World of Sharks

What do basking sharks eat? With Shane Wasik and Rachel Brooks

This episode we are jumping fins first into the weird and mysterious life of the second-largest shark in the world - basking sharks! I am joined by Shane and Rachel from Basking Shark Scotland, an organisation on the beautiful west coast of Scotland, which happens to be one of the global hotspots to see these sharks. Over summer they spend everyday in the water with basking sharks and know a thing or two about them...together, we answer all your questions about the big beasties, including what they eat, where they go after summer, how they mate and what threats they face. Stay tuned to find out how such a huge shark is adapted to eat enough of its tiny food source, meet a humpback whale called Barney, and why basking sharks touch fins sometimes...

Rachel: @rach.underwater, @rachelbrooksart, https://rachelbrooksart.com/

Shane: @shanewasik

Basking Shark Scotland: www.baskingsharkscotland.co.uk, @baskingsharkscotland

Video of basking shark breaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJgon0C3bbs

This podcast was brought to you by the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF). You can find out more about our work here: https://saveourseas.com/

What is the fin trade, and what does it mean for sharks? With Ali Hood and Diego Cardeñosa

Get your SCUBA kit ready for a deep dive...because this week, we're taking a closer look at the global shark fin trade. We'll be finding out exactly what finning is, why there is a demand for shark fins in the first place, and the impact this can have on shark populations globally. Additionally, we'll explore finning in the context of overfishing - the biggest threat to sharks worldwide - and discuss other shark products sold on the global market, as well as how we might begin to overcome the huge and very complex issues associated with the shark trade to forge a better future for sharks. 

My VERY special and knowledgeable guests this week are scientist and expert on the international shark trade, Diego Cardeñosa, and Director of Conservation for the shark trust Ali Hood. They offer insights from the perspectives of scientific research and analysis, policy-making, campaigning and raising public education and awareness, and talk about how important it is to tackle issues with the trade from all angles. We also find out why it's important to make sure you know exactly what you're feeding your cat, and what it's like to fight for sharks at the highest levels of government...

Diego: @diegocardenosa (instagram), @DiegoCardenosa (twitter), https://case.fiu.edu/about/directory/profiles/cardenosa-diego.html

Ali:  @SharkTrustUk (twitter), @thesharktrust (insta), https://www.sharktrust.org/FAQs/ali-hood

You can find references to the papers they discuss here https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-03173-9 and here https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982221011982, as well as check out a free breakdown of Pacoureau et al here https://saveourseas.com/going-going-going-oceanic-shark-species-on-the-decline/. 

You can find out more about these issues by heading to the Save Our Seas (SOSF) website (https://saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/). 

Becoming scientists and overcoming barriers with Alifa Haque, Dr Catherine Macdonald and Jasmin Graham

*TW: This is a powerful and very important conversation, however, there are references to systemic racism, sexism, discrimination and sexual assault which some listeners may find triggering [32-47 mins]*

Pursuing a career in marine science can be hugely rewarding. You can make a living studying the ocean and its inhabitants, and answering those important questions that one day might help save our seas – pretty cool, right? But setting out on the scientific path can also be a daunting, and at times, overwhelming experience. Where do you even begin? How can you get a foot in the door? Should you do a PhD? What should your research question be? And what if you don’t ‘fit the mould’?! If you’re about to take the plunge into science, or are just considering dipping in a toe, then fear not - this week we have amazing shark scientists Alifa Haque, Catherine Macdonald and Jasmine Graham on the pod to discuss their own journeys into science, the triumphs and challenges along the way, and any advice they have for budding scientists out there. We also discuss some of the systemic and structural barriers still present, and how the scientific community can work to make science a more inclusive, representative and accessible profession, on both an individual and institutional level. 

Alifa: https://saveourseas.com/project-leader/alifa-bintha-haque/, @alifa_haque (twitter), @haque.alifa (Instagram)

Jasmin: @Elasmo_Gal (twitter), @MISS_elasmo, https://www.misselasmo.org/, https://www.marscilace.org/

Catherine: Field School (www.getintothefield.com), RSMAS (rsmas.miami.edu), Instagram: @drcatmac, Twitter: @dr_catmac

 

Can recreational shark fisheries be more sustainable? With Hannah Medd and Jill Brooks

You might be familiar with fishing for sport, but have you ever heard of reeling in great hammerheads for fun? This episode we take a deep dive into the lesser known world of catch-and-release shark fishing, discuss the potential impacts on shark populations, and how it might become a more sustainable practice. Digressions include the wonders of the gulf stream, sharks with anxiety, “snowbirds” and 3am spaghetti Bolognese rituals…

Our guests this week are Hannah Medd, scientist and founder of the American Shark Conservancy (ASC), and Jill Brooks, PhD candidate at Carleton University and researcher with ASC. Together, Hannah and Jill lead a research project (https://saveourseas.com/project/shark-survival-from-the-shore/) aiming to understand the impact of catch-and-release recreational fishing on endangered great hammerhead sharks in Florida, in order to help draft better, more sustainable practices for the future. As they explain in the episode, the project is almost split into two halves: the ecological information they obtain from tagging data, and the social information gained from working directly with the angling community. The importance of having both is a theme throughout our conversation, and Jill and Hannah stress the need to facilitate knowledge exchange, and build trust and relationships, to help encourage sustainable practice.

You can find out more about ASC here https://www.americansharkconservancy.org/, or by following @SharkStudies. You can find Hannah at @sharkhugger and Jill at @jillbrooks85. 

This podcast was brought to you by the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF). You can find out more about us here: www.saveourseas.com

 

Do sharks glow in the dark? & other jawsome adaptations with Amani Webber-Schultz, Meghan Holst and Jaida Elcock (PART 2!)

This episode we dive back into our bumper episode on shark adaptations with phenomenal scientists and communicators Amani, Jaida and Meghan! In part 2, we pick up where we left off - exploring the depths of the ocean with some glow-in-the-dark sharks. We find out how and why some sharks emit their own light, meet some pretty weird characters from the deep sea, and discover the shark who loves to chow down on moose (but very, very slowly). Stay tuned to learn about Amani's love for bonnetheads, Meghan's adoration for broadnose sevengills and find out why Jaida mistrusts invertebrates...

We also learn more about Meghan (@megholst), Jaida (@soFISHtication) and Amani's (@curly_biologist) scientific careers, as well as the work they do outside of science. This includes their roles with Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS) and Minorities in Aquarium and Zoo Sciences (MIAZS), two organisations that strive to overcome systemic barriers and promote diversity and inclusion within their fields. You can find out more, and learn how to support and get involved, here www.misselasmo.org and here www.miazs.org.

This podcast is brought to you by the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF). You can find out more about us here: www.saveourseas.com

 

Do sharks glow in the dark? & other jawsome adaptations with Amani Webber-Schultz, Jaida Elcock and Meghan Holst (PART 1)

Attention all shark nerds - boy do we have a treat for you! Over the next two episodes, we'll be answering not one, but SEVEN questions about some of the weirdest, most bizarre and extreme shark species on the planet with three amazing guests: scientists and communicators Amani Webber-Schultz, Jaida Elcock and Meghan Holst!

Part 1 is jam-packed full of sharky facts. We'll be learning all about big sharks, tiny sharks, super speedy sharks, and the adaptations that allow them to survive and thrive. Tune in to find out which species has teeth on their eyeballs (!), which can emit its own light from its 'ARMPITS', and how some sharks can reach speeds of up to 45mph... We'll also be chatting about sharks that glow in the dark, but you'll have to stay tuned next week to find out why!

It was so much fun chatting to Amani, Jaida and Meghan. These ladies are seriously passionate about sharks, and their enthusiasm for all things elasmobranch really shines through! Amani (@curly_biologist) is a PhD student at the New Jersey Institute of Technology where she will be studying shark morphology. Jaida (@soFISHtication) is a PhD student in the MIT-WHOI joint program, studying the movement ecology of migratory elasmobranchs. And Meghan (@megholst) is working towards her PhD in the conservation ecology of broadnose sevengill sharks in San Fransisco bay. 

Meghan is co-founder of Minorities in Aquarium and Zoo Sciences (@MIAZS_now, www.MIAZS.org).

Jaida and Amani are co-founders of Minorities in Shark Sciences (@miss_elasmo, www.misselasmo.org)

Amani and Meghan also co-host the Sharkpedia podcast! You can find it here @sharkpediapod and listen wherever you get your podcasts!

Should I swim with sharks? With Nicki Meharg and Rich Rees (Celtic Deep)

This episode we get our teeth sunk into the dos and donts of shark tourism. Is it okay to get in the water with sharks? What could the impacts be on the animal? And what should we look for in a tourism operator? We discuss the upsides and downsides of the tourism industry and the importance of being a responsible, conscious tourist - both at sea, and on social media. Digressions include glow-in-the-dark orca, British weather and what it's like to encounter a curious blue shark in the wild...

Our jawsome guests this week are Nicki Meharg (@morlo_wildlife) and Rich Rees (@richardmrees), two incredibly experienced divers and marine conservationists who are hugely passionate about protecting and raising awareness of marine life. Together they founded Celtic Deep (www.celticdeep.org), a UK based organisation that specialise in taking people on amazing experiences off the Pembrokeshire coast, including underwater encounters with blue sharks. They have a strong focus on responsible tourism, and follow strict codes of conduct to ensure the well-being and protection of these animals. They offer their insights as both conservationists and tour operators, and give us an open and honest account of the nuances of wildlife tourism. 

This podcast is brought to you by the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) - you can find out more about our work here: www.saveourseas.com

How do sharks reproduce? With Jillian-Morris Brake and Jenny Bortoluzzi

In our first ever episode of the Whole Tooth, we take a deep dive into the weird and wonderful world of shark mating and reproduction! Digressions include the shark that takes 150 years to reach sexual maturity, baby sharks that chow down on their brothers and sisters in the womb, and the seriously cute baby sunfish.

Our special guests this week are the incredible Jillian Morris-Brake, marine biologist, award-winning underwater photographer and founder of Sharks4Kids, and multi-talented shark researcher, scuba diver and Sharks4Kids ambassador, Jenny Bortoluzzi. Sharks4Kids is a non-profit dedicated to encouraging the next generation of shark advocates through outreach, education, and adventure (www.sharks4kids.com). You can follow Jillian on @biminisharkgirl and Jenny on @sharkyjenny.

This podcast is brought to you by the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF). You can find out more about our work here: www.saveourseas.com.

The Whole Tooth Trailer!

Introducing the Whole Tooth podcast! A show all about sharks, created for you by the Save Our Seas Foundation!