Marine biologist Jess Blakeway has chosen to study PNG’s unique walking sharks for her PhD thesis with the University of the Sunshine Coast
“When I went to look for information about them I couldn’t find much at all”
A juvenile Michael’s walking shark – which are mainly found in Milne Bay – is examined by one of the researchers
It’s not hard to see why Jess finds these sharks so cute. They don’t have rows of big scary razor-sharp teeth for starters, so a shark more different to the great white in the movie Jaws would be hard to find. As well as being harmless to humans, they are small – at less
than 80cm and often no more than the size of a ruler; they are covered in pretty brown leopard-like spots; and are peaceful slow- moving homebodies that roam about the seafloor eating worms, snails and crabs rather than being top-of- the-food-chain apex predators. They also
“Look at this little face, only a mother could love it!” Jess said of this Michael’s walking shark
VOLUME 43 2025
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