National Geographic Explorers Combat Shark Stigma on SharkFest

MIAMI -- To celebrate SharkFest, National Geographic Explorers Dr. Shireen Rahimi and Dr. Catherine Macdonald team up to share how sharks thrive in shallow water ecosystems.

Dr. Rahimi is a marine anthropologist and underwater filmmaker based in Miami, Florida. Her research focus on coral reefs has frequently brought her face-to-face with sharks, many of which call the reefs their home.

"I often will team up with other scientists who have more expertise than me when I'm trying to tell a specific story," says Dr. Rahimi. "One of those people is Dr. Catherine Macdonald."

Dr. Macdonald is the director of Field School and a lecturer at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. Her research focuses on Biscayne Bay, a refuge for young sharks who live in its shallow waters. "That makes it a really precious ecosystem," says Dr. Macdonald. "Both in terms of that shallow water lets things like seagrass beds thrive and it lets small sharks avoid bigger sharks that don't want to be in such shallow water."

Dive into more jaw-dropping SharkFest content on National Geographic and #DisneyPlus.

And for even MORE shark stories, visit National Geographic's SharkFest Unlocked Channel. This action-packed, shark-infested channel features more than 60 hours of shows and specials on one of nature's most feared and often misunderstood predators. Watch free!

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