Discovery Channel’s Shark Week returned on Sunday, July 20, 2025, marking its 37th annual celebration. This year’s week-long lineup, scheduled nightly at 8 p.m. ET/PT through Saturday, July 26, is being hailed for striking a more pointed balance between thrilling underwater spectacle and urgent conservation messaging, amid recovering shark populations and rising human‑ocean interactions.
The signature opener, “Dancing With Sharks,” hosted by Emmy winner Tom Bergeron, sets the tone with an imaginative twist—underwater choreographed routines alongside tiger and hammerhead sharks—designed to elevate understanding of shark behaviors in virtually poetic terms. This creative framing paves the way for more serious programming later in the evening, blending entertainment and advocacy.
The 2025 lineup comprises nearly 20 hours of fresh content, including beloved staples and new narratives aimed at dismantling fear and amplifying conservation. “Air Jaws: The Hunt for Colossus” and “Great White Sex Battle” continue to thrill viewers with spectacular shark behavior. “How to Survive a Shark Attack,” featuring former Navy diver Paul de Gelder, stages controlled bite tests on prosthetic limbs to provide safety insights. De Gelder, who lost a hand and leg in a 2009 bull shark attack, explains: “At least this way, I got a cool story, and I even developed a whole career out of it,” while emphasizing the episode’s educational imperative. “Black Mako of the Abyss” investigates anomalously dark mako sharks off California. Researchers explore whether this is due to hybridization, genetic mutation, or ecological shifts from climate change—a reminder that shark science is evolving fast.
Hosts like Kinga Phillips and Forrest Galante reinforce the ecological framing. Phillips recounts narrowly escaping a tiger shark encounter, acknowledging, “we really kind of got lucky,” and pressed the need for thorough public education on shark behavior. Galante adds, “If you add the dimension of getting into a totally foreign environment… it immerses you in an entirely different world,” underscoring sharks’ wild, untamed allure.
Echoing Shark Week’s shift toward real-world impact, Thursday, July 21 introduced “Fin Finder,” a public‐facing satellite‑tagging initiative for tiger, hammerhead, and mako sharks. This collaboration with Texas A&M enhances public engagement with migration maps and behavior tracking—vital resources for marine conservation efforts.
Since launching in 1988 to counteract the fear fueled by Jaws, Shark Week has evolved from dramatized programming to a conservation platform. Industry observers note that Discovery’s event still leads summer TV, even as rivals like National Geographic’s SharkFest have adopted more overtly scientific tones. Paul de Gelder credits Shark Week’s transformation. Speaking about Jaws, he said it was “one of the greatest ever made but … pretty bad PR for sharks,” adding emphasis on separating fiction from fact.
Experts report that three in four shark and ray species are currently threatened, facing extinction risk from overfishing and habitat loss. With shark numbers recovering in some areas but ocean use increasing, engagements must be grounded in knowledge.
Conservationists like South African pioneer Lesley Rochat and Filipino activist Anna Oposa (notably from Cebu City) continue forging critical policy and public campaigns. Oposa’s role in establishing the Philippines’ first shark sanctuary highlights the fusion of grassroots effort and media exposure.
Shark Week encourages more than passive watching—it invites activism. Audiences are urged to support NGOs, volunteer, stay informed on shark-friendly fishing policies, and share positive shark messaging through social platforms. Public interaction with tools like Fin Finder bridges televised storytelling and conservation participation.
Shark Week 2025 is more than a set of adrenaline-fueled episodes; it’s a structured, scientifically informed campaign aimed at restoring respect for sharks and reinforcing their role in ocean ecosystems. By combining breathtaking footage, expert insight, and interactive science, Discovery Channel is steering its most-watched annual event toward fostering a legacy of marine stewardship.