Discovery Channel asks Shark Week viewers to be donors, too

LOS ANGELES » Discovery Channel wants Shark Week viewers to be donors as well.

The channel’s annual celebration of all things shark will include requests to support Oceana, an advocacy group focused on ocean conservation.

Viewers can use their smartphones to donate and also to receive Shark Week program information, said technology company Pledgeling, which is working with Discovery on the Oceana fundraising.

By texting the word “SHARK” to 707070, participants will get a return message that includes a Pledgeling link for Oceana donations that can be made by Apple Pay or by credit card.

“We’ve streamlined the entire experience to capture that moment in time when somebody feels compelled to donate” and it’s made it easy for them, Pledgeling CEO James Citron said. The company also is working with Discovery on Project CAT, an initiative to support the World Wildlife Fund’s effort to increase the tiger population in the wild by conserving protected land.

Shark Week’s opening lineup Sunday includes “Phelps vs. Shark: Great Gold vs. Great White” (8 p.m. EDT), in which Olympian Michael Phelps tests his speed against that of a great white shark.

The week includes “Return to the Isle of Jaws” on Monday and back-to-back episodes Tuesday of “Sharks and the City,” one set off the coast of Los Angeles and the other off New York.