A Marine Scientist on 'All the Sharks' Explains Why Kids Shouldn't Fear These Apex Predators

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David Attenborough is now legendary for his dominance over various epic and educational nature documentaries. His narration has been instrumental in helping viewers become invested in wildlife and the ecosystems in which they live. And thanks to him, that style of nature show skyrocketed in popularity among families. But now entertainment is advocating for the cause of conservation and environmentalism in a new way: the reality competition show.
In a new Netflix show called All the Sharks, premiering on July 4, 2025, ecologists, biologists, journalists, photographers, and other experts team up travel around the globe, photographing as many species of sharks as they can. The pair who captures 'all the sharks' wins $50,000 to donate to the charity of their choice.
This daring, high stakes competition brings the wonder and awe that sharks inspire into the spotlight—but it also centers the scientists who study them. Ultimately, the goal is similar to one that Attenborough has long championed: Using a close-up view of nature to inspire viewers, and a new generation in particular, to protect and advocate for our planet and all its creatures.
Here, Parents speaks to one of the scientists who competes on the show, Chris Malinowski, PhD, (who will start releasing some of the research he gathered while shooting on the Instagram account Instagram account @shark_docs) about why kids shouldn't fear, but appreciate sharks, his realistic experience diving with them, and his advice to kids who are interested in pursuing marine science.
You know, I totally get it when kids are scared of sharks. I was that kid! My older brother and sister used to terrorize me by yelling "shark!" whenever I was swimming in our lake in Wisconsin. I'd panic and scramble out of the water as fast as I could.
The truth is, sharks aren't out there plotting to get us. Most sharks are actually pretty small, less than 3 feet long, and they're absolutely crucial to keeping our ocean healthy. Sharks are basically a sign of a healthy ecosystem. When sharks aren't there, that's actually the scary part, because it usually means humans have impacted their populations through overfishing, pollution, or development.
Think of sharks as the architects of marine ecosystems. Whether they're in shallow coastal waters, coral reefs, the open ocean, or the deep sea, they help to control entire food webs and keep fish populations balanced. They're also like living nutrient delivery trucks, migrating vast distances, and moving essential nutrients between different ocean habitats to keep ecosystems thriving. Healthy shark populations help maintain the ocean balance that produces much of the oxygen we breathe and supports the fisheries that feed billions of people worldwide.
So, protecting sharks isn't just about ocean health; it's about keeping our entire planet in balance. Instead of teaching kids to fear sharks, I'd love to see us help them appreciate these incredible animals for what they really are: essential guardians that deserve our respect and protection.
I think photographing sharks the way we did on the show really gets people engaged. We made it a priority to showcase the incredible variety of sharks and rays out there, not just the big, scary ones everyone expects.
What I love about photographing sharks and rays in different regions around the world is that we get to show people the amazing range of species, some that people may not even guess are sharks.
Most shark programming is conditioned to show the same big predatory species like great whites, which are incredible, don't get me wrong, but there are so many other fascinating species out there that never get the spotlight.
When you see a wobbegong shark that looks like a carpet, or the tiny, camouflaged puffadder shyshark, it totally changes your perspective. And when people get excited about something, there's no doubt they start caring more about protecting it.
Here's the thing people don't realize: When you're scuba diving, sharks are often the least of your concerns. The real challenges are the technical stuff: strong currents, low visibility, cold water, managing your air consumption, depth profiling, navigation. Those are the actual risks.
The show had medical staff with us at all times, which made us a lot more comfortable in some of the diving situations we were in.
Getting to observe sharks in their natural habitat? That's the incredible reward when everything goes as planned. The risk of being attacked is extremely low. We've all heard those statistics: You're more likely to be struck by lightning or hit by a falling coconut than attacked by a shark. With millions of people in the water every day swimming, surfing, diving, the International Shark Attack File only confirmed 47 unprovoked shark bites worldwide last year. That's pretty remarkable when you think about it.
Most sharks just cruise right past you. Some might get close out of curiosity, the same way we're curious about things we don't see often, but they generally keep their distance.
For me personally, I never feel afraid around sharks anymore. That probably comes from decades of experience. Of course, I've also learned to sense when a shark is acting strange and know when to get out of the water. But I've never lost that sense of excitement. Every shark encounter is different, and when I say this show gave me some of the most thrilling moments I've ever had in the water, that's no exaggeration.
This is such an incredibly important time to get into conservation! When I started down this path more than 20 years ago, it was crucial then, but it's only become more urgent.
My biggest advice? Learn as much as you can about the natural world and actually experience nature to gain that deep appreciation for it. I know this is getting harder with all the technological distractions and loss of natural spaces, but that's exactly why it's more important than ever.
We're honestly at a tipping point with climate change and ocean health. But I don't want that to sound like doom and gloom—it's a call for action. This field is incredibly rewarding because you can make real change, even if it starts at the local level.
For sharks specifically, unsustainable fishing practices are the biggest threat, combined with climate change effects and other human impacts like pollution and development. So managing our fisheries better and controlling overconsumption of endangered species is critical work that needs doing.
Whatever career path kids choose, I encourage them to build conservation into their lives somehow. That's what we need to create a positive future, one where humans work with the natural world instead of just extracting from it. We have the power to have either a positive or negative impact, and right now, we get to choose which direction we go.
Read the original article on Parents