Brendan Talwar, a postdoctoral scholar at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, and his teammate Chris Malinowski from the Ocean First Institute, won the Netflix competition series “All the Sharks.” The show featured four teams of ocean enthusiasts competing in marine fieldwork over two months, photographing sharks in locations such as the Maldives, Galápagos Islands, The Bahamas, South Africa, Japan, and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Teams earned points based on the rarity of shark species photographed.
Talwar and Malinowski competed as the “Shark Docs” team. Their victory awarded $50,000 to their chosen nonprofit organizations: Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) and Ocean First Institute. In addition to the prize money, they received a shark-shaped trophy.
Discussing his decision to participate in the show, Talwar said: “Chris and I received an email that read: ‘We are producing a global series that will feature the most biodiverse exploration of sharks that has ever been done.’ How could we say no? But, of course, we nearly did. It seemed too good to be true, and our scientific minds poked countless holes in the idea of participating. Would it help or harm our careers? Would it be worth the time we could spend publishing papers?
As my Scripps advisor, Brice Semmens, explained: Worst case—you don’t like the show but get to dive together in some of the last remaining near-pristine marine ecosystems the world can offer. Best case—the show plays a part in inspiring the next generation of marine biologists, showcases the wide diversity of sharks and rays in our oceans, and makes a global audience excited about these animals and their habitats, many of which are under increasing threat. So, we decided that the goal of the show was worth the risk, with every encounter with a shark or ray a ‘win’ for the audience.”
Talwar described filming as an adjustment from his usual preference for being behind rather than in front of cameras but noted that after getting to know production staff well during two months at sea he became comfortable enough that moments on camera felt authentic.
One memorable experience occurred at Darwin’s Arch in Galápagos when instead of whale sharks they encountered killer whales up close. “Sharing space with killer whales had been at the top of my bucket list since I saw the film ‘Free Willy’ as a kid,” Talwar said.
During filming across six locations with four teams involved overall more than 50 species were documented by photography—a significant representation considering there are more than 500 known shark species globally.
Talwar named his favorite sighting as encountering leopard catsharks off South Africa’s coast due to their unique appearance and behavior; however his favorite photograph came from capturing an image of a great hammerhead shark off Bimini while facing elimination from competition.
On what winning meant for science outreach he stated: “Winning mattered because it meant our work and message could reach a wider audience. Our message… made final cut because we were featured in every episode. These messages were easy to miss because entertainment masked education… but they snuck in—defining endemism in Japan… highlighting use of shark tracking data… even mentioning importance of sound for bull sharks…”
He emphasized using media attention through social platforms like Instagram (@Shark_Docs) and podcast “Beyond All The Sharks” for broader conservation messaging.
Regarding charity selection he explained REEF was chosen because its mission aligns with values promoting citizen science among divers contributing vital data sets used both during competition planning and ongoing research efforts into population trends for conservation policy guidance.
Looking ahead Talwar expressed concern over funding challenges affecting regional shark research despite ongoing threats such as overfishing shifting toward coastal zones making local habitat protections increasingly important. He stressed applied research combining multiple disciplines is needed for effective management strategies—a collaborative approach he sees Scripps uniquely positioned to lead due to partnerships with NOAA and other agencies.
Talwar hopes experiences shared through projects like “All The Sharks” will encourage public connection with marine life stating: “If we want people to care about ocean…we have tell stories help them feel part it.”
