Words: Margo Nugent Photos: Supplied by Jess Blakeway MEET PNG’S CUTEST SHARK The three species of walking shark only found in PNG waters don’t get as much attenton as iconic national symbols such as the bird of paradise, but they need it as their habitat is under threat and their future survival far from certain W hen most people talk about sharks, the word
night dive in Milne Bay seven years ago. “It was just after the sun had set and we were coming down where the reef was starting to slope off – and a walking shark swam out from close to the coral. It went underneath me and then settled just kind of behind me a little bit,” Jess recalls.
“I thought, ‘You’re adorable! And I need to know more.’ “That was the first time I saw one and it was really cool. But then, when I went to look for information about them I couldn’t find much at all.” Since then, Brisbane- based PhD student Jess has returned to
that reef in the remote Conflict Islands many times. “We’ve since done more dives on that spot and see them all the time – probably around 15 times, with years in between. It’s not necessarily the same individuals, but that is a guaranteed spot if you want to see them.” VOLUME 43 2025
‘adorable’ is not usually mentioned in the same sentence. But that’s how Australian marine biologist Jess Blakeway describes PNG’s little walking shark, which has captivated her since one followed her on a
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