forget Jaws – there is SO much more to sharks than their fearsome reputation. Join scientist and shark nerd Dr Isla Hodgson as she chats with leading experts in shark science, conservation and storytelling to take a deep dive into the fascinating world of one of the most diverse, well-adapted, enigmatic, misunderstood and threatened groups of animals on the planet.
Episodes
Thursday Oct 26, 2023
Thursday Oct 26, 2023
It's spooky season! And we're taking the opportunity to celebrate some close relatives of sharks and rays who don't get talked about as much as they deserve: the chimaeras. Also known as ghost sharks, spookfish, ratfish and rabbitfish, these ancient creatures glide in the dark of the deep ocean, much of their life shrouded in mystery. Helping us learn more about them is our guest, fish biologist and SOSF project leader Dr Luz Erandi Saldaña Ruiz. In this episode we learn all about Luz's work, which aims to improve the management of data-poor and data-limited fisheries in Mexico and find out all there is to know about the sharks' enigmatic cousins, who Luz works closely with. Digressions include Tim Burton's A Nightmare Before Christmas, sea creatures that defy reality, and a shark with starry skin.
You can follow Luz on Instagram (@erandiscienceart), twitter (@Sarudanya) and Facebook (ErandiScienceArt). You can also read more about her project here: https://saveourseas.com/project/catch-up-mexicos-shark-fisheries/.
You can find the shownotes for this episode here: https://saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast
You can find out more about us by following @saveourseasfoundation on instagram, and @SaveOurSeas on twitter.
Thursday Oct 12, 2023
Shark brains: how are they wired? With Dr Kara E. Yopak
Thursday Oct 12, 2023
Thursday Oct 12, 2023
Have you ever wondered what a shark’s brain looks like? How the brain of a goblin shark compares to a mako? What makes a whale shark tick? Or…what it’s like to get a shark brain in the post?
These are all things that Dr Kara E. Yopak, shark brain expert and director of the EXCELLENTLY named ZoMBiE lab knows a thing or two about! Kara is interested in what different shark brains look like and how these differences have evolved over time. She looks at variations in brain size between species, as well as differences in how the brain is organised and structured. This information can give us insight into how sharks live, their habitat, and even their behaviour. Grab your lab coats, because neuroscience is served…
Join the zombie squad and find out more about Kara by following her on social media (@ProfSharkbrain, @YopakZoMBiELab, https://yopaklab.com).
You can find the shownotes for this episode here: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast and find out more about us by following @saveourseasfoundation on instagram and @SaveOurSeas on twitter.
Thursday Sep 28, 2023
Saving sharks in the Seychelles with Ellie Moulinie and Dillys Pouponeau
Thursday Sep 28, 2023
Thursday Sep 28, 2023
This week, we are transporting you to a tropical island haven for sharks and rays in the beautiful outer islands of the Seychelles! We will be guided by the wonderful Dillys Pouponeau (@dillyseychelles) and Ellie Moulinie (@miss_tropics), who are research officers at the Save Our Seas Foundation D'Arros Research Centre. D'Arros island and its sister atoll, St. Joseph, have been labelled a 'pristine wilderness', with thriving coral reefs, sandy beaches, lush seagrass beds, dense mangrove forests and clear waters all bursting at the seams with life. But it is that way because of the hard work of the scientists and conservationists at D'Arros to restore, research and protect this incredible environment. In this episode we learn all about D'Arros and its inhabitants, including a whole suite of sharks from baby black-tip reef sharks to fully-grown bull and tiger sharks, and of course, the manta rays. And we find out all about Ellie and Dillys' research into these species, their great adventures into the 'crazy wild' Amirantes islands, and what it was like to grow up in the island nation.
You can find out more about D'Arros by following them on social media (@darrosresearchcentre) or on their website: https://saveourseas.com/sosf-darros-research-centre
Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
How powerful is a shark’s sense of smell? With Dr Lauren Eve Simonitis
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
Sharks have a reputation as 'swimming noses' - but just how well can they smell?
This week we are diving into the fascinating world of snoot science with aquatic sensory biologist Dr Lauren Simonitis! Expect the ins and outs of shark noses, along with detours to explore the anti-predator strategies of sea slugs and cuttlefish, a shark that eats its greens, and a type of whale that inks while it poops. And we break down some famous myths about sharks…like do they really go into a feeding frenzy from the mere scent of blood?
Find out more about Lauren: @explauren, https://www.laurenevesimonitis.com/, https://www.misselasmo.org/
Find out more about us: @saveourseasfoundation (instagram and tiktok) @SaveOurSeas (twitter), www.saveourseas.com
Shownotes: https://saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast
Thursday Aug 31, 2023
Greenland Sharks: Old, Cold and Fascinating with Dr Julius Nielsen
Thursday Aug 31, 2023
Thursday Aug 31, 2023
Greenland sharks are the world's longest living vertebrate, with a longevity that can be measured in centuries. But what do they do during that long life? In this episode, we speak with scientist and "Greenland Shark Detective" Dr Julius Nielsen, who has studied these mysterious creatures for many years. Julius was part of the first team to estimate their extraordinary lifespan, and explains exactly how they did it. He also walks us through some other fascinating aspects of their biology and ecology, including what they eat (answer: pretty much anything), how deep they can go (pretty deep!), their reproductive habits (becoming sexually mature at 150 and then having hundreds of babies, anyone?!), and some very unusual parasites…
You can follow Julius on instagram and twitter: @juniel85
You can also follow Save Our Seas Foundation on instagram and tiktok (@saveourseasfoundation) and twitter (@SaveOurSeas).
Shownotes for this episode: https://saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast
Thursday Aug 17, 2023
The history and politics of shark ”attacks” with Dr Chris Pepin-Neff
Thursday Aug 17, 2023
Thursday Aug 17, 2023
The impact of the Hollywood blockbuster Jaws on shark conservation, public perception and even policy-making has been studied since its release in 1975, but today we’re looking even further back in time to understand where that idea of sharks as man-eating monsters first came from, and how it gained traction to get to where we are today. It’s a fascinating story involving Victorian game hunters, shark “rabies”, the U.S. Navy, film soundtracks designed to make your heart race, and an Australian surgeon who decided to try his hand at marine biology. To walk us through all of this, we have an amazing guest who has pieced all of these puzzle pieces together – Dr Chris Pepin-Neff, senior lecturer in public policy at the University of Sydney, Save our Seas Foundation project leader and expert in shark bite politics.
You can follow Chris on twitter (@pepin_neff) or read more about them here https://saveourseas.com/project-leader/christopher-neff/ and find some of their research here https://sydney.academia.edu/ChrisPepinNeff.
You can find the shownotes for this episode here: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast
Follow us on social media! We are @saveourseasfoundation on instagram and tiktok, and @SaveOurSeas on twitter
Thursday Jul 27, 2023
What can we learn from a shark’s DNA? With Professor Mahmood Shivji
Thursday Jul 27, 2023
Thursday Jul 27, 2023
Grab your labcoats! This week we are diving into the fascinating world of genetics to find out what we can learn from shark DNA with Mahmood Shivji, professor of marine science at Nova Southeastern University in Florida and director of the Guy Harvey Institute and Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Research Center (SOSF-SRC). In this episode we discuss shark forensics, the magical healing abilities of white sharks, and what DNA can tell us about the conservation status of some of the world's most endangered species.
Shownotes: https://saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast
Find out more about the Save Our Seas Foundation here: www.saveourseas.com. You can also find us on twitter (@SaveOurSeas) and instagram (@saveourseasfoundation).
Thursday Jul 13, 2023
Thursday Jul 13, 2023
Something we talk about a lot on this podcast is the sheer diversity of sharks and their relatives. With over 500 species of shark alone - not to mention the rays, skates and chimaeras - there is so much to them than just the Jaws stereotype. In this episode, we are talking about some species you may never have heard of, each with their own fantastical adaptations - a tiny deep sea shark with lightsabers on its back, a seriously laid-back species with a highly unusual shape, a fearsome pink predator with slingshot jaws, and a shark so rare that our deep sea shark expert had to wait a decade to see it.
We had the help and expertise of three amazing shark scientists, go show them some love!
Dr Brit Finucci: @BritFinucci (twitter), @britfinucci (IG)
Vicky Vásquez: @VickySharky (twitter), @VickyShark (IG), www.VickyShark.com, www.RogueSharkLab.org
A-bel Gong: @Elasmabel (twitter), @gong_and_a_bell (IG), https://agong1564.wixsite.com/website
Timestamps:
Getting to know our guests [7.09 - 22.20]
Goblin sharks (Vicky's species) [22.20-35.23]
White-tailed dogfish (Brit's species) [35.23-43.10]
Shovelnose guitarfish (A-bel's species) [43.10 - 51.20]
Velvet belly lantern shark (Isla's species) [51.20 - 54.10]
Shownotes:
https://saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast
Thursday Jun 29, 2023
Documenting the Great African Seaforest with Craig Foster
Thursday Jun 29, 2023
Thursday Jun 29, 2023
This week on World of Sharks, we are diving into the Great African Seaforest - the world's only forest of giant bamboo kelp, which stretches more than 1000km from the shores of Cape Town to the coastline of Namibia - with conservation film-maker and SOSF project leader Craig Foster (The Sea Change Project, My Octopus Teacher). In this episode we talk about the importance of the Seaforest, especially to sharks and rays, cold water immersion and Craig's deep connection with the ocean. Digressions include some inquisitive tiger sharks, napping pyjama sharks and how it feels to fly through an magical underwater forest!
You can find out more about the Seaforest and the Sea Change Project here: www.seachangeproject.com.
Shownotes: https://saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast.
Follow us on social media over at @saveourseasfoundation (instagram) and @SaveOurSeas (twitter)
Thursday Jun 15, 2023
Encouraging the next generation of shark conservationists with Dr Clova Mabin
Thursday Jun 15, 2023
Thursday Jun 15, 2023
On today's episode of World of Sharks, we are discussing a very important topic in conservation: how to encourage, support and nurture young people to care for and protect our ocean, while being mindful of the many other pressures that they face. How can we teach them about the issues facing the natural world, while maintaining hope? How do we empower them to take action for conservation, while still allowing them to be kids? We're talking about all this and more with Dr Clova Mabin, director of the Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Education Centre (https://saveourseas.com/sosf-shark-education-centre/). Based in Cape Town, South Africa, the centre works with under-resourced communities who face many barriers to connecting with the ocean. We talk about the work that the education team do to help build knowledge and confidence around the marine environment, provide a safe space to enjoy blue spaces and help young people find their own place in protecting it.
You can follow the Shark Education Centre on Instagram, Twitter and Tiktok: @sharkcentre
Shownotes: https://saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast
Save Our Seas Foundation: @saveourseasfoundation (Instagram), @SaveOurSeas (twitter) and www.saveourseas.com