This year’s SharkFest will be bigger than ever before. National Geographic has six weeks of shark-related programming planned, kicking off with a week of special programming on Monday, July 5. Thor actor Chris Hemsworth even gets in on the shark fun with the new Shark Beach with Chris Hemsworth documentary. The shark programming will also air on Nat Geo WILD and Nat Geo Mundo, and some specials will be added to Disney XD and Disney+.
SharkFest 2021 will include over 21 hours of new premiers, 60 hours of “enhanced content” and a treasure-chest-sized amount of archival footage. One of the major new specials is Shark Attack Investigation: The Paige Winter Story, which features experts explaining the truth behind Paige Winter’s 2019 shark attack. The six-part series Shark Attack Files will cover more attacks, including actual footage. National Geographic will also air six new episodes of When Sharks Attack. Rogue Shark? shows shark attacks in Australia, while Shark Gangs looks at shark behavior. Viewers will also learn if a crocodile can defeat a shark in Croc That Ate Jaws.
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Disney+ is getting in on the action this year. Starting on Friday, July 9, many of NatGeo’s SharkFest originals will be available to stream there. Playing With Sharks, which features shark advocate Valerie Taylor, will debut on Disney+ on July 23. Disney XD will air Eyewitness Shark: Fin Frenzy on July 11. Hulu will not be lost in the action either, as past seasons of When Sharks Attack will be available to stream there. Scroll on for a look at the must-see new specials airing during SharkFest 2021.
When Sharks Attack
National Geographic — Premieres July 5, at 8/7c
Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 2, at 8/7c
Disney+ — Beginning July 9
SharkFest 2021 kicks off with new episodes of this series, which follows a spike in shark attacks near small communities. Viewers will learn what causes the spike in activity and how it could be prevented.
Shark Beach with Chris Hemsworth
National Geographic — Premieres July 5, at 9/8c
Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 2, at 10/9c
Disney+ — Beginning July 9
Chris Hemsworth teams up with conservationist Valerie Taylor to highlight how sharks and humans can safely coexist. He was inspired to look into shark behavior after an increase in shark attacks off the east coast of Australia recently. The special also shows off new technology that can help avoid human-shark encounters.
Rogue Shark?
National Geographic — Premieres July 5, at 10/9c
Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 11, at 10/9c
Disney+ — Beginning July 9
In October 2018, the islands of the Whitsunday in Australia faced a series of mysterious shark attacks. All victims were attacked in the same small patch of ocean. Scientists are still hoping to solve this mystery. Was there one rogue shark on the loose that month?
Orca vs. Great White
National Geographic — Premieres July 6, at 10/9c
Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 3, at 10/9c
Disney+ — Beginning July 9
This new special looks at a strange event in 2017, when orcas started hunting and killing great white sharks off the coast of South Africa. Researchers in New Zealand believe this could happen again and are taking steps to stop this and understand what is going on. Have orcas really developed a taste for great white sharks? Or have humans done something to push these two predators into a face-off?
Shark Gangs
National Geographic — Premieres July 7, at 10/9c
Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 12, at 8/7c
Disney+ — Beginning July 9
Sharks were thought to be solitary predators for years, but scientists learned they really do gather in gangs. In this special, scientists look to provide audiences with an understanding of this behavior. Are they really enjoying a social life or working together to hunt?
Croc That Ate Jaws
National Geographic — Premieres July 8, at 10/9c
Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 4, at 10/9c
Disney+ — Beginning July 9
What happens when a crocodile and a shark meet? This special will show what happens when two deadly predators face off. A shark might learn the hard way to never smile at a crocodile.
World’s Most Dangerous Shark?
National Geographic — Premieres July 9, at 10/9c
Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 5, at 10/9c
Disney+ — Beginning July 16
While many think the great white shark is the most dangerous shark, the legendary Jacques Cousteau believed this title really belonged to the oceanic whitetip. In this special, two experts pull back the curtain on the whitetip to prove Cousteau right.
Shark Attack Files
National Geographic — Premieres July 12, at 9/8c
Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 9, at 10/9c
Disney+ — Beginning July 16
In Shark Attack Files, experts unpack the details of real shark attacks. The series features real footage of shark attacks and interviews with scientists and investigators who explain why a shark may have attacked in each case.
Shark Attack Investigation: The Paige Winter Story
National Geographic — Premieres July 12, at 10/9c
Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 6, at 10/9c
Disney+ — Beginning July 16
Paige Winter was attacked by a shark in 2019, when she was 17 years old. Her story went viral and captured national media attention. Two years later, experts revisit the case and cameras catch up with Winter today. She is now a shark advocate, seeking to educate the public and help people avoid attacks like hers.
World’s Biggest Bull Shark?
National Geographic — Premieres July 13, at 10/9c
Nat Geo WILD — Encore Presentation Aug. 10, at 9/8c
Disney+ — Beginning July 16
In 2012, Dr. Neil Hammerschlag caught a giant bull shark that weighed over 1,000 pounds and measured 10 feet long. The shark was let back into the ocean, but its origins remain mysterious. Some scientists thought the shark was just well-fed, but others believe she may be the matriarch of a special bull shark breed. This special seeks to solve that mystery.
Killer Shark vs. Killer Whale
National Geographic – Premieres July 15, at 10/9c
Nat Geo WILD – Encore Presentation Aug. 11, at 9/8c
Disney+ – Beginning Aug. 6
This focuses on the strange behavior of orcas when they attack great white sharks. The predatory behavior has been seen in California, South Africa, and Australia. Scientists are puzzled by these attacks, but the most surprising aspect is how some great white sharks know how to flee the scene before orcas move in.
Playing With Sharks
Playing With Sharks is a Disney+ exclusive documentary debuting on July 23. It centers on Valerie Taylor, a world-renowned shark expert, and advocate. Directed by Sally Aitken, the film tracks popular culture’s obsession and misunderstanding of sharks through Taylor’s eyes. The film was produced by National Geographic Documentary Films and includes interviews with Taylor.
