In the News
Worldly Shark Experts
Go Live at the Aquarium
Two of the world’s more prominent shark authorities, great white shark researcher Greg Skomal, Ph.D., and National Geographic photographer Brian Skerry, live locally yet have broad international experience and perspective. They intimately know the local summertime sharks—from the giant, plankton-feeding basking sharks to Cape Cod’s famed white sharks as well as other exotic shark species around the world.
Skerry and Skomal answered questions from the media about sharks and their tenuous future on Thursday, May 25. The entire event was broadcast live through the Aquarium’s Facebook page! Have a look.
Both have a long history of studying and observing these remarkable animals and had a lot to share.
Brian Skerry
National Geographic photographer, author, and the New England Aquarium’s Explorer-in-Residence from Uxbridge, Mass.
Brian has spent more than 10,000 hours underwater in locations worldwide, photographing sharks and other marine life in his 35-year career. He has lived at the bottom of the sea, spent months aboard fishing boats, and traveled in everything from snowmobiles to canoes to the Goodyear Blimp. He has a new book, SHARK, coming out June 13 with National Geographic. Last year for the magazine, Skerry published a series about shark species in June (Tiger Sharks), July (Great White Sharks) and August (Oceanic Whitetip Sharks.) In July 2017, the fourth in this series, Shortfin Mako Sharks, will be published. Photos and videos of Skerry working underwater are part of the Aquarium’s new “Science of Sharks” exhibit.
Greg Skomal, Ph.D.
Senior fisheries biologist with Massachusetts Marine Fisheries since 1987
Greg currently heads up the Massachusetts Shark Research Program. He is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Massachusetts School for Marine Science and Technology in New Bedford. His shark research has spanned multiple fish habitats around the globe, and much of his current research centers on the use of acoustic telemetry, satellite-based technology, and animal-borne imaging. He will be lecturing at the Aquarium later that evening.
Stay Tuned
If you enjoyed this opportunity to hear these two local shark experts, be sure to follow our Facebook page! We’ll have more opportunities to speak with shark scientists, aquarists, and educators throughout the summer using Facebook Live.