It's Shark Week. Here's where you can see sharks in real life in New England

It's Shark Week!

The annual week dedicated to sharks on the Discovery Channel starts on July 7 and is hosted by John Cena this year. But, maybe you'd rather see sharking in person versus on the screen.

Sharks are indeed living off the coast of New England, with their presence particularly felt off the coast of Massachusetts. And you can see them in the wild, and in aquariums around New England.

Here's what to know.

Where do people have the best chance of seeing sharks in the wild in Massachusetts?

If you want to see a shark, Cape Cod is a hot spot, with tours operating to help people safely see them.

Shark tours in New England

"The waters of the outer beaches of Cape Cod offer some of the best possible viewing experiences for Great White Sharks around the globe," White Shark Tours - Cape Cod said. "The shallow, clear, cold water coupled with white sandy bottoms offers a viewing experience that is second to none."

According to reports, a whale watch boat spotted a great white shark in Cape Cod Bay recently; a shark was seen eating a seal off Nauset Beach; an 8-foot white shark was seen by paddleboarder off Provincetown; and a fisherman on the Cape said he saw a 12-foot shark in Cape Cod Bay the same day.

Boat tours by White Shark Tours include a spotter pilot to help ensure a successful trip. The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy also offers trips off of Cape Cod.

See sharks from the beaches

Sharks are known to swim close to shore, particular when they're hunting seals, according to the National Park Service. Which means that sometimes, you can spot a shark from shore.

Some of the beaches sharks have been spotted at recently, according to local reports and Sharktivity app, include:

• Head of the Meadow Beach in Truro
• Cahoon Hollow Beach in Wellfleet
• Off of Eastham
• Off of Chatham
• Off of Orleans
• Sagamore Beach, Plymouth

While these beaches specifically saw sharks recently, sharks have been seen at plenty of other beaches and swimmers should always practice care. Sharks should be observed from shore, not in the water.

Last summer, New England Aquarium scientist Ryan Knotek told Wicked Local that sand tiger sharks are back in big numbers, and they're breeding in the waters of Massachusetts. Knotek's research discovered that these sharks are using Massachusetts waters as nurseries for their young, including around Plymouth, Duxbury and Kingston, and even Boston Harbor.

What aquariums in New England have sharks?

If you want to see sharks up close and in a more controlled setting, consider an aquarium.

The New England Aquarium has sharks that visitors can see in their Shark and Ray Touch Tank.

The aquarium states that shark "pups" being raised at the aquarium include "epaulette sharks, coral catsharks, chain catsharks, and cloudy catsharks." The aquarium also has nurse sharks in its population.

At Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, visitors can see sand tiger sharks in one of their larger indoor tanks, and in addition to having three shark species in their touch tanks: the bamboo shark, epaulette shark, and zebra shark.

Are there sharks in Rhode Island?8 sharks that can be found off the shore

What kind of sharks exist in New England waters?

According to the New England Aquarium, they include:

• White sharks
• Shortfin mako sharks
• Sand tiger sharks
• Sandbar sharks
• Thresher sharks
• Dusky sharks
• Porbeagle sharks
• Blue sharks
• Basking sharks
• Tiger sharks
• Whale sharks
• Hammerhead sharks