In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Shark Biologist and Conservationist Michael Scholl.
Michael's initial field experience with Sharks began in 1995 at the Bimini Biological Field Station (BBFS) in The Bahamas. He then spent the next decade studying the population and ecology of White Sharks around Dyer Island in South Africa. In 2002, he founded the White Shark Trust (WST) to support research, education and conservation projects focused on white sharks. His genetic, tagging and finprinting studies were integral in discovering a link between South African and Australian White Shark populations. This work was a major factor in the decision to list white sharks on CITES in 2004. Michael taught bilingual high school and IB level Biology, Mathematics and Physics classes in Lausanne, Switzerland, and worked for South African Explorer, Mike Horn on the Pangaea Expedition, assisting Young Explorers worldwide to establish environmental and social projects worldwide. Michael was the Chief Executive Officer of the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) from 2012 to 2019, which allowed him to merge decades of experience in science, conservation, education and communication, and his lifelong passion for conserving Sharks and the Oceans.
Find out more about Michael and his work at www.michaelscholl.net.
