National Geographic Shares Details for This Summer's SHARKFEST Beginning July 2nd

If you’re looking for the most authentic and comprehensive shark-viewing experience ever, look no further than National Geographic’s SHARKFEST. Sink your teeth into summer with 72 hours of SHARKFEST programming, kicking off July 2nd on National Geographic, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo Mundo, Disney+, Hulu and ESPN2. The go-to destinations for science-first shark content will take viewers up close and personal with the ocean’s apex predator.

What’s Happening:

With cutting-edge technology and actual industry-leading experts, SHARKFEST will entertain viewers with four weeks of explosive, hair-raising and celebratory shark programming that will showcase the captivating science, power and beauty of these magnificent animals — because one week is simply not enough. With over 22 hours of original programming and over 50 hours of enhanced content, viewers will dive deep into the unpredictable psyche of sharks — without the distraction of celebrities.
SHARKFEST will explore the waters across the nation in Cape Cod, Florida, Hawaii, New York, South Carolina and around the world in Australia, the Bahamas, Canada, Indonesia, South Africa, the U.K. and more for a global underwater adventure.
Expanding beyond National Geographic, SHARKFEST will be across all waters this summer and available for all generations to enjoy, including the following:
- Disney+ and Hulu will stream every SHARKFEST premiere as they roll out over the course of the month-long, jaw-dropping programming event.
- ABC Owned Television Stations’ appetite for action will be filled with some of the most fin-tastic content from the past year, airing across key linear and streaming platforms throughout July.
- The Nat Geo TV App and ABC App will celebrate the must-sea summer event with a SHARKFEST collection page, along with a FAST pop-up channel, available June 15th, that will feature episodes from previous years of SHARKFEST.
- Disney Channel will make waves with kid-centric shark content from Saturday, July 8th, through Sunday, July 9th.
- Disney XD will feature 10 hours of shark-themed content from Monday, July 3rd, through Friday, July 7th.
- Disney Junior will air shark-themed programming with preschool-friendly messaging from Monday, July 3rd, through Sunday, July 9th.
- DisneyNOW will have shark-themed content on its homepage all month long through August.
- Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior and Nat Geo Kids’ YouTube channels will all have new shark-themed shorts beginning Monday, July 3rd.
- National Geographic’s SHARKFEST hub, natgeo.com/sharkfest, will be updated throughout the summer to include enhanced content about sharks, including facts, photos and videos, quizzes and more, providing audiences with a better understanding of the ocean’s most misunderstood predator.
- For kids and their families, the National Geographic Kids YouTube channel will feature a Sharkfest playlist, in addition to shark-related content featured on the Kids website throughout the month of July.

Continuing its partnership with Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), which encourages diversity and inclusion in shark sciences and inspires the next generation of scientists, National Geographic’s SHARKFEST will feature new and familiar experts in this year’s programming. This collaboration lends MISS experts as on-screen talent and allows them to be consultants for the programming and development of the series.
No-fin compares to National Geographic’s SHARKFEST, the go-to destination for advancement, scientific experts and incredible shark discoveries. This year’s shark-infested lineup includes:

Bull Shark Bandits:

National Geographic – Premieres July 2nd at 8/7c
ESPN2 – July 7th at 10/9c
Nat Geo WILD – July 24th at 10/9c
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2nd
Shark biologists Dr. Johan Gustafson and Dr. Mariel Familiar López investigate rising reports of bull sharks stealing from fishermen in Weipa, northern Australia. Could this methodical and radical shift in behavior provide new evidence of shark intelligence? To find out, the team deploys groundbreaking experiments and technology, including a new prototype diving cage.

Shark Eat Shark:

National Geographic – Premieres July 2nd at 9/8c
Nat Geo WILD – July 26th at 10/9c
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2nd
Around the world, reports of shark-on-shark attacks are on the rise. Now, off South Africa’s dramatic southern coast, a new hotspot has emerged — a bay where white sharks hunt other sharks. In a groundbreaking investigation, Enrico Gennari and Lacey Williams lead a team of experts into the deep to capture conclusive evidence of SHARKS EATING SHARKS!

Saved From a Shark:

National Geographic – Premieres July 2nd at 10/9c
Nat Geo WILD – July 27th at 8/7c
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2nd
The scientific community is divided as to whether dolphins or whales will deliberately save a person from a shark attack. But the people who have lived through these terrifying encounters don’t doubt what happened.

When Sharks Attack 360 (Six-Episode Series)

National Geographic – Premieres July 3rd at 8/7c, with new episodes each night through July 11th
Nat Geo WILD – July 30th at 6/5c
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2nd
An international team of experts hunts for clues as they investigate why sharks bite humans. They unravel the surprising threads that link these incidents. As the evidence mounts, they analyze data in a cutting-edge VFX shark lab to understand in forensic detail why sharks attack.

Return of the White Shark:

National Geographic – Premieres July 3rd at 9/8c
Nat Geo WILD – July 25th at 8/7c
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2nd
Hundreds of great white sharks have recently appeared on the doorstep of one of America’s most popular tourist destinations, hunting in ways never documented before. To understand why the sharks are here and what this means for Cape Cod, a team of scientists are studying this new phenomenon to try to keep people safe. Are the sharks changing the natural ecosystem … or restoring it?

Bull Shark vs. Hammerhead:

National Geographic – Premieres July 3rd at 10/9c
ESPN2 – July 7th at 9/8c
Nat Geo WILD – July 28th at 9/8c
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2nd
In Florida, a rare event between top ocean predators was captured on video: bull sharks attacking a great hammerhead. Dr. Heithaus and a team of shark experts launch an investigation pinning one against the other. They put experiments to the test to see what happens when these top predators come head-to-head.

Shark Below Zero:

National Geographic – Premieres July 5th at 9/8c
Nat Geo WILD – July 24th at 8/7c
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2nd
White sharks have been spotted across Canada as far north as the coast of Newfoundland. After the first suspected white shark attack in Canada for over 150 years, experts Greg Skomal, Heather Bowlby, Megan Winton and Warren Joyce investigate what drives white shark’s journey to the northernmost limit of their range.

Sharkano: Hawaii

National Geographic – Premieres July 5th at 10/9c
Nat Geo WILD – July 24th at 9/8c and 11/10c
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2nd
To find out why sharks are drawn to Hawaii’s volcanoes, biologists Dr. Mike Heithaus and Dr. Frances Farabaugh free dive with one of the most dangerous sharks: the tiger shark.

When Sharks Attack… And Why (Eight-Episode Series)

National Geographic – Premieres July 6th at 9/8c, with new episodes each night through July 12th
Nat Geo WILD – July 26th at 8/7c and 9/8c
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2nd
From America’s coastlines to exotic beaches around the world, shark attacks are becoming more unpredictable. Many of these attacks occur suddenly, in large numbers and in unexpected locations — puzzling locals and scientists alike. Experts investigate these mysterious incidents to discover what is affecting some of nature’s most feared fish.

Sharks vs. Dolphins: Bahamas Battleground

National Geographic – Premieres July 10th at 10/9c
Nat Geo WILD – July 28th at 8/7c
Disney+ and Hulu – July 2nd
In the Bahamas, more than 30% of dolphins have shark-bite scars. With a never-before-seen non-toxic gel bite pad and life-sized dolphin decoy, Dr. Mike Heithaus and Dr. Valeria Paz collect bite impressions from three shark species that might be the predators. Bites from bull sharks, tiger sharks and great hammerheads — up to 14 feet long — are compared to scars photographed on dolphins.