Sometimes called the 'couch potatoes of the sea', nurse sharks are famous for their laid back attitude to life spending most of their days cosied up in piles, napping. But their gentle, docile nature doesn't make them any less special. In this episode, we sit down with SOSF project leader and PhD Researcher Sergio Madrigal Mora - who has spent a lot of time hanging out with the Labradors of the shark world - to discuss how nurse sharks are perfectly adapted to life in the tropics and why they form 'cuddle huddles' on the sea floor. And, we learn more about Sergio's research into the influence of changing temperatures on the movements of Pacific nurse sharks in Costa Rica's St Elena Bay.

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

You can follow Sergio on Instagram: @sergiomm_77 or @tiburones_ucr. You can find us across all platforms as @saveourseasfoundation.

Papers mentioned in this episode: https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v750/meps14733, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022098125000589, https://connectsci.au/mf/article/75/2/MF23162/61130/Long-distance- dispersal-of-the-endangered-Pacific

The Maldives has served as a shark sanctuary for 15 years, and is now one of the most diverse regions for sharks and rays in the world. But with great success comes a new problem: conflict with humans. Fishers are reporting a loss of some of their catch to sharks, an issue known as depredation. For her PhD, SOSF project leader Mina Hatayama is seeking to understand depredation in the Maldives, studying shark behaviour and how it impacts local fishers and their attitudes towards sharks. She will also be asking the very intriguing question of whether hotter sharks are hungrier sharks, exploring the potential role of ocean warming in these increased depredation incidents, as well as working closely with the local fishing community to understand their perspectives and co-develop sustainable solutions.

In this episode, we dive into the challenges of humans and sharks sharing space and resources. It’s a really insightful conversation that weaves together all kinds of issues, from human attitudes and shifting baselines, to the influence of global threats such as climate change on human-wildlife interactions. We also discuss how complex and delicate these situations can be, and the realities of navigating an interdisciplinary project.

Read more about Mina’s ongoing SOSF project here https://saveourseas.com/project/attitudes-and-costs-from-a-new-conservation-challenge/ and here https://www.fishandfisheries.com/minahatayama.

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

We know sharks have incredible senses, but just how good is their eyesight? In this episode, we explore the world through a shark's eyes with fish vision expert Dr Lily Fogg. How does fish vision compare to our own? How do the eyes of a fish living on a vibrant coral reef differ from those hanging out in the murky depths? And do sharks see in technicolour, or multiple shades of grey?

We also take a dive deep into Lily's most recent research, which investigated the eyes of the world's longest living vertebrate: the greenland shark. Her findings challenge a commonly held perception of these ancient creatures, and push the boundaries of what we thought was physiologically possible...

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

You can read the full study on greenland shark vision here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-67429-6

You can find SOSF on social media by searching for @saveourseasfoundation across all platforms.

To kick off our new season, we're diving into our mailbag to answer your burning questions! From speedy sharks to mimicry and even fossilised shark poop, we're leaving no stone unturned...

Thank you to everyone who sent in a question - we had so many we ended up doing two episodes! Part 2 will be out later in the season.

Questions answered (with timestamps):

• 04.54: Do any sharks, other than megamouth sharks, use mimicry?
• 14.15: Are megamouth sharks regional endotherms?
• 19.22: Do magnetic shark deterrents work?
• 30.28: Are hydrothermal vent species able to move around?
• 32.54: How do we know which prehistoric shark fossilised poop came from?
• 41.13: How do basking sharks find their food?
• 47.49: Which is the fastest shark?
• 52.34: If you could pass one international law to help sharks, which would it be?

You can also read our answers in the shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

The conversations that shape the fate of sharks and rays rarely happen in quiet laboratories or out at sea. More often, they unfold in fluorescent-lit halls, behind nameplates and microphones, inside sprawling congress centres where global decisions about nature are made. At the IUCN World Conservation Congress, surrounded by thousands of delegates debating the future of biodiversity, host Isla sat down with SOSF Scientific Advisor Sarah Fowler and Chair of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group, Dr Rima Jabado, to discuss how far we’ve come in the race to save sharks and rays from extinction – and what steps we need to take next to ensure their future on this planet.

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

Find out more about the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) here: www.saveourseas.com or follow @saveourseasfoundation across all platforms.

Did you know that there are over 60 species of shark who are luminous? In this episode, we learn all about the sharks who light up the darkness of the deep sea. How are they able to produce their own light? And why have they evolved the ability to glow? We are joined by Professor Jerome Mallefet, an expert in bioluminescence who has studied some of the most fantastical species on earth, including a shark with lightsabers on its back - the velvet belly lanternshark - and the largest known luminous vertebrate, the kitefin shark.

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

Find us on socials! @saveourseasfoundation

How do sharks locate prey when they’re roaming the open ocean? What does a shark ambush look like? Are sharks capable of hunting cooperatively? And why do cookiecutter sharks take on prey much larger than themselves (including submarines!)? We are asking all these questions and so much more this week as we dive into the fascinating world of shark behavioural ecology to better understand foraging and hunting, with marine biologist and co-lead of the Predator Ecology and Conservation Lab at Florida International University, Dr Yannis Papastamatiou.

Find out what it was like to dive with over 300 blacktip reef sharks at once (in the dark), what sharks and seabirds have in common, and why white sharks might be more social than we think.

You can follow Yannis (@yannispapastamatiou) and the PECLab (@peclabfiu) on Instagram.

You can find us across all platforms: @saveourseasfoundation.

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

It’s spooky season, and what a great excuse to visit our friends in the dark; the deep-sea sharks, rays, skates and chimaeras! We’re joined by fisheries scientist and deep-sea legend Dr Brit Finucci to go on a journey into the darkness – a far from barren landscape filled with weird and wonderful creatures. We’ll meet icons like the small-but-ferocious prickly dogfish, the luminous lanternsharks, the ancient and toothy frilled sharks, and a ghost shark called Colin, who just so happens to be new to science.

Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast

If you want to learn more about ghost sharks, Brit has co-authored a new book all about them! Ghost Sharks: A Fully Illustrated Guide to the Chimaeras of the World is available for pre-order now.

Find out more about Brit and her work here:

Instagram: @britfinucci

https://niwa.co.nz/people/brit-finucci-0

https://saveourseas.com/project-leader/brittany-finucci/

Follow us on social media! We are @saveourseasfoundation across all platforms.