Meet Kori Burkhardt
Marine Ecologist. Shark Specialist. Safety Diver. Expedition Guide. Photographer.
My name is Kori. My friends and family call me “Koko” or sometimes “Ladyshark”. I was born and raised in the Midwest, over 700 miles from the nearest drop of saltwater, my introduction to the ocean realm was quite different than most ocean-minded individuals. The same fear driven media used to horrify an entire generation was the spark that ignited my passion for the world's most misunderstood species. That's right, JAWS. My fascination with the natural world further developed with thanks to the infamous Steve Irwin, "The Crocodile Hunter", as he influenced my complete fixation on behavioral studies of predatory species. I always admired how where others saw monsters, he saw beauty.
I went on to attend Hawaii Pacific University, accomplishing a bachelor's degree in Marine Science. Later I attended University of Florida, accomplishing a master’s degree in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences with my study reporting the horizontal movement ecology of the oceanic whitetip shark (carcharhinus longimanus) for the first time in French Polynesia.
I moved to French Polynesia initially for the humpback while migration working as an underwater photographer and guide for ecotourism company Moorea Moana Tours in 2017. Now Moorea has become my permanent home and I have founded Mao Mana Foundation; an organization dedicated to the sharks of French Polynesia. We are currently working on multiple projects side by side with the Tahitian government’s environmental agency to educate the community, promote safe shark interactions, and furthering research efforts. You can catch some of this work on Nat Geo Wild’s Shark Fest special feature, “World’s Biggest Tiger Shark”.
You can see some of my other work on various Shark Week and Shark Fest shows such as “Shark Academy”, “Sharkageddon”, “Great White vs Tiger Shark”, “The Haunting of Shark Tower”, “Shark Attack Files”, and more.
After spending many years traveling to some of the most famous as well as some of the most remote, unknown hotspots for sharks around the world I began organizing expeditions under the name Ladyshark Expeditions. I wanted to create a platform for those with experience and even those with no experience at all with sharks (or other marine wildlife) to be able to immerse themselves SAFELY into the sharks’ natural environment in some of my favorite parts of the world. I want to share the experiences that have shaped my life the most with as many passionate people as possible.
A portion of the proceeds of these expeditions go directly into a next generation educational program and provides scholarships for hands on marine biology camps for children interested in a career in the fields of research, wildlife photography/cinematography, and environmental conservation.
My goal is to not only further the understanding and positive perception of the world’s most misunderstood predator, but to help preserve the marine environment and inspire others to be captivated by it’s wild.
