Is It Better To Be Loved or Feared?
Welcome to the life of a shark, which has just that kind of effect on people. While millions of Americans will tune in this week to Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, local shark experts are hoping they walk away with more education and empathy than myth and hysteria.
“Yes, certainly I watch it; it’s been around as long as my career. In its beginning form it was much more scientific-based. Sadly, the program over time has evolved into more sensationalism to feed the ratings monster,” said Dean Fessler, marine biologist and education director at the Shark Research Institute, a nonprofit education and shark advocacy group based in Princeton.
Previous years’ episodes of Shark Week have explored the possible continued existence of megalodon — a 60-foot shark that lived 15 million to 2 million years ago — or that showed great white sharks attacking boats have turned shark advocates off, said Fessler.
Now in its 28th year, Shark Week drew more than 40 million viewers last year to its weeklong portrayal of the ocean’s apex predators, proving that sharks are popular culture. However, producers of the shows have promised to keep the focus more on science and research this time around.
“It’s an educational opportunity especially for children or people who don’t know much about sharks,” said Capt. Steve Nagiewicz, diver and chairman of the Shark Research Institute.
Nagiewicz, who lives in Brick, said people need education on sharks now more than ever. Will you tune into this horrifying yet exciting week filled with sharks?
Written by: Sandra Costanzo