Eric Hovland

Animal Care Specialist

Eric Hovland is an animal care specialist at The Florida Aquarium, specializing in the care of shark species. Nicknamed “The Shark Guy,’’ Eric has been involved in hands-on care of sharks for more than 35 years and was instrumental in the opening of The Florida Aquarium in 1995. Eric takes the Aquarium’s conservation education mission seriously and relishes the opportunity to enlighten children and adults about marine wildlife and the places the animals call home. Eric’s mind is a wealth of remarkable scientific facts, and he is a favorite of local television stations, particularly during Shark Week.

Eric earned his bachelor’s degree in marine biology and master’s degree in mariculture from Texas A&M University. He is a technically trained SCUBA diver certified in mixed gas diving and decompression diving methods with thousands of hours of diving under his weight belt. When he’s not underwater, he’s sharing shark conservation stories to those who will lend an ear. Eric has a passion for travel and an incredible sense of adventure. He has traveled the world’s oceans seeking diving adventures and enjoys sharing tales of the Aquarium to those near and far.

KEYWORDS: Sharks, Shark Expert, Shark Conservation