Ask us anything about sharks
Show notes
Welcome back to another episode of the whole tooth, a podcast about sharks, rays and their underwater habitat! To mark our 20th episode and the last episode of season 2, the team at the Save Our Seas Foundation have gathered to answer as many of your questions as we can!
First up, we answer the question, “how do Ampullae of Lorenzini work?” [6.48]. Lauren explains how sharks use these sensory organs to detect the electrical fields of their prey – a shark’s superpower! On their skin, sharks have pores that open into a tube, which is filled with a jelly-like substance that helps conduct electrical signals from the outside world to the Ampullae of Lorenzini at the bottom of the tube. These organs can then detect the electrical signal and send a message to the shark’s brain via nerve fibres. The brain interprets this information, and the shark acts accordingly.
Next, James answers, “how do baby sharks get out of their eggcases?” [10.43]. First, he explains the different ways that sharks can give birth – not all sharks lay eggs! – before discussing how baby sharks manage to get themselves out of the tough outer casing. Turns out it’s a combination of biting and wriggling, with a little help from some specially adapted noses.
Isla then addresses a commonly asked question, “Are sharks fish or mammals?” [15.19], talking about the key differences between our mammalian counterparts and the cartilaginous fishes, the group that sharks belong to.
Our next question is a fun one: “how many species of shark are there?” [18.58]. As Lauren explains, this is a constantly shifting figure as new species are being discovered all the time – 240 species of shark were described in just the last 15 years!
The topic of conversation then shifts from shark biology to shark conservation, as we answer, “Is it okay to freedive with whale sharks, and if so, how can I freedive with whale sharks safely?” [22.23]. The short answer is yes, it is okay – but as long as it is done right. The key is managing your behaviour in the water to ensure that you are a passive observer, and James gives some examples of how to do this. He also highlights the importance of researching your tour operator – they should follow a strict code of conduct that ensures the shark’s welfare. We also discuss the importance of responsible tourism for local lives and livelihoods.
Another interesting question that we dive into is: “is using bait boxes to lure in sharks harmful?” This comes at an important time, with a lot of conversation about recreational shark fishing in the U.S. Lauren talks us through the recent science on this subject, emphasising that, much like whale shark tourism, it very much depends on how it is done. Operators should follow codes of conduct and make their procedures clear – for example, do the sharks get regular or predictable sources of food? How long are they baiting for? The research is varied, depending on the procedure and species. Impacts can be negligible, or they can be negative, altering the shark’s behaviour and population structure. But, when done right, it can be important for scientific research – some sharks are hard to find without the help of bait.
Next, we chat about “any positive news” [35.00]. Our little section on ocean optimism includes Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs), the WTO agreement on fisheries subsidies, international commitments to reach 30% of protected area coverage by 2030, and the addition of many shark species to CITES.
Our penultimate question of the episode covers opportunities and advice for high school students looking to get into shark science and conservation [43.11]. We give lots of practical advice, like listening or watching podcasts and videos with shark scientists to get ideas, emailing academics or labs, and taking part in citizen science projects. But as Lauren says, “Anything and everything counts, but enthusiasm counts the most”.
We finish off by answering the most difficult question of all, “what is your favourite elasmobranch?” [59.30]. Our answers include sharks with lightsabers and invisibility cloaks, sharks that take on submarines, the biggest breaching shark in the world and a slightly smaller species that curls itself into a doughnut when threatened!
You can also listen to all the exciting events coming up for Save Our Seas, including Sharks International, Wildscreen, Super Sharks and the announcement of our Storytelling Grants [50.56].
About our guests
Dr James Lea
Chief Executive Officer
He has had a fascination for the marine realm from a young age, and it was this that sparked his ambition to explore the oceans. Having been humbled by encounters with various shark species, he became keen to learn as much as he could about their behaviour and ecology. James gained a first-class Honours degree in biological sciences from the University of Oxford and then volunteered as a shark researcher at the Bimini Biological Field Station. At Bimini, he cut his teeth catching, tagging and tracking sharks, and working with them so closely consolidated his passion and further motivated him to fight for marine conservation.
James then moved to work as a research scientist for the Save Our Seas Foundation before completing a PhD in marine biology at the University of Plymouth in collaboration with the D’Arros Research Centre. His primary research focus was a comprehensive tagging programme tracking almost 200 sharks of seven different species in Seychelles, aiming to determine the factors that drive their movement behaviour and use this knowledge to inform effective conservation strategies. James’ research has helped to contribute to the design of marine protected areas and has revealed previously unknown open ocean migrations of tiger and bull sharks, highlighting the challenge of managing shark populations that span ocean basins. He continues his research as part of the Evolutionary Ecology Group at the University of Cambridge.
James fully realises the importance of actively promoting awareness of marine conservation issues, so he is particularly excited to lead the Save Our Sea Foundation team to help ensure that we can live with healthy oceans for generations to come.
Jade Schultz
Content Manager
From a young age, when she and her family would go on holiday to nature reserves and the seaside, Jade has felt a powerful connection to the natural world and a great appreciation for its overwhelming beauty. With time, however, she realized that this was a view few others shared. Having experienced how little other people know about the wonders of the ocean, she became acutely aware that they know even less about the dangers that the marine realm faces.
With a background in marketing and media experience, Jade understands that the media is compelling when it comes to spreading a message and raising awareness– and, in fact, in today’s digital world, it is an invaluable conservation tool. She believes that the knowledge and experience that she can bring to the Save Our Seas Foundation’s Conservation Media Unit, together with the passion and dedication of the other team members, can and will make a positive difference in the mindset of the public – and, ultimately, the health of our oceans.
Dr Lauren De Vos
Scientific Writer
Lauren has loved wilderness and wildlife since she can remember and it was her curiosity about life on earth that led her to science. As a child, her attentiveness to all life, right down to scooping the ants out of the bathtub before running the water, was probably a giveaway to her family as to her career direction in conservation…
Lauren graduated with a BSc in environmental and geographical science, followed by Honours in zoology and an MSc in conservation biology at the University of Cape Town. She went on to work as a researcher at the university and became an SOSF project leader, leading a project that aimed to introduce BRUVs monitoring to South Africa’s marine protected area network and working with local conservation agencies to design methods that could be simply and effectively repeated at low cost around the coast. She then completed her PhD using remote camera methods to assess the biodiversity of South Africa’s largest bay. Her career has spanned scientific research, marine education and storytelling through film and writing. She has worked previously for the I AM WATER Foundation, where she is a current trustee, and as a lead marine biologist on the Oceans Alive project in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for WILDOCEANS, a programme of the WILDTRUST.
As a marine biologist, Lauren has worked in some beautiful places. Her love of nature has guided her career in science and conservation, but through her research she has become increasingly aware of the challenges we face. Her approach has always been to act to secure her hope that we can build a better future. She believes that her writing can help to encourage others to become conscious of their own connections to nature. By translating science into stories, Lauren is acting on her optimism that change is possible.
