AT HOME EXPERIENCE: UNDER THE SEA WITH A SHARK EXPERT

I can’t say I’ve ever been the biggest fan of sharks. I think I may have watched Jaws a few too many times that I’ve been left traumatised… However, there has always been something about this enormous fish that has intrigued me. So, what better opportunity to learn about this magnificent creature than from a shark expert all the way from Cape Town?

Lesley began the Zoom call by telling us a bit about herself and what she does. Not only is Lesley a free diver, she is also a global speaker, photographer and is the founder of her own charity called “AfriOceans”. 

I was shocked to find out Lesley actually used to be terrified of sharks until she became invested in shark conservation, and earned the title of Shark Warrior. We learned about her shark conservation project where she created an incredible campaign to combat the consumption of shark fin soup. 

Did you know there are over 500 species of sharks? This was news to me; I couldn’t believe there are so many, but it does make sense considering they have been on this planet longer than the dinosaurs.

Lesley then introduced us to Maxine the shark. Maxine is the reason Lesley has fallen in love with these magnificent sea creatures. Maxine is a Spotted Ragged Tooth Shark who swam into a shark net in KwaZulu Natal and wounded her neck. This left her seriously injured and she was unable to breathe; it is likely she would have died if it wasn’t for the team who saved her and nursed her back to health in an aquarium. 

Maxine lived in the aquarium for 9 years before getting released back into the sea with a tracker that is able to show her location, as well as the temperature of the water. It was quite interesting to be able to learn a bit more about how shark conservationists collect their data, and how this helps the species!

Sharks can live for over 40 years. Maxine was 15 years old when she was rescued, and is now 31! It’s amazing to know that Maxine was able to live out the rest of her life thanks to the conservationists. 

After learning a bit more about sharks and seeing a real megalodon tooth fossil (!) We all drew a diagram of a shark to learn a bit more about its anatomy. I can’t say my drawing looks that realistic, but I do think my shark looks kind of cute. 

To finish the online experience, we took a shark quiz that tested us on the facts we had learned throughout. We answered 10 true or false questions, and I scored an 8/10 which I was pretty impressed with. I am on my way to becoming a shark expert myself! 

This experience definitely opened my eyes and made me realise that maybe I don’t need to be as terrified of sharks as I am. I would love to go see some wild sharks in the oceans… maybe not free diving, but I would definitely consider a cage dive! 

Thanks for Reading!

Lesley was so lovely and was happy to answer any questions we had about the sharks. I would definitely recommend this at-home experience to anyone who loves sharks, or like me, would just like to know a bit more about the fascinating creature!