Ocean Portal's Top Shark Resources

by Emily Frost
Caribbean reef sharks swim over a coral reef in the Bahamas.
Caribbean reef sharks swim over a coral reef in the Bahamas. (© Brian Skerry, www.brianskerry.com)

Every summer since 1987 (that's right, shark week is over 25 years old!) the Discovery Channel has been bringing the ocean to our living rooms with a week-long tribute to all things shark. Here at the Ocean Portal, we also have sharks on the mind (along with whales, fish, invertebrates and everything else ocean related). This page is a great jumping off point to see the best shark content we have to offer.

Everything you wanted to know about sharks, and more specifically the great white shark.

Explore the state of sharks, 40 years after Jaws.

Ten great stories about sharks.

Shark Sizes: Whale Shark 46 feet, Basking Shark 33 feet, Great White Shark 23 feet, Megamouth Shark 15 feet, Nurse Shark 13 feet, Mako Shark 8 feet, Blacktip Reef Shark 6.5 feet, Bonnethead Shark 3.4 feet, Dwaf Lantern Shark 6 inches © Courtesy of the Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, California

Award-winning photographer Brian Skerry writes about swimming with sharks.

Why you should revere, not fear, sharks.

A reef shark swims amongst corals. LCDR Eric Johnson, NOAA Corps

A look at shark evolution through their teeth.

Shark finning—what is it and why can't sharks keep up with the demand for their fins?

Podcasts from the Encylopedia of Life about the Arctic Greenland shark and the great white shark.

Extreme close-up of great white shark skin denticles. © Trevor Sewell/Electron Microscope Unit, University of Cape Town

Do sharks smell in stereo? And what does that even mean?!

How do reef sharks feel about people?

A map that shows how sharks are slowly being protected around the world: 

Map of Shark Protections Through Time

Sharks face many threats from people, including extreme overfishing driven by high prices for their fins, and being caught by mistake in nets and on longlines. While there is still much work to be done to conserve sharks, take a moment to recognize the work already being done in communities around the world to protect these fascinating and beautiful animals. In this video, see how the number of laws and regulations to protect sharks has increased since 1980.

Tags: Shark finning Sharks Ocean Optimism Fisheries