National Geographic’s Annual 'Sharkfest' Returns July 2, 2023

National Geographic’s Annual “Sharkfest” is about to kick off another season on July 2, and it’s so big, it’s going to take place across National Geographic, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN2!

About Sharkfest

Because one week is simply not enough, “Sharkfest” will entertain viewers with four weeks of shark programming that will showcase the captivating science, power and beauty of these magnificent animals.

With over 22 hours of original programming and over 50 hours of enhanced content, all featuring cutting-edge technology and industry-leading experts, Nat Geo says viewers will dive deep into the unpredictable psyche of sharks — without the distraction of celebrities.

Expanding beyond National Geographic, “Sharkfest” will swim into other Disney-owned channels and streamers:

Disney+ and Hulu will stream every premiere as they roll out over the course of the month-long event
The Nat Geo TV App and ABC App will celebrate the summer event with a “Sharkfest” collection page, along with a FAST pop-up channel, available June 15, that will feature episodes from previous years of “Sharkfest.”
Disney Channel will make waves with kid-centric shark content from Saturday, July 8, through Sunday, July 9.
Disney XD will feature 10 hours of shark-themed content from Monday, July 3, through Friday, July 7.
Disney Junior will air shark-themed programming with preschool-friendly messaging from Monday, July 3, through Sunday, July 9.
DisneyNOW will have shark-themed content on its homepage all month long through August.
Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, and Nat Geo Kids’ YouTube channels will all have new shark-themed shorts beginning Monday, July 3.
National Geographic’s website will have a “Sharkfest” hub.

New Programming

This year’s lineup offers a treasure trove of new original content that dives into details on over 15 different shark species and features footage from all over the world, including the Galapagos Islands, Costa Rica, Australia, Hawaii, South Africa, the Maldives, California, Massachusetts, Maine, Florida and more.

National Geographic’s “Sharkfest” aims to be the go-to destination for everything shark, and new programming available to watch include:

BULL SHARK BANDITS

National Geographic – Premieres July 2 at 8pm ET/7pm CT
ESPN2 – July 7 at 10pm ET/9pm CT
Nat Geo WILD – July 24 at 10pm ET/9pm CT
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2

Shark biologists Dr. Johan Gustafson and Dr. Mariel Familiar López investigate rising reports of bull sharks stealing from fishermen in Weipa, northern Australia. Could this methodical and radical shift in behavior provide new evidence of shark intelligence? To find out, the team deploys groundbreaking experiments and technology, including a new prototype diving cage.

SHARK EAT SHARK

National Geographic – Premieres July 2 at 9pm ET/8pm CT
Nat Geo WILD – July 26 at 10pm ET/9pm CT
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2

Around the world, reports of shark-on-shark attacks are on the rise. Now, off South Africa’s dramatic southern coast, a new hotspot has emerged — a bay where white sharks hunt other sharks. In a groundbreaking investigation, Enrico Gennari and Lacey Williams lead a team of experts into the deep to capture conclusive evidence.

SAVED FROM A SHARK

National Geographic – Premieres July 2 at 10pm ET/9pm CT
Nat Geo WILD – July 27 at 8pm ET/7pm CT
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2

The scientific community is divided as to whether dolphins or whales will deliberately save a person from a shark attack. But the people who have lived through these terrifying encounters don’t doubt what happened.

WHEN SHARKS ATTACK 360 (Six-Episode Series)

National Geographic – Premieres July 3 at 8pm ET/7pm CT, with new episodes each night through July 11
Nat Geo WILD – July 30 at 6pm ET/5pm CT
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2

An international team of experts hunts for clues as they investigate why sharks bite humans. They unravel the surprising threads that link these incidents. As the evidence mounts, they analyze data in a cutting-edge VFX shark lab to understand in forensic detail why sharks attack.

RETURN OF THE WHITE SHARK

National Geographic – Premieres July 3 at 9pm ET/8pm CT
Nat Geo WILD – July 25 at 8pm ET/7pm CT
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2

Hundreds of great white sharks have recently appeared on the doorstep of one of America’s most popular tourist destinations, hunting in ways never documented before. To understand why the sharks are here and what this means for Cape Cod, a team of scientists are studying this new phenomenon to try to keep people safe. Are the sharks changing the natural ecosystem … or restoring it?

BULL SHARK VS. HAMMERHEAD

National Geographic – Premieres July 3 at 10pm ET/9pm CT
ESPN2 – July 7 at 9pm ET/8pm CT
Nat Geo WILD – July 28 at 9pm ET/8pm CT
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2

In Florida, a rare event between top ocean predators was captured on video: bull sharks attacking a great hammerhead. Dr. Heithaus and a team of shark experts launch an investigation pinning one against the other. They put experiments to the test to see what happens when these top predators come head-to-head.

SHARK BELOW ZERO

National Geographic – Premieres July 5 at 9pm ET/8pm CT
Nat Geo WILD – July 24 at 8pm ET/7pm CT
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2

White sharks have been spotted across Canada as far north as the coast of Newfoundland. After the first suspected white shark attack in Canada for over 150 years, experts Greg Skomal, Heather Bowlby, Megan Winton and Warren Joyce investigate what drives white shark’s journey to the northernmost limit of their range.

SHARKANO: HAWAII

National Geographic – Premieres July 5 at 10pm ET/9pm CT
Nat Geo WILD – July 24 at 9/8pm CT and 11pm ET/10pm CT
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2

To find out why sharks are drawn to Hawaii’s volcanoes, biologists Dr. Mike Heithaus and Dr. Frances Farabaugh free dive with one of the most dangerous sharks: the tiger shark.

WHEN SHARKS ATTACK…AND WHY (Eight-Episode Series)

National Geographic – Premieres July 6 at 9pm ET/8pm CT, with new episodes each night through July 12
Nat Geo WILD – July 26 at 8pm ET/7pm CT and 9pm ET/8pm CT
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2

From America’s coastlines to exotic beaches around the world, shark attacks are becoming more unpredictable. Many of these attacks occur suddenly, in large numbers and in unexpected locations — puzzling locals and scientists alike. Experts investigate these mysterious incidents to discover what is affecting some of nature’s most feared fish.

SHARKS VS. DOLPHINS: BAHAMAS BATTLEGROUND

National Geographic – Premieres July 10 at 10pm ET/9pm CT
Nat Geo WILD – July 28 at 8pm ET/7pm CT
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2

In the Bahamas, more than 30% of dolphins have shark-bite scars. With a never-before-seen non-toxic gel bite pad and life-sized dolphin decoy, Dr. Mike Heithaus and Dr. Valeria Paz collect bite impressions from three shark species that might be the predators. Bites from bull sharks, tiger sharks and great hammerheads — up to 14 feet long — are compared to scars photographed on dolphins.

The Experts

Nat Geo’s new partner for this year’s “SharkFest” is Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), which is meant to “encourage diversity and inclusion in the shark sciences field and inspire the next generation of scientists.”

New and familiar experts in this year’s programming include:

Candace Fields (MISS), a Ph.D. student studying the population dynamics and geographic population structure of large predators
Dr. Frances Farabaugh, a Ph.D. student focusing on the ecology of marine predators and the role sharks play in structuring reef communities
Dr. Greg Skomal, an accomplished marine biologist, underwater explorer, photographer and author who currently heads up the Massachusetts Shark Research Program
Dr. Mike Heithaus, the executive dean of the College of Arts, Sciences & Education (CASE) and professor in the department of biological sciences at Florida International University (FIU)
Dr. Ryan Johnson, a marine biologist and world-famous documentary host
Dr. Valeria Paz, a dolphin biologist focusing on top predator and community ecology
Dr. Yannis Papastamatiou, an associate professor at FIU in the department of biological sciences, who has made big strides in the shark research community
Gibbs Kuguru, a Kenyan shark scientist who works with great whites and studies the DNA of sharks
Melissa Cristina Marquez, a Puerto Rican marine biologist and science communicator studying chondrichthyan fishes, such as great white sharks
Megan Winton, a research scientist and a Ph.D. candidate where her research has focused on understanding shark and sea turtle populations in the northwest Atlantic
Davon Strickland (MISS), the captain of the FIU football team and also part of the next generation of marine biologists joining Dr. Mike Heithaus’ lab as a Ph.D. candidate
A-bel Gong (MISS), a behavioral ecologist studying sharks and a co-host of the podcast “LGBTQ+ STEM,” which highlights LGBTQ+ voices in the sciences
Johan Gustafson, Australian expedition leader, marine ecologist and shark expert specializing in shark behavior, movement and environmental interactions; while using the latest tagging technologies, Johan’s research has been used to track Australia’s various shark species for nearly 10 years
Dr. Mariel Familiar López, a wildlife biologist in both marine and terrestrial environments and an experienced science communicator; originally from Mexico City, Mariel’s research has helped to combat the devastating chytridiomycosis, an amphibian fungal infectious disease resulting in the global mass decline and extinction of amphibians worldwide