Walking Shark Discovery

Sharks don't just swim. Some walk. See what a walking shark looks like and watch the story of its surprise 2012 discovery in this new video short, the first in a new series by The Pew Charitable Trusts. http://www.pewtrusts.org/oceanscience.

Scientist Mark Erdmann was participating in a nighttime scuba dive off the coast of Halmahera, Indonesia when he stumbled on a new species of walking shark. The shark is one of nine walking species, six of which are found in Indonesian waters. It is about two to three feet long and uses its pectoral and pelvic fins to walk on ocean floor, looking for food.

Erdmann, a senior advisor at Conservation International and a Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation said he experienced a "rush of adrenaline" in 2012 when he first saw the shark. But beyond excitement, his discovery uncovers new knowledge about our oceans, and moves the field of marine science forward.

Learn more about the discovery of the walking shark on Conservation International's blog: http://blog.conservation.org/2013/08/newest-walking-shark-heralds-brighter-future-for-indonesias-sharks-and-rays/.

Learn more about Mark Erdmann's Pew marine fellowship: http://www.pewenvironment.org/research-programs/marine-fellow/id/8589941878.