Why Sharks Matter: The science and policy of saving sharks from extinction

Sharks are some of the most fascinating, most ecologically important, most threatened, and most misunderstood animals on Earth. While many people are afraid of sharks, you should be afraid for sharks, as many species face extinction. 

Join marine biologist and author Dr. David Shiffman for an engaging talk full of mind-blowing facts, adventures from a career studying sharks, and important information about these animals that desperately need our help.

And ever wonder if we have sharks in our Royal BC Museum collection? We sure do. Collections Manager of Birds and Mammals, Anna Chinn, will show off some of those specimens as part of this event. 

Dr. David Shiffman is a marine biologist who studies threatened sharks and how to protect them from extinction. He is the author of Why Sharks Matter: A Deep Dive with the World's Most Misunderstood Predator, and his writings have appeared in National Geographic, Scientific American, and a weekly column SCUBA Diving Magazine. A former BC resident, he now lives in Washington DC. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @WhySharksMatter, where he's always happy to answer any questions anyone has about sharks. 

Anna Chinn is the Royal BC Museum's Collections Manager of Birds and Mammals. She manages 63,000 bird and mammal specimens that document how the province's biodiversity has changed over the last 160 years. She is responsible for specimen care and for opening access to the collections to researchers and the public.