Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Yannis Papastamatiou grew up thinking Britain was not a great place to be a shark enthusiast. Today, the marine biologist and assistant professor in the Institute of Environment takes that back.
Studies have shown about 40 shark species make their way to the British waters year-round.
National Geographic spotlighted eight different shark species that lurk in UK waters – a place where many people would not associate thriving shark populations. Even though sharks are in these waters, not many are seen due to overfishing and popular demand for their delicacy of shark fin soup.
Showcasing these species could help familiarize the public with sharks in their area, support those most vulnerable and improve global conservation efforts.
To view the list of UK sharks by Simon Ingram, visit National Geographic.
