Sharkfest Returns With a Reminder to Respect the Oceans

Now more than ever, it feels natural to fear the ocean. The orcas are organizing, submarines are missing, and society is being reminded just how little we know about the depths of the sea. It’s good timing, then, for National Geographic to shed more light on the creatures that live there with its 11th annual Sharkfest, premiering July 2 across several platforms: National Geographic, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo Mundo, Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN2.

Sharkfest programming runs for four weeks, offering an up-close-and-personal look at the underwater predator in an attempt to show its extreme majesty. Each show is designed to inform and entertain without sensationalizing. Yes, these are dangerous creatures that humans should avoid in order to stay safe, but that doesn’t make them humanity’s enemy. In fact, they are a crucial part of the Earth’s ecosystem.

In this exclusive clip from Return of the White Shark, David Weeden, a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in Cape Cod, details the community’s long history and reliance on the seals and sharks of the area. During a time when Great White Sharks are being hunted more than ever before, he highlights the importance of preserving the species.

“The returning of the seals and the sharks, mother nature, it’s a powerful thing,” Weeden says in the clip. “To see the wildlife returning means that these animals have food supplies. Everything’s reliant on each other, that’s our belief system, and everything has the right to live.”

The sharks come only during particular seasons, which, he argues, makes them no different than the tourists who take over the town’s streets — and no one’s out hunting the latter. Sharkfest isn’t about striking fear into the hearts of all who watch, it’s a reminder that the oceans and those who inhabit them, including sharks and other underwater creatures, deserve our respect.

Sharkfest runs from July 2 through July 30 on a variety of channels and streaming platforms. Complete details and lineups can be found here.

Brianna Wellen is a TV Reporter at Primetimer who became obsessed with television when her parents let her stay up late to watch E.R.