One of the most interesting weeks of the year of television, Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, has begun with over 20 hours of amazing shark programming built to “shark and awe” viewers. It's a favorite week in winter here down under. Tune in as #SharkWeek begins on Sunday, July 24 and ends too soon, on Saturday, July 30.
As an Australian company, we are shark fans for many reasons. The protection of our oceans and the species that live there are very important to us. As the makers of Glyde® Mobility Chews, a supplement that protects the joints of dogs and cats from the painful symptoms of arthritis, we wanted to let you know how passionate we are about sharks and how we are doing our part to protect them. We are also giving you insight on the highlights to watch in this year's, 34th year of #SharkWeek.
How we protect sharks
Our passion for sharks starts with the choice of ingredients used in Glyde Mobility Chews. Products that improve mobility, such as Glyde, use Chondroitin as a key ingredient. This ingredient can be obtained from fish, pigs, cattle, birds, and shark. Proudly, our choice is, and always has been, to use Chondroitin from cows and not sharks. Here's why:
- It is absorbed more quickly in the system than other resources.
- It is a by-product of the meat industry.
- It avoids harvesting cartilage from sharks.
However, there are some products still using shark cartilage for reasons they see fit, which unfortunately adds to the endangerment of the shark population. As a company with roots in Australia and New Zealand, we value our environment and do our part to protect our marine life. If you aren’t using Glyde, make sure the product you use doesn't contain shark cartilage either. Now that you know where Chondroitin comes from, here’s what it does:
- Reduces pain, improves joint function and mobility
- Reduces the progression of arthritis
- Absorbs quickly in the system to relieve the signs of arthritis
our shark tale
There are around 70 different species of shark located around New Zealand. Also located there is our main ingredient, Green Lipped Mussel (GLM). This is the unique super-power ingredient in Glyde. GLM comes from the pristine waters of New Zealand, a country with the strictest quality assurance program for shellfish in the world as well as the best industry practices for growing and harvesting an environmentally sustainable product. We wrote all about the wonders of this small but mighty mussel in this article. In addition to GLM and Chondroitin, we also use Glucosamine as the third key ingredient to fight the signs of arthritis. Here’s what it does:
- Also reduces pain, and improves joint function and mobility
- Reduces joint space from further narrowing in joints
- Deters cartilage from further degrading
- Suppresses inflammation
It is important for us to protect the families of sharks that live in the same great ocean.
Why Sharks Are Still Endangered
According to the World Wildlife Organization, shark populations around the world are in rapid decline. The main threat to sharks is over-fishing because of the high demand. Sharks are fished and sought out for fins, meat, leather, liver oil and cartilage. Sharks grow relatively slowly and take many years to mature and produce relatively few young. Populations simply cannot replenish at the same rate as they are caught and finned to meet market demand.
WHAT'S NEW FOR SHARK WEEK
Now back to the exciting television adventures of Shark Week. Thankfully, the main educational, adventurous and cringe-worthy shark action will be back as it is every year. New programming begins at 8 p.m. ET/PT each night beginning on Sunday, July 24. Here are the sharky new things we are especially excited about:
- Bob the Shark: He's coming to you, in your homes! That's right, if you have an Amazon Alexa or a Google Home, you can hear Bob the Shark in your own home. He shares the Shark Week schedule, funny shark jokes and interesting facts about sharks. To try it yourself, just say one of these phrases:
- "OK Google, talk to Shark Week.'
- "Alexa, open Shark Week."
- Then Bob will ask you what you want to hear about.
- Celebrity Appearances: Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock) serves as MC for the entire week! Also see appearances from Bob the Shark, Impractical Jokers, and other surprises are in store for this year's FIN-credible line up!
- Australia and New Zealand is featured: Since we have Australian roots, we always love seeing the beauty of the pristine waters of Australia and New Zealand.
- New Filters: Check out the #SharkWeek filters here:
- Instagram: bit.ly/IGfilterSW TikTok: bit.ly/TikTokFilterSW Snap: bit.ly/SnapFilterSW
Plus, there is so much more! Be sure to check out all the sharky detail on what is on in your time zone by checking out the Discovery Channel's guide.
As you tune into #SharkWeek on Sunday and all week long, remember at Parnell Living Science, we are doing our part to protect sharks in the sea. We do not use shark cartilage, and we never will.
Here’s to another great year of shark education thanks to the Discovery Channel’s #SharkWeek! Share with us on our social channels what shark-watch-fest you'll be tuning in during this year's #SharkWeek!
