Shark Awareness Day is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of sharks in marine ecosystems and the various threats they face. The aim of the day is to dispel myths about sharks, to raise awareness about their plight and how important they are to us, and to promote their conservation.
Sharks are fish with skeletons made of flexible cartilage instead of bone, giving them a lightweight, streamlined body perfect for swimming. They have multiple rows of sharp, replaceable teeth and exposed gill slits on each side. With an extraordinary sense of smell and specialised skin scales, sharks are highly efficient predators that have existed for millions of years, making them one of the ocean’s most ancient and fascinating creatures.
But why are they so important, and on a scale of 1 – 10, just how awesome are they? Are you ready to take a deep dive into the wonderful world of sharks?
Read on to explore the 10 most jaws-dropping shark shows on Discovery that’ll have you hooked!
Sharks Are Incredible Animals!
A beautiful grey reef shark swimming in a coral reef (Credit: Aaron Bull via Getty Images)
Sharks have been around longer than trees and dinosaurs. Let’s say that again because it’s one of the world’s most astonishing facts. Sharks appear in the fossil record millions of years before trees and dinosaurs. The earliest fossil evidence of sharks dates back to around 450 million years ago, during the Late Ordovician period. These early sharks are known from fossilised scales and denticles, making them some of the oldest jawed vertebrates on Earth. Trees evolved much later, with the earliest fossilised forests dating to about 390 million years ago in the Devonian period. And it took another 40 million years for the first species to be classified as trees. Dinosaurs only appeared on land around 243 million years ago.
This means sharks were swimming in the oceans for roughly 60 – 100 million years before the first trees took root on land, and around 200 million years before the dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
If you want to know more about sharks, their habitats, their teeth, what they eat, sharks in the UK, and the largest, smallest and weirdest sharks in the world, check out our feature articles here.
They’re old, but are they important? Of course they are.
Ocean Health
Sharks are essential for keeping our oceans healthy. As apex predators, they help regulate the populations of other marine animals, making sure no single species overwhelms the ecosystem. Their presence affects everything from tiny fish to large marine mammals, helping to keep the food chain in balance. They also hunt sick and weak animals which helps to limit the spread of disease and keeps marine populations healthy.
Habitats & Biodiversity
Sharks influence the behaviour of other species. For example, by keeping sea turtle numbers in check, they help protect seagrass beds, which are important homes for many ocean creatures. They also help keep coral reefs healthy by preying on fish that might otherwise damage these delicate ecosystems. Sharks can even play a role in fighting climate change by influencing fish behaviour, which in turn helps keep carbon stored in the ocean floor.
Ecotourism & Science
Healthy shark populations attract divers and tourists, which in turn supports local economies by providing income for many coastal communities, and by studying sharks, they can teach us about evolution and ecology, and may even lead to new medical discoveries.
Why Is Shark Conservation So Important?
Hammerhead shark populations are down 80% in 50 years (Credit: by wildestanimal via Getty Images)
Of more than five hundred species of shark – from the tiny dwarf lanternshark which measures around 20cm, to the 17-metre, 25-tonne whale shark – more than a third are threatened with extinction according to the IUCN, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
In the last half-century, the global shark population has declined by around 50%, with hammerhead and angel sharks the worst-affected, with populations down by up to 80%. In addition, sharks’ slow growth and low reproductive rates make them especially vulnerable to population collapse, and without action, more species could face extinction. That’s why Shark Awareness Day is so important, because it raises public awareness, inspires conservation efforts, and helps protect these vital creatures for the future of our oceans.
The 10 Best Shark Shows on Discovery+
A rare horizontal breach of a Great White shark in South Africa (Credit: USO via Getty Images)
Sink your teeth into this fin-tastic line-up of incredible shark shows, only on Discovery+!
Shark Academy
World-famous shark expert Dr. Riley Elliott challenges eight men and women to compete for a place on his next expedition and to find the next master of apex predators. During a six-week course, the skills of these rookies will be tested, proving what it takes to become a part of the team.
I Escaped Jaws
This show features harrowing first-hand accounts from people who’ve come face-to-face with sharks and lived to tell the tale. Survivors recount their terrifying encounters, sharing the intense emotions and split-second decisions that helped them escape the ocean’s most feared predator. Many of these dramatic moments are caught on camera, offering viewers a gripping look at what it takes to survive a real-life shark attack.
Sharks of Ghost Island
Locals abandoned Ghost Island after multiple shipwrecks and shark attacks. Now, Dr. Craig O’Connell and his team of experts dive in to find out why the island at the edge of the Bermuda Triangle attracts so many sharks – including the great white.
Crikey! It’s Shark Week
Robert Irwin comes face to face with a Great White Shark for the first time ever. Following in the footsteps of his father, legendary wildlife conservationist Steve Irwin, Robert will get as close as possible to these incredible creatures to determine which apex predator reigns supreme – Crocs or Great Whites?
Alien Sharks: Ghosts of Japan
Wildlife biologist Forrest Galante explores the alien world of Japan’s oceans. Teaming up with deep-sea shark expert Christina de Silva, they search for the extremely rare Japanese angelshark, known as the “ghost of the sea.”
Expedition Unknown: Megalodon
Josh Gates embarks on an exciting journey. He dives into shark hot spots worldwide to learn the truth behind the legendary Megalodon, while following up on a cutting-edge theory explaining its extinction.
Shark Week’s 50 Best Bites
A countdown of the 50 greatest Shark Week moments of all time! Guest appearances from Craig Ferguson, Tracy Morgan, Andy Samberg and more, help celebrate 30 years of the biggest shark discoveries.
Sharks of the Dead Zone
Dr. Tiara Moore has discovered bull sharks thriving in polluted, algae-filled lagoons. Teaming up with Dr. Craig O’Connell, they study why pregnant females still migrate there and how their pups survive in a seemingly hostile environment.
Island of the Walking Sharks
International wildlife conservationist and biologist Forrest Galante faces pirates, jungles, snakes, crocs and more as he travels to the coral reefs of the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea to investigate rumors of a new species of walking shark.
Abandoned Waters
Lack of human activity on the water caused by the global lockdown has led the largest great whites in South Australia to return to their natural behaviours. Shark experts can now study them up close and personal in ways that were nearly impossible before.
This is just a small selection of the sensational shark shows you should see on Discovery+.
