In October 2025, I had the pleasure of attending the Dive Deeper: Into the World of Sharks event at The Deep.
As a marine biologist, as well as a member of The Deep crew within the Guiding department, I attended the evening to further my own knowledge of sharks. I was not disappointed.
First up was Dr. Charlotte Hopkins (Senior Lecturer in Marine Conservation) and Dr. Cath Waller (University of Hull), with their presentation titled “Unveiling the 400-Year-Old Shark: The Greenland Shark”. Charlotte began with some background information about the Greenland shark itself. Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, radiocarbon dating of protein extracted from the eyes of Greenland sharks suggest that their lifespan can reach 500 years! With potentially hundreds of years to reach their destination, these slow-moving, deep-water sleeper sharks are in no hurry to get anywhere fast, with a top speed of just 1km/h.
Cath then spoke about the work that Charlotte and herself had undertaken with Greenland sharks out in Tasiilaq, Greenland. The purpose of the scientific research was to gather information about the elusive Greenland shark, and the project had five aims, including to catch and tag five individual sharks and collect their vital statistics, as well as information on both their short-term and long-term movement and behaviour. The aims of this project were successfully carried out thanks to a joint effort between Cath, Charlotte and the local community, who had vital knowledge of both the Greenland sharks, and the surrounding waters, integral to the research.
Next up was our very own Graham Hill, Head of Animal Care at The Deep, with his presentation “Behind the Scenes: Shark Health at The Deep”. This was a superb behind-the-scenes glimpse into how the Aquarist team, led by Graham have helped to lead the way in the field of elasmobranch health and husbandry, especially that of shark species. By working closely with the shark species home at The Deep, Graham and the Aquarist team have been able to develop methods to successfully and safely capture the animals through a variety of techniques (including training sharks to voluntarily enter a certain area). The process of developing these methods took several months of dedicated work, but through these, the team are now helping to further the study of elasmobranch husbandry.
Finally, to close out a fantastic evening was Paul Cox, CEO of The Shark Trust. He first opened with some hard home truths about the state of elasmobranchs globally. In 2014, 24% of surveyed elasmobranch species were listed as threatened by extinction by the IUCN. This had risen to 32% by 2021, and elasmobranchs are now considered the second most threatened group of vertebrates, after amphibians. Paul then spoke about the Oceanics Programme, specifically Project Oceanic Whitetip and the Big Shark Pledge, a pioneering collaborative effort between members of the European Union of Aquarium Curators (EUAC), of which The Deep are participating. The purpose of the project is to encourage citizens to put joint pressure on governing bodies to protect the high seas shark species, the oceanic whitetip (classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN). The project is campaigning for effective fisheries management and improved implementation of legislation, first in the EU for others to hopefully follow.
Even though I may be a bit biased, due to my love of sharks – I thought the evening was brilliant and very informative! All three presentations were fascinating; both easy to follow along and understand with the opportunity to ask questions directly to the presenters after each one. Regardless of the fact I am a member of The Deep Crew, I would urge anyone with an interest in science and the natural world who wishes to further their own scientific understanding to consider attending one of the Dive Deeper events.
- Written by Sadie, Guide at The Deep.