SharkFest 2026 Programming Kicks Off with Hammerhead Sharks

National Geographic’s annual summer event, SharkFest, will return for its fin-credible 14th year, combining jaw-dropping encounters with groundbreaking science and expert-led storytelling to reveal new insights into the behavior, power, and conservation of one of the ocean’s most fascinating predators.

The shark-infested celebration kicks off July 5 with Hammerhead Sharks Up Close with Bertie Gregory, streaming on Disney+ and Hulu and airing on National Geographic at 9/8c. The special follows Emmy- and BAFTA-winning cinematographer and National Geographic Explorer Bertie Gregory as he dives into Mexico’s Pacific waters to discover how protected seas can deliver a spectacle of one of the ocean’s most visually iconic sharks, the unmistakable hammerhead.

Additional fin-tastic programming will roll out throughout the month across Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo Mundo, Disney Channel and Disney XD, with select titles also streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. SharkFest content will also be available on VOD while select programming drops all month long across YouTube channels, including Nat Geo, Nat Geo Animals, Nat Geo en Español, and Nat Geo Kids.

This summer’s SharkFest lineup spans everything, from World’s Biggest Mako, exploring whether a once thought to be endangered giant mako may be staging a remarkable comeback, to Attack of the Samurai Sharks, unpacking a 3,000-year-old cold case involving a skeleton with mysterious bite marks, to Shark vs. Giant Croc, which investigates reported clashes between bull sharks and saltwater crocodiles, and more.

SHARKFEST 2026 PROGRAMMING

HAMMERHEAD SHARKS UP CLOSE WITH BERTIE GREGORY
In Mexico’s Pacific waters, Bertie Gregory goes in search of one of the ocean’s most iconic predators: the hammerhead shark. Once abundant in these seas, hammerhead populations have plummeted, making sightings increasingly rare.

Joining forces with leading shark scientists and local experts, Bertie investigates what’s driving the hammerhead decline, and how protected waters offer hope for the future. His journey culminates in a rare and unforgettable encounter that shines a light on the future of one of the world’s most famous sharks.

WORLD’S BIGGEST MAKO
A team of scientists and a cinematographer search the waters north of New Zealand to find giant mako. With the help of a local fisherman who has worked this stretch of ocean for decades, they encounter a series of increasingly large mako sharks.

While the mako is endangered elsewhere on the planet, this team discovers a population that might be making a comeback.

ATTACK OF THE SAMURAI SHARKS
A 3,000-year-old cold case could be the earliest known victim of a shark attack. The skeleton, found in Japan, is covered in unusually deep cut marks. It looks like the victim of a frenzied samurai sword attack, but could his wounds have been caused by a shark?

If so, which species of shark is the prime suspect? Shark experts Alyssa White, Gavin Naylor, Kirin Sekito, and Masato Nakatsukasa investigate.

SHARK VS. GIANT CROC
Shark experts Nico Lubitz and Adam Barnett head into the wilds of northeastern Australia to investigate reports of bull sharks and saltwater crocodiles clashing along the Daintree River.

Who’s the top dog? Attempting to fit a camera to the back of a big territorial boss croc, they risk all to find out.

SHARK ISLAND SHOWDOWN
At remote Norfolk Island in the South Pacific, shark experts Lauren Meyer, Adam Barnett and Charlie Huveneers investigate why tiger, dusky and Galapagos sharks gather here in such high numbers.

Through daring dives, tracking technology and bold experiments, they uncover hidden nurseries, shark hierarchies, and a rare predator hotspot.

SHARKS: REEF RIVALS
On a remote island in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, scientists investigate why huge numbers of sharks gather in one dangerous lagoon.

As tides transform the environment, different predators — from lemon sharks to tiger sharks — battle for survival, revealing a complex battleground driven by turtles, birds and shifting hunting opportunities.

GREAT WHITE GAUNTLET
Off Australia’s remote Greenly Island, shark experts Lauren Meyer, Charlie Huveneers and Adam Barnett investigate reports of unusually high great white activity around a thriving seal and sea lion colony.

Battling brutal seas and unpredictable weather, the team races to tag a white shark with an onboard camera to uncover how these predators hunt.