Scripps oceanographer Brendan Talwar competes with other shark lovers to photograph as many sharks as possible, with a message of pride for the species.
La Jollans don’t have to travel far to interact with the numerous shark species that live here, but a new Netflix series is taking one La Jolla shark lover around the world to discover even more to adore.
“All the Sharks” will be released Friday, July 4, leading with a message of shark positivity and highlighting how special La Jolla is for these elasmobranchs, according to cast member and Scripps Institution of Oceanography shark expert Brendan Talwar.
Erik Jepsen, UCSD
At SIO, Talwar is a member of both the IUCN Shark Specialist Group and the Semmens Lab, where his research focuses on the conservation and management of threatened species, sustainable fishing and healthy seafood.
On the show, Talwar and his teammate, marine biologist Chris Malinowski of nonprofit Ocean First Institute who researches in the Florida Keys, work together to explore shark habitats around the world and compete for a $50,000 prize for a marine charity.
Talwar and Malinowski attended Florida State University together and have made sharks and rays the focal point of their career.
Brendan Talwar (left) and marine biologist Chris Malinowski take on a shark-finding competition for Netflix.
All the Sharks/Netflix
“People are always intrigued by sharks,” Talwar said, adding he was intrigued by executive producer Myke Clarkson’s idea to “create a shark positive show where it’s a win every time somebody sees a shark or a ray.”
Hooking the audience “with curiosity instead of fear,” “All the Sharks” is a new twist on the genre, Talwar said.
“Anyone in this field who’s worked with media … is hesitant,” he said, as many shark-related shows begin as peaceful underwater interactions with the animals but end up looking chaotic with dramatic music post-editing.
“All the Sharks” is different, Talwar said. “The point is to find sharks and rays. … You can’t help but root for people to encounter these animals.”
It’s an important focus, he said, as most of the time, sharks swim away from humans “and you’re the one chasing the shark.”
The show is part of a broader effort to help people understand that “healthy and thriving marine ecosystems are a good thing and can bring people joy,” Talwar said.
“All the Sharks” was filmed in six locations including The Maldives, South Africa and Japan, places that attracted Talwar and Malinowski as “some of these places are so exceptional,” Talwar said.
The filming spots were selected for their likelihood of seeing sharks and rays, he said. “That’s not normal.”
Off one island in The Maldives, Talwar encountered large tiger sharks feeding in a harbor.
“That’s the only place in the world where you get animals that big so routinely in that type of context,” he said. “You can’t just go swim anywhere in the world and see ecosystems that are this healthy.”
In South Africa, the competitors saw many species they’d never seen before, Talwar said.
Participating in the “All the Sharks” is a “complementary approach” to Talwar’s mission to aid the conservation of threatened species, he said.
“You can’t just do research that nobody knows anything about. You can’t just teach people, because you need the research to know [what] to teach them,” he said. “And then you have to broaden the umbrella and include lots and lots of people in the effort, so that there’s momentum towards protecting some of these animals and habitats.”
“All the Sharks” is a community engagement effort above all else, with a family-friendly focus that builds excitement around shark species.
And though the locations are globally remote and appear pristine and untouched, “we could have easily had an episode for this show right off of La Jolla,” Talwar said, as this community has “astounding” numbers of sharks and rays.
The La Jolla Marine Protected Areas are exceptional places for shark and ray biodiversity, he said, “and to have it on the edge of a major US city is really, really special.”
La Jollans should “really treasure” the ability to interact with so many of these creatures, Talwar added. “It’s one of these places that’s not normal.”
La Jolla is “an example of what protecting habitats and species can actually achieve.”
Talwar and Malinowski are creating educational and entertaining materials to pair with the show; Talwar will be one of the featured scientists at Birch Aquarium’s Shark Summer pop-up event from 5 to 8 pm on Thursday, July 10.
Follow along on Instagram (@Shark_Docs) and YouTube throughout their journey.
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