Learn about sharks Shark Ecology

Sharks have strong and fearsome reputations for being apex predators who will eat anything and everything.  Humans are becoming increasingly fearful of sharks and this fear drives unsustainable practices like shark finning, culling and overexploitation. Take the Big Blue Shark Ecology course and broaden your knowledge of the top ocean predators. I think you’ll find that sharks aren’t as dangerous and vicious as we think they are and come to realise how much we rely on them in the terrestrial world. 

Sharks are vital to the health of the oceans and to maintaining a balanced ecosystem. They perform top-down control on ecosystem dynamics and remove the weak and sick from the prey community, shifting the habitats of their prey, which affects the feeding strategy and diets of other species. The loss of shark species has led to the decline in coral reefs, seagrass beds and the loss of commercial fish stocks through the knock-on effects of trophic cascades. Humans have felt this impact economically and culturally, with threats to food security and ecotourism industries becoming ever greater in the face of an ocean without sharks. 

Our Shark Ecology course is perfect for divers who are nervous about sharks but want to learn more about them to overcome their fears.  You’ll also learn how to safely dive with sharks and learn how they and their behaviours are misunderstood.  At the end of the course, you’ll earn our house Shark Ecology speciality certification and most importantly, have a newfound love and respect for these awesome creatures.

This course is a classroom-only course. If you would like to add some diving, it’s no problem!  You’ll simply be charged our fun diving rate for the number of dives you do.

What comes next?

• Get your Open Water certification and dive into the world below the waves.
• Already certified? Get your Advanced certification and dive down to 30 metres.

Don’t forget! Because of the extra nitrogen your body builds up while scuba diving, you cannot fly within 24hrs of your last dive.

Are you fit to dive?

Scuba diving is an activity that requires a certain level of physical health. Read this medical questionnaire. If you can answer yes to any of the questions you may require medical clearance to enrol in a diving course. Contact us for more information.