Since April 2015, we have aided the effort to educate our community in marine science. We aim to demonstrate the vital role sharks contribute to our ecosystems and provide a better understanding of shark identity, behavior, and biology. We hope to alleviate the common fear of sharks with both higher education and an introduction to our morals regarding oceanic respect. The overarching theme of our mission is that the more you know, the less you have to fear the unknown.
Educational Department Features:
Shark Anatomy
Spiny dogfish are used for our dissection presentations. Our members' prep and dissect sharks beforehand to ensure all accurate cuts are made for a proper demonstration. This part of the class can be a little smelly, but very informative on organ function within a shark.
Species Identification
Misidentification of sharks is common and Identifying a shark correctly can be also difficult with there being over 500+ species. It's important to know the shark, skate, or sting rays species that swim in your local waters! Who knows, you might even find out that every species of sharks in your waters only reaches a max of 3 ft. in length!
History & Evolution
Sharks have a rich history on Earth dating back many years, even before dinosaurs roamed Pangaea. Over these years, many adaptations developed within sharks to better suit them to their environment. Explore what special abilities sharks possess and how they have ruled at the top of the food chain for millions of years!
Tooth Identification
Correctly identifying shark's teeth can be a hard and tedious practice. Knowing what to look for and where to start can help anyone become an expert!
“If sending a group of kids out for a day with sharks sounds like a recipe for disaster, normally you would be right. However, with the help of the Shark Conservation Center at Eckerd College, fun and education were the only items on the menu for this day.”
“Founder of Eckerd College’s Shark Conservation Center Club, Dylan Faulkner, is attending Shark-Con with his team to “provide higher education to the public about sharks and to hopefully rid the public of its fear of sharks.”
Faulkner and his club often work with the community and local students in bringing awareness to the importance of a shark-filled ecosystem and the devastating effects of shark fin hunting.
”We want the community to understand and be able to work with and live with sharks,” Faulkner said. “We want to change the perception of sharks as demonized creatures.””