Top Shark Experts to be Auctioned Online During Discovery Channel's Shark Week

Miami, FL, August 11, 2012 --(PR.com)-- What do a shark attack victim, a model, a world-famous artist and a television host have in common? They all love sharks and each would like to sit down and have lunch or dinner (one-on-one) with you and explain why.

More than 50 of the world’s top shark experts and celebrities are on the auction block during Discovery Channel’s Shark Week 2012. Up for auction are filmmakers who will be premiering their films this week on Discovery Channel. There are also scientists, field researchers, underwater photographers, painters, sculptors, and shark experts from 16 ocean conservation organizations. If you live in Australia, Canada, Honduras, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, South Africa or the USA (Hawaii, California, Texas, Illinois, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Florida), could be that one of them is your neighbor. Up for auction are dinners (or lunches) with the world's foremost shark experts. Each winning bidder has the unique opportunity to "talk shark" face- to-face, one-on-one, with a real authority on sharks.

Celebrities being auctioned include: Donald Schultz, host of Nat Geo Wild’s Extreme Animal Rescue; Dr. Leonard Compagno, author of the field guide “Sharks of the World”; diving legend Jeremiah Sullivan, developer of the chain-mail shark suit; and BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year Amos Nachoum. On Sunday August 12, Chris Fallows and filmmaker Jeff Kurr’s new film, ‘Air Jaws Apocalypse’, will premiere, and Joe Romeiro’s, ‘How Jaws Changed the World’, will be shown on Tuesday August 14. ‘Shark Fight’ features Al Brenneka who lost his arm to a shark but became a powerful shark advocate, will be shown Wednesday August 15.

Also up for auction are Ralph Collier, author of “Shark Attacks of the 20th Century from the Pacific Coast of North America”, Dr. Richard Fernicola who wrote,”Twelve Days of Terror,” the definitive book on the 1916 shark attacks along the New Jersey shore that was the inspiration for Jaws. The ocean’s most eloquent advocate Dr. Sylvia Earle, explorer Nancy McGee; marine painters and authors Richard Ellis and Wyland, sculptor Victor Douieb and Jim Toomey, creator of the syndicated comic strip "Sherman’s Lagoon." are also on the auction block. These are just a few of the many “shark celebs” to be auctioned during the week. Every one of them has a wealth of expertise and stories to share with their highest bidder.

How it works: Bid on a shark expert or celebrity that lives or works nearby, unless you are willing to drive or fly to their location. The winning bidder pays for the celebrity's meal, and may bring guests. Shark Research Institute will introduce each winning bidder to his or her shark celebrity. The two of you then set a mutually convenient date, time and place to get together within 365 days of the close of the auction.

The auction starts 9 pm EST on August 12, 2012, and will run throughout Shark Week. The easiest way to enter the auction is through the link Shark Research Institute's home page at www.sharks.org.

Shark Research Institute (SRI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The funds received from the auction will be used for SRI’s conservation programs. Winning bids are deductible as charitable contributions from US Federal 2012 income taxes.