The Coolest Sharks on Shark Week

Sure Shark Week is a rush, no doubt. The sensationalism, the drama and at times the outright silliness of the programs captivate millions. Most of the sharks featured are the glamorous and sometimes dangerous sharks like white sharks, tiger sharks and bull sharks. These species "The Big Three" are the sharks responsible for well over half the recorded attacks (eg. bites) according to the International Shark Attack File, and the majority of human fatalities. Not coincidentally, these happen to be the same sharks most seen on Shark Week.

Maybe Discovery should rephrase the programming as Shark Attack Week, and the show would likely receive the same audience and ratings. I admit that there are some pretty entertaining shows, some spectacular photography and I really like Andy Cassagrande. Facts however are a little slim, and missing most are the 1400 or so species of sharks and rays we don't hear very much about.

Shark Week brings a lot of attention to sharks, and not of it all bad, and lets hope we can use their social media and audience to raise attention to the 100 million sharks killed each year, largely to supply the shark fin trade.

If we dont work to recognize that many species (around 25 %) are threatened with extinction from overfishing, there may not be any sharks left for Shark Week to cover.

I would like to celebrate shark week with this ferocious Cat Shark, among a population Shark Stewards is reintroducing into an island where sharks have disappeared.

In the family Scyliorhinidae, these small nocturnal ground sharks live on shallow coral reefs across the Indo-West Pacific, from Pakistan to New Guinea. The Coral Cat Shark Atelomycterus marmoratus, is a shy species commonly killed in trawls in Malaysia where we work, and are even killed for their tiny fins. These sharks are egg layers and hide beneath ledges or corals by day, and forage by night.

With our Malaysian partners the Tropical Research and Conservation Centre (TRACC), we are restoring habitat and protecting sharks like this. This little beauty was featured in our own series on Scuba Zoo TV "Cute Cat Sharks on the Hook"

Join Shark Stewards celebrating the under-sung sharks with a shark event LUSH Cosmetics July 29 Union Square, San Francisco, or Adopt a shark for shark week and support shark protection.