Shark attacks are often sensationalized on TV and in newspapers, and up until a few years ago, I believed the hype.
Everything changed when I saw the documentary “Sharkwater,” produced by Rob Stewart. The film showed me that sharks should be more afraid of us than we are of them.
Research indicates that as many as 150 million sharks are disappearing from our oceans each and every year as a result of overfishing, by-catch and finning.
After seeing the film, I felt a push to do my part for these animals whose populations have declined significantly over the past 50 years.
This led me to Belize to work on a one-week shark conservation project. There, I learned more about these majestic creatures and I saw the impact that I could have on ensuring that shark populations are given a chance to rebuild.
Last year, I headed off again, this time to South Africa. With my boyfriend Dave in tow, I traveled to Mossel Bay in Western Cape to work on a two-week shark internship program with White Shark Africa. Here's what it was like.
As an intern with White Shark Africa, I spent one day a week at the SAPREC Seabird and Penguin Rehabilitation Centre, which takes in injured birds and nurses them back to health so they can be returned to the wild.
Before going to SAPREC, I had never been up close and personal with a penguin. Each penguin has its own personality, and some of them even enjoy taking selfies.
I spent most of my days aboard Shark Warrior, a great white shark cage diving boat.
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