Shark Man

The adventures of a shark scientist and his mission to change our perception of New Zealand s most feared and misunderstood predator. Riley Elliott is a surfer, spear-fisherman and shark scientist from the Waikato, currently writing a PhD at Auckland University. He s also on a mission to share his fascination with sharks, raise the profile of their dwindling numbers and question the legitimacy of shark-finning in our waters. Riley s passion for sharks started while he was working at the Oceans Research Great White Shark Station in South Africa, where he learned to free-dive with sharks beyond the cage. Upon his return to New Zealand, Riley began research for his PhD, and in the process uncovered some alarming trends. Riley Elliott is making it his mission to educate New Zealanders about the over-exploitation of sharks in our waters, particularly the controversial practice of shark-finning, and how it affects the ocean ecosystem. In the process he s becoming New Zealand s most popular expert on shark species, and a go-to commentator about our increasing encounters with this deadly ocean predator. Shark Man is Riley s story, from his time learning to scuba