Sharks and rays are found all over the world; from the freezing waters of the Arctic to the tropical Indo-Pacific, and just about everywhere else in between. This means that shark conservation is a global effort, spanning multiple countries, cultures, customs and languages. But did you know that 98% of scientific research is published exclusively in English? In this episode of the World of Sharks podcast, we discuss how linguistic bias can limit shark conservation and the value of publishing and communicating shark science in multiple languages. We are joined by Jaime Penadés-Suay, founder and president of Associacó LAMNA, and Hettie Brown, conservation officer for The Shark Trust. Jaime and Hettie recently collaborated to organise the first 'Wikimaratón de Tiburones y Rayas' (Sharks and Rays Wikimarathon), an event that motivated people from around the world to expand and improve information about elasmobranchs on the digital encyclopedia, publishing over 100 articles in Spanish!

You can read more about Wikimaratón de Tiburones y Rayas here: https://wikimedia.es/mas-de-100-articulos-sobre-tiburones-y-rayas-enriquecen-la-wikipedia-en-espanol/ and here: https://www.sharktrust.org/tiburones-y-rayas

You can also follow the project on Instagram: @rayas_y_tiburones

You can also follow Jaime (@jaimepenades) and LAMNA (@lamnaassociacio) on instagram. You can find Hettie on X/twitter (@hettiemermaid) and The Shark Trust on both instagram (@thesharktrust) and X/twitter (@sharktrustuk)

You can find out more about the Save Our Seas Foundation by heading to www.saveourseas.com or by following us on instagram (@saveourseasfoundation) and X/twitter (@SaveOurSeas).

Did you know that some sharks can keep parts of their body warm to allow them to move faster, swim for longer, see more clearly and think better?? Or, that basking sharks have a gigantic heart?! This week we are diving into the fascinating world of shark physiology and anatomy to learn about a special trait only found in a handful of species: regional endothermy. To take us on this journey of discovery we are joined by Dr Haley Dolton, marine biologist specialising in the physiology and ecology of large, regionally endothermic fishes!

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast 

You can follow Haley on X/Twitter (@haleydolton) or head to her website, www.haleydolton.com

You can find out more about us by heading to www.saveourseas.com, or following us on social media. We are @saveourseasfoundation on Instagram and TikTok, and @SaveOurSeas on X/Twitter. 

The ocean is warming at a rapid pace. This year (2024) began with the highest global Sea Surface Temperature (SST) on record, and scientists are already warning of mass coral bleaching events and other worrying consequences for marine life. But how could rising temperatures impact sharks, particularly in the early stages of life when they are most vulnerable? PhD student and “mother-of-sharks” Noémie Coulon is trying to understand the effects of ocean warming and acidification on baby sharks, using an egg-laying species – the small-spotted catshark – as an example. In this episode, we follow her work as she raises catsharks in the lab, testing the effects of different environmental conditions at key stages in their development.   

Follow along with Noémie's work on twitter (@noemie_coulon) and instagram (@noemie.coulon.9). 

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

In February 2024, a round stingray from a small, rural aquarium in the middle of a shopping mall unexpectedly took the world by storm. She was pregnant, but how this had happened was a complete mystery - there were no male stingrays in the tank, nor had there ever been...

In this episode we are joined by scientist and science communicator Dr David Shiffman (@whysharksmatter) to examine Charlotte's case. We go deep into the various theories that could explain Charlotte's pregnancy to get to the bottom of what really happened. No, a shark did not get a ray pregnant, but what did happen is even more fascinating. It's a good excuse to take a deep dive into the more unusual methods of shark and ray reproduction, including the super cool zoological phenomenon that is parthenogenesis! 

You can find out more about David here https://davidshiffmancv.com/, find his book here https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/12267/why-sharks-matter and read his article on Charlotte for Southern Fried Science: https://www.southernfriedscience.com/no-a-shark-did-not-get-a-stingray-pregnant-but-what-really-happened-is-pretty-cool/

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

The international shark fin trade is a billion-dollar industry. It is also driving declines in shark populations around the world. In this episode, we are joined by Luke Warwick, expert in global shark policy, to learn how CITES - an international agreement between governments to regulate trade in endangered species - could help protect sharks and rays from overexploitation. In particular, we discuss a landmark vote that occurred in 2022, which saw 90% of the fin trade come under regulation almost overnight. Luke walks us through what has happened in the year since, from getting the vote passed to implementing the new regulations at local level. And, we discuss some of the trials and tribulations of trying to get 100+ countries to agree on something, especially when most of them have a vested interest...

You can learn more about Luke and his work with the Wildlife Conservation Society on twitter (@WCSsharks) and here https://www.wcs.org/our-work/wildlife/sharks-skates-rays. You can also check out the shownotes for this episode here www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

For more sharky content, find us on social media! We are @saveourseasfoundation on instagram, and @SaveOurSeas on twitter. 

Do sharks have ears? Are they good listeners? What are they listening for? Do great white sharks get freaked out by orca sounds? And what kind of music do sharks like?! We cover all this and so much more with bio-acoustician and shark hearing expert, Dr Lucille Chapuis. Join us for a fact-filled episode that includes disco sharks, curious humpbacks, putting sharks in 'sleepy-time baths' and R2D2 with a throat problem. 

You can follow Lucille on twitter (@sharkslikejazz), instagram (@lucillechapuis) and via her website, www.sharkslikejazz.com. 

If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a rating and a review. You can get in touch with the podcast by emailing isla@saveourseas.com, or via social media (@saveourseasfoundation on instagram, @SaveOurSeas on twitter). 

Time travel. Ancient coral reefs. Shark sleuthing. The AMAZING properties of shark skin...this episode has it all! We're chatting with Dr Erin Dillon, conservation paleobiologist and researcher at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Erin's work uses fossilised shark skin (fancy term: dermal denticles) as a window into the past, to understand what kinds of sharks were around on coral reefs thousands of years ago and how that has changed over time. It's a fascinating deep dive into shark life before humans made their mark, and an insight into what healthy reefs could look like with a little bit of help. 

You can follow Erin's work by heading to her website, http://erinmdillon.wordpress.com, or by following Erin on social media (@erinmdillon). 

You can find the shownotes for this episode here www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast and find us on social media, we are @saveourseasfoundation on instagram and @SaveOurSeas on twitter. 

It's our 50th episode!! To celebrate, host Isla is joined by shark scientist and CEO of the Save Our Seas Foundation Dr James Lea to talk about the amazing evolutionary success of sharks and their relatives. We talk about just how much sharks have had thrown at them over the 440 million years they've existed on this planet (super volcanoes, ice ages, the terror of plants and a mass extinction event called the 'Great Dying'!) and discuss their super-powered adaptations and efficient body plans. Plus, we answer a listener question: how can I get my friends into shark conservation? 

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast 

You can find us on instagram (@saveourseasfoundation) and twitter (@SaveOurSeas).

Starting out on your own career journey can be a little daunting, which is why we’ve put together this special episode of World of Sharks, filled with advice, experiences and anecdotes from the guests of season 4. We talk about how to make your dreams of working in shark science and conservation a reality – from how to approach professors, to finding your niche, to overcoming setbacks and staying true to yourself.

You can find additional resources in the shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

You can keep track of when our grants and funding opportunities are announced by following us on social media, we are @saveourseasfoundation on instagram and @SaveOurSeas on twitter!

Plastics. Oil spills. Industrial chemicals. Herbicides. Pesticides…the list of substances that we have dumped in the sea is endless. But scientists are only just beginning to understand the true extent of the impact of marine pollutants on marine life. Fish biologist and SOSF project leader Franco Cristiani is investigating the effects of harmful pollutants on chondrichthyans, using the American elephant fish (a chimaera) as a model species. We invited Franco onto World of Sharks to discuss this important research and learn about the potential consequences of marine pollution on the reproductive health, immune function and overall survival of sharks and their relatives. And, of course, we take some time to talk about the gloriously weird and funky American elephant fish!

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

Find out more about Franco and his project here: https://saveourseas.com/project-leader/franco-cristiani/ and follow him on twitter (@franco_c89). 

You can also follow us on instagram (@saveourseasfoundation) and twitter (@SaveOurSeas).

We’re heading back to the Seychelles this week to chat with research and programme directors for the Save Our Seas Foundation D’Arros Research Centre (SOSF-DRC), Dr Rob Bullock and Henriette Grimmel! Both Rob and Henriette have lots of experience and knowledge in the application of scientific research to marine policy, spatial planning and conservation. And, where they live and work – D’Arros, located in the outer islands of the Seychelles – is the perfect example of how science can be applied to protect and restore marine ecosystems. We talk about the magic of D'Arros, the impressive suite of long-term monitoring programmes carried out by the SOSF-DRC, and the long and complex process of designating and managing a Marine Protected Area (MPA). There are also cameos from the Aldabra giant tortoises, baby sharks, Sir David Attenborough and a VERY friendly manta ray called Jackson. 

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

You can find out more about the D'Arros Research Centre here https://saveourseas.com/sosf-darros-research-centre/ or by following them on instagram, @darrosresearchcentre. 

And you can find us on instagram (@saveourseasfoundation) and twitter (@SaveOurSeas). 

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.

This week on the podcast we are taking a brief detour from sharks to explore the fascinating world of turtles and tortoises! We are diving into the research of SOSF project leader and turtle specialist Alessia Lavigne, who has been trying to understand why turtle and tortoise eggs sometimes fail to hatch. Turtles and tortoises (known collectively as the testudines) are, like sharks, one of the most threatened groups of animals on the planet. Understanding when and why reproduction fails is crucial to ensuring their protection - and Alessia has made huge strides in this area. In this episode we dive deep into her research and learn everything there is to know about these amazing creatures. Plus, we meet some iconic species, including the Aldabra giant tortoise. 

Alessia is on instagram and TikTok as @turtle_eggsplorer. 

Timestamps: 

0-7.00: Intro

7.07-17.11: How did Alessia get into the world of turtle research?

17.28 - 26.20: Turtle biology

26.40 - 32.51: Climate change and other threats

32.00 - 47.00: Alessia's research and reproductive failure

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

You can find out more about the Save Our Seas Foundation on Instagram and TikTok (@savourseasfoundation) and twitter (@SaveOurSeas). 

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. 

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

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

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

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

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).

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

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)

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

We're learning new things about the ocean every day, but for centuries the ocean has taught us so much more. After the pandemic, many of us evaluated our connection to the sea and nature in general, seeking deeper meaning in our relationship with it and realising how necessary it is for our mental and emotional wellbeing. Award-winning film-maker and conservation storyteller Pippa Ehrlich (My Octopus Teacher, Older Than Trees) is passionate about telling stories of human-nature connection. For years, she has worked with scientists around the world, using storytelling to capture their passion and emotion for marine life and inspire others to feel the same. In this episode, we talk about Pippa's approach to storytelling and the story behind the Oscar winning documentary, My Octopus Teacher. We also discuss Pippa's love for the ocean, exploring the beautiful kelp forests of the Cape peninsula, and how she stays connected to nature - even when life gets in the way. And, we talk about her new film Older Than Trees, which celebrates 20 years of the Save Our Seas Foundation. 

You can follow Pippa on social media: @the_rewilding (instagram) and @PippaEhrlich (twitter). You can also find out more about her current work for the Sea Change Project, an organisation aiming to spread awareness of the Great African Seaforest through storytelling and immersion: https://seachangeproject.com/. 

You can find out more about us by heading to www.saveourseas.com, or following us on social media: @saveourseasfoundation (instagram) and @SaveOurSeas (twitter). 

You can find the shownotes for this episode here: https://saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

We welcome back shark scientist and CEO/Co-Founder of Minorities in Shark Sciences, Jasmin Graham, and celebrate the release of her new book, Sharks Don't Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Scientist. We talk about the incredible adaptations and resilience of sharks, the glorious weirdness of sawfishes - a species Jasmin has worked closely with - and why Jasmin feels innately connected to sharks and compelled to protect them. We also talk about the barriers faced by gender minorities of color in STEM fields, and Jasmin's journey to continue science outside the confines of traditional academia. On this journey, Jasmin co-founded Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS) with Carlee Jackson, Amani Webber-Schultz and Jaida Elcock, to promote diversity and inclusion in shark research. We discuss how MISS has grown into a global community, and how Jasmin and her fellow co-founders have built a safe, accessible and welcoming space for the good of people and sharks. 

Sharks Don't Sink is available now: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/726129/sharks-dont-sink-by-jasmin-graham/. You can follow along with Jasmin’s work on her website (www.learningwithjasmin.org) or on X/Twitter (@elasmo_gal).

You can also find out more about Minorities in Shark Sciences and how to get involved here: www.misselasmo.org. Or, you can follow them on social media (@miss_elasmo).

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

You can also find out more about the Save Our Seas Foundation by heading to www.saveourseas.com or follow us on instagram (@saveourseasfoundation) and X/Twitter (@SaveOurSeas).

This week on World of Sharks we are diving into the world of an iconic species: the blue shark, Prionace glauca. Known for their big eyes, pointed snouts, mesmerising metallic blue colour and inquisitive nature, blue sharks are a species of requiem shark that occur in temperate and tropical oceans around the world. We are joined by Dr Jenny Bortoluzzi, shark scientist and SOSF project leader, who studied this species in Irish waters for her PhD and tried to understand why they came to the area in such large numbers, and discovered some quite surprising things about their eating habits…

Digressions include some very friendly sunfish, travel-happy porbeagles, and why on earth a shark would choose to eat jellyfish.

Time stamps: Jenny's life and career [6.30-20.10], blue sharks and Jenny's research [20.20 - 45.00], porbeagle tagging [45.30-49.50], conservation implications [50.00]. 

You can follow Jenny's work by heading to her website (https://jennybortoluzzi.wordpress.com/) or following her on social media (@DrSharkyJenny). 

You can find out more about the Save Our Seas Foundation by heading to www.saveourseas.com. 

In this episode of World of Sharks by the Save Our Seas Foundation, we're chatting all things spurdog, relatedness and genetics with molecular biologist and PhD student Fenella Wood! Fenella's research delves into the fascinating world of spurdog population genetics to find out if the individuals that form large aggregations are related, which could have conservation implications if they are caught as by-catch. We learn all about shark DNA, life at sea, and what it was like to work at the legendary Bimini Field Station, AKA Shark Lab.

You can follow Fenella on twitter, she is @Fenella_Wood. 

And you can follow our work on instagram (@saveourseasfoundation) and twitter (@aaveourseas). 

So, you want to study sharks. You have a brilliant research question, a solid methodology, and buckets of passion. There's just one thing missing...funding. Applying for grants to support your research is a huge part of the scientific process - and it's certainly not easy. But fear not! This week, we are taking a break from chatting about sharks to bring you some expert tips on how to get your dream project funded, from three people who definitely know their stuff when it comes to grant applications. Dr James Lea, CEO of the Save Our Seas Foundation, Lee Crockett, executive director of the Shark Conservation Fund and Sarah Fowler OBE, scientific advisor to both organisations, have tonnes of experience both as reviewers and applicants. Every year, they sift through hundreds of proposals and know exactly what sets an application apart from the rest. In this episode we talk about growing your idea into a realistic, achievable project and what funders are looking for in a successful applicant. And, we discuss what to do if you get rejected - which is a hard, but very normal, part of the process. 

Applications for the Save Our Seas Foundation small grants are open NOW until June 16th 2023. Find out more here: https://saveourseas.com/grants/funding-applications/

You can also find out about opportunities with the Shark Conservation Fund here: https://www.sharkconservationfund.org/

Sharks and ray populations across the world are in freefall. Reversing these declines requires a coordinated, global effort - but how can this be achieved? At the International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5) in Vancouver, Canada, host Isla sat down with Rima Jabado, fisheries scientist and head of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group, and elasmobranch scientists Emiliano García Rodríguez and Ciaran Hyde to talk about Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs). Lead by a growing international team of scientists, policy-makers and practitioners, the ISRAs project aims to put sharks on the map - collating information on areas around the world that serve a vital function for sharks and rays, and making this information freely available to help decision-makers and managers build better, informed protective measures for sharks and rays around the world.

You can find out more about ISRAs here: https://sharkrayareas.org/ and by following @SharkRayAreas. 

You can find out more about us over at www.saveourseas.com, or by following @SaveOurSeas (twitter) and @saveourseasfoundation (instagram). 

We are kicking off season 4 of the World of Sharks podcast (formerly the Whole Tooth podcast) with a bang! This episode, we are talking to legendary conservation photographer, National Geographic explorer and our very own Director of Storytelling, Thomas Peschak. Thomas has photographed marine life all over the world, including a huge diversity of sharks and rays, and has dedicated his life to creating images that have real world impact for conservation. We asked Thomas about going on assignment for Nat Geo, his process – from finding the perfect story to crafting an affecting photograph – and what makes an image stand out from the crowd. And, of course, we spent quite a bit of time discussing our favourite group of animals, and what it’s like to work with them in the field.

You can find out more about his work here, https://www.thomaspeschak.com/ or follow Tom on social media via @thomaspeschak.

Shark nerds unite! WE'RE BACK!

The World of Sharks podcast (formerly The Whole Tooth) will be back on Thursday 23rd March with a brand new season. As always, we will be breaking down topics in shark science and conservation with some very special guests. A friendly reminder to look out for our shiny new logo - we think you'll like it!

See you there!

As season 3 and 2022 draws to a close, host Isla sits down with Dr James Lea, CEO of the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF), and Jade Schultz, content manager for SOSF, to look back on the year and all the important events that have happened for sharks and shark conservation. Plus, they have a very exciting announcement about this very podcast!

You can follow our work on social media (@SaveOurSeas on twitter, @saveourseasfoundation on instagram) and by heading to www.saveourseas.com. 

You can find the shownotes for this episode, and all previous episodes, here: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/thewholetooth

We know that overfishing is the primary cause of global shark and ray declines. But, shark fisheries provide income and subsistence for many coastal communities. Inevitably, any regulation or conservation measure involving these fisheries must be culturally, socially and politically appropriate in order to be accepted, and to achieve this we need to work with and understand the people they will affect. Equally, there are many gaps in our knowledge relating to sharks and rays, including in their distribution, status and how they are traded. SOSF project leaders and marine scientists Alifa Haque and Nadia Rubio specialise in integrating local and traditional knowledge with ecological data to gain a bigger picture on what is happening to endangered species of shark and ray, and have gained a solid understanding of what limits the capacity and willingness of fishers to engage in conservation initiatives and policies. Host Isla sat down with them to discuss their work with fishers in the field, and how they are slowly building shark conservation programmes that work for the community.

Follow Alifa: @haque.alifa (instagram), @alifa_haque (twitter)

Follow Nadia: @nadsocean (instagram), @MarSustenable (twitter)

Find the shownotes for this episode, and all previous episodes, here: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/thewholetooth

Frozen Planet II and Blue Planet II are landmark natural history series and masterclasses in climate change storytelling. Via captivating sequences, charming characters and compelling stories, the viewer is deliberately drawn into a world that they can’t help but care about, before being told about the very serious threats facing it. Such powerful storytelling can have a big impact; Blue Planet II, for example, persuaded people across the world to give up single-use plastics. But how are these films made? Who crafts the stories? And how do you engage people in the climate emergency without freaking them out? At Wildscreen film festival in Bristol, host Isla sat down with film-makers Rachel Butler Scott and Yoland Bosiger, producers who have worked on both Frozen Planet II and Blue Planet II among many other series, to chat about filming in the most remote and hostile environments on earth, diving under sea ice, and connecting people to life under the waves.

Follow Yoland: @yolandbosiger

Follow Rachel: @rachelbutlerscott

Watch Frozen Planet II: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p0cw0nb8/frozen-planet-ii

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/thewholetooth

Recent studies have shown that over a third of shark and ray species are threatened with extinction. But which species are the most at risk? What are some of the rarest, but least well known, sharks in the world? And, when a species has seemingly fallen off the face of the earth, how on earth do you find it again?

This week, we’re joined on the pod by rare shark expert Dr Dave Ebert (@lostsharkguy)! Dave has travelled all over the world in search of sharks who are thought to have gone extinct, and has contributed to many an IUCN red list assessment for sharks and rays. At Sharks International in Valencia, host Isla sat down with Dave to talk  pondicherry sharks, lost sharks, sawfishes and guitarfishes; how to find sharks that haven’t been seen for 50 years and what it’s like to name a shark that’s brand new to science.

Shownotes: https://saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/thewholetooth

Get in touch: isla@saveourseas.com (email), @saveourseasfoundation (instagram) and @SaveOurSeas (twitter)

We are so excited to share with you a very special bonus episode of World of Sharks! Join us as we head into the field in search of the second largest species of shark in the world: the basking shark. We’ll be heading out on the boat with Dr Alex McInturf (@drsurfnturf), shark scientist at the Chapple Big Fish Lab (@big_fish_lab), SOSF project leader and project coordinator for the Irish Basking Shark Group (@baskingirish). You'll be right there with us as we conduct some basking shark research, and you'll learn what it's like to tag, track, ultrasound and swim with a 32 foot (10m) shark in the wild. 

Keep up to date with Alex here:  https://alexandramcinturf.squarespace.com, find out more about Taylor and the Big Fish Lab here: https://marineresearch.oregonstate.edu/chapple-lab and the Irish Basking Shark Group here: https://www.baskingshark.ie/

Key timestamps:

2.25 - Heading out on the boat and Alex's research

8.47 - Finding basking sharks

17.02 - Tagging

32.48 - Active tracking

38.35 - Ultrasounding

44.13 - Social behaviour

50.00 - Basking shark threats and conservation

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

Follow Save Our Seas Foundation on instagram (@saveourseasfoundation) and x/twitter (@SaveOurSeas). You can also head to www.saveourseas.com

What's it like to be booped by a leopard seal? Or dive with over 300 fin whales in Antarctica? And how do you keep your cool when filming underwater in one of the most challenging and remote places on earth, while tiger sharks patrol the shallows above you? At Wildscreen film festival, host Isla sat down with award winning film-maker and wildlife cameraman Bertie Gregory to chat about his new series, Epic Adventures, and go behind the scenes of episode 3, 'Shark Island', where Bertie searches for aggregations of scalloped hammerheads in the Cocos Islands. We talk about insane wildlife spectacles, how to interact with and portray large predators responsibly, and telling stories about some of the issues facing the natural world with hope and optimism. 

Epic Adventures is now streaming on Disney Plus. You can also follow Bertie's escapades on instagram (@bertiegregory). 

You can find the shownotes for this episodes, and more episodes of The Whole Tooth, over at www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/thewholetooth. 

What did the oceans look like 450 million years ago? Who were the weird and whacky ancestors of the sharks we know today? And could megalodon still exist? This week we're going back in time to answer all these questions and more at the Natural History Museum in London, with curator of fossil fish Emma Bernard! 

Find out more about Emma and the Natural History Museum here: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/departments-and-staff/staff-directory/emma-bernard.html. Read her fintastic article about Megalodon here: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/megalodon--the-truth-about-the-largest-shark-that-ever-lived.html. 

You can follow the Save Our Seas Foundation by heading to @saveourseasfoundation (instagram), @SaveOurSeas (twitter) or by heading to www.saveourseas.com. And find the shownotes for this episode at www.saveourseas/worldofsharks/thewholetooth. 

What happens when two top ocean predators collide? This was a question that PhD candidate and white shark expert Alison Towner was faced with six years ago, when the subjects of her thesis started to wash up on shore with unusual, but fatal, injuries. Fast forward to 2022 and Alison has just led her second publication on the predation of white sharks by orca in South Africa, a behaviour that has never been documented until now. In this episode we chat to Alison about her findings, why we think orca are only now starting to show interest in white sharks, and the potential effects of predation by orca on not just white sharks as a species, but the entire ecosystem…

Follow Alisons work here: @alisontowner (instagram), @AlisonTowner1 (twitter)

You can find the shownotes for this episode here: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/thewholetooth

Find out more about us by following @saveourseasfoundation on instagram, @SaveOurSeas on twitter, or by heading to www.saveourseas.com

Art has the power to change perspectives, and promote awe and wonder - can it do the same for sharks? We chat to ocean artist Rachel Brooks about putting pen to paper in the name of shark conservation.

You can see her work for yourself by following RachelBrooksArt on social media, or here https://rachelbrooksart.com/.

Shownotes for this episode are here: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/thewholetooth. 

Follow us on social media! We're on @saveourseasfoundation (instagram) and @SaveOurSeas (twitter). 

Whale and basking sharks are some of the biggest fish in the ocean – but could these gentle giants be threatened by something so small it can’t even be seen with the naked eye? We pitch this question to microplastics and pelagic fish expert Dr Alina Wieczorek. Alina has studied microplastic pathways from the smallest to the largest creatures in the ocean, and in some of the deepest and most remote places in the world. She has some really interesting, and at times deeply concerning, insights for us, but also a message of hope.

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/thewholetooth

You can follow us: @saveourseasfoundation (insta) @SaveOurSeas (twitter).

This week we celebrated International Whale Shark Day! In honour of the world's largest fish, we spoke to Jonathan and Sofia of the Galapagos Whale Shark Project to find out all about this incredible species, their connection to the Galapagos Marine Reserve, and what questions Jonathan and Sofia are striving to answer through their research. We discuss the mysterious life history of the whale shark, how climate change and fishing pressure might affect them, and how to conduct an ultrasound on a 30-foot shark while swimming alongside it...

You can find out more about the Galapagos Whale Shark Project here: https://www.galapagoswhaleshark.org/, or by following @galapagos_whale_shark_project on instagram. 

You can find the shownotes of this episode at www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast. 

We're back!

Season 3 of The Whole Tooth goes live on Thursday September 1st! We'll be answering ALL your shark and ocean related questions with the help of more fantastic experts in shark science and conservation, including whether sharks are affected by microplastics, if great white sharks are still apex predators, and what prehistoric sharks looked like...

Tune in for all these episodes and so much more!

Find out more over at www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast or follow us on social media on @saveourseasfoundation (instagram) and @SaveOurSeas (twitter). 

It's the last episode of the season which means once again, the Save Our Seas team have gathered to answer as many of your questions about sharks as we can in 45 minutes! In this episode, we cover:

- How do ampullae of lorenzini work? (6.48)

- How do baby sharks get out of their egg-cases? (10.43)

- Are sharks fish or mammals? (15.14)

- How many species of sharks are there? (18.58)

- Is it okay (and safe) to freedive with whale sharks? (22.23)

- Is using bait to lure sharks harmful? (25.38)

- Any positive ocean news? (35.00)

- Any advice for high school students looking to get into marine science and/or conservation? (43.11)

- What is your favourite elasmobranch? (59.30)

Shownotes: https://saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/thewholetooth. 

Welcome back to the Whole Tooth, a podcast all about sharks, rays and the oceans. This week, host Isla is joined by deep-sea shark researchers Sofia Graça Aranha and Paul Clerkin to explore the depths, and meet some of the fantastical, alien-like and perfectly adapted sharks, rays and skates that live there. And, just how much they need our protection.

Follow Sofia and Paul's work on instagram: @sofiagracaaranha and @paul_j_clerkin

Find us on @saveourseasfoundation (insta) and @saveourseas (twitter), or head to www.saveourseas.com to find out more about our work. 

Welcome to another episode of The Whole Tooth, a shark podcast that asks YOUR questions to experts in shark and ocean science! This week, we are asking SOSF project leader and Science and Policy advisor for Saving the Blue, Dr Bryan Keller, all about shark social behaviour. Are sharks the lone wolves they’re always made out to be? Why do we sometimes see sharks in groups? And do they have preferences for who they hang out with? Diversions include some pretty cool encounters with sawfish - shark midwifery, anyone? - and, a first for this podcast, Love At First Sight...

You can find out more about Bryan's work by following @bryankeller, more about his project here: https://saveourseas.com/project/not-just-a-fad-protecting-silky-sharks-in-fishing-hotspots/ and Saving the Blue by following @savingtheblue. 

Shownotes for this episode: https://saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/thewholetooth. 

If you want to find out more about us and the work we do, head to www.saveourseas.com. 

This week we are diving into the world of angel sharks, the second most threatened group of elasmobranchs in the world. Joining us is co-founder and co-lead of the Angel Shark Project, Eva Meyers, and project coordinator for the Angel Shark Project: Wales, Jake Davies. In this episode we learn all about angel sharks, their super-powered ability to “disappear” and ambush prey, and the work of the Angel Shark Project which aims to protect these unusual sharks throughout their range.

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

You can find out more about the projects mentioned here: www.angelsharkproject.com, here www.angelsharknetwork.com, here https://angelsharknetwork.com/wales/ and here https://www.projectsiarc.com/.

You can also follow @angelsharkproject and @ProjectSIARC on instagram

You can follow Eva on X (@angelshark2014) and Bluesky (@evameyers.bsky.social) and Jake on instagram (@JDScuba). 

If you want to know more about us, you can follow us on instagram (@saveourseasfoundation), X (@SaveOurSeas) and TikTok (@saveourseasfoundation). 

We all know that our oceans are in trouble, and that taking action to protect and fight for them is incredibly important. But it can also be hard to motivate yourself to keep going, especially when it feels like change isn’t happening. But we are slowly turning the tide – and that is what this episode is all about. In honour of World Ocean’s Day (June 8th), host Isla sits down with Sarah Fowler OBE, scientific advisor to SOSF and founding trustee of The Shark Trust, to discuss some the actions YOU are taking to help save our seas, and talk about how they are contributing to a positive impact worldwide.

You can find out more about the Save Our Seas Foundation, and the work that we do, at www.saveourseas.com.You can also access the show-notes for this episode, along with an accessible summary, here: https://saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/thewholetooth. 

We all know that the majority of shark species are in decline. But what actually happens if they are lost from the ecosystem? How important are sharks? We pitch these questions to scientist, shark enthusiast and author Dr David Shiffman, who spends a lot of his time highlighting why sharks really do matter – not just in an ecological sense, but also from a social, economic and cultural perspective. We talk to David about the ecological role of sharks, sustainability, the dangers of spreading misinformation, and David's brand new book 'Why Sharks Matter'. And, of course, the most important question of all: sharks or dinosaurs?!

You can follow David on social media over at @whysharksmatter, and check out his brilliant new book here: https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/12267/why-sharks-matter 

Shownotes: https://saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/thewholetooth

Find out more about our work here: www.saveourseas.com

Our guests this week are scientists, communicators and hosts of the Beyond Jaws podcast Andrew Lewin and Dave Ebert. Beyond Jaws is all about showcasing the diversity of shark science and the people behind the research, asking them about their career journeys and how they got to be where they are. Whole Tooth host Isla flips the script and asks Dave and Andrew about finding their own niche in science, their passion for lesser known shark species, and the importance of science communication in promoting marine conservation to a wider audience. 

You can find Andrew and his podcast network over at @speakupforblue and https://www.speakupforblue.com/. You can follow Dave at @lostsharkguy. Listen to episodes of Beyond Jaws here: https://www.speakupforblue.com/show/beyond-jaws/. 

You can find out more about the work we do at the Save Our Seas Foundation by heading to www.saveourseas.com

On April 25th, we celebrated World Penguin Day - a day dedicated to celebrating these incredibly charismatic birds and raising awareness of the immense challenges they face. Someone who knows a lot about this subject is SOSF project leader and penguinologist Dr Tom Hart. Aside from having one of the coolest job titles out there, Tom has dedicated his life to researching the wildlife of one of the most remote places on the planet - Antarctica. It is also a place that is changing rapidly, and its residents are coming under increasing pressure from anthropogenic impacts. Broadly, penguins are in decline, and Tom wants to know why. This episode, we dive into his fascinating research to disentangle the drivers of penguin decline, and find out what it's really like to have one of the wildest environments on earth as your office. We talk about how amazingly adapted penguins are to a very challenging lifestyle, how they cope with the relatively new arrival of tourists, and some things we can all be doing to help safeguard them, and the place that they call home. 

If you want to get involved in penguin conservation, why not head to Penguin Watch (https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/penguintom79/penguin-watch or check out @penguin_watch), a citizen science initiative set up by Tom and his collaborators where you can contribute to vital penguin research from the comfort of your sofa!

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