SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY – The annual television event “Shark Week” is coming soon, but this year, it’s not all entertainment. A series of real-life shark attacks on Long Island have put officials and vacationers on high alert.
According to CBS News, there were five reported shark bites in Long Island, New York, between July 3 and 4. At the same time, swimmers in Florida were startled by dorsal fins popping up in the water, causing them to run for their lives.
Officials have responded to the increased number of attacks by increasing surveillance efforts and using drone cameras to track shark activity. One drone used in New York captured footage of around 50 sharks swimming together, which was a terrifying sight.
In 2022, there were eight shark attacks on Long Island beaches, and experts are concerned that this summer could break that record due to the high number of incidents already reported.
This year, on The Discovery Channel, Aquaman himself will host Shark Week.
Jason Momoa, who is widely known and loved for his acting roles, superhero persona, and conservation efforts to protect the world’s oceans, will be the host of Discovery Channel’s annual Shark Week celebration. During the week-long event, starting on Sunday, July 23 at 8PM ET/PT, Momoa will guide viewers through nearly 20 hours of new television featuring the fascinating and powerful apex predators. Some of the highlights include “Belly of the Beast: Feeding Frenzy,” which will offer a close-up view of a great white shark feast, captured by researchers using cameras inside a whale carcass decoy, and “Cocaine Sharks,” which explores the effects on sharks that feed on cocaine and other illegal drugs dumped in South Florida waters.
Shark Week is a highly popular and respected programming event that attracted over 28 million viewers last year. This year, it will also showcase cutting-edge technology and rare footage of shark mating and migration patterns, as top marine biologists and science institutions conduct research in remote locations in South Africa and New Zealand.