Imagine stepping right into a life-sized whale carcass decoy and steering it into deep water. You’re trying — sure, trying — for a gaggle of hungry sharks to spark a feeding frenzy. To entice them, you shoot out lots of of gallons of artificial blood and chum. Then watch them lose it.
That’s what marine biologist Liv Dixon did for Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week,” one among a number of eye-popping moments in the course of the 21 hours of recent programing this yr the place scientists danger the whole lot to know the apex predators higher.
“Sharks jump at every opportunity,” Dixon says. “And I’m kind of the same. I’m going to jump at every opportunity I get. You feel the adrenaline running through your veins like your whole body is shaking.”
The week kicks off Sunday with Dixon’s hour-long “Belly of the Beast: Bigger & Bloodier,” by which she and veteran “Shark Week” biologist Dr. Austin Gallagher attempt to lure a so-called Queen Boss off the New Zealand coast.
“We’re seeing these kind of subgroups or clans of white sharks, and we think they might be dominated by a larger female that we’ve termed the Queen Boss, which I love — big female energy coming in here,” says Dixon. “We really just want to tap into the social dynamics of these sharks.”
The seven nights of recent exhibits are hosted by John Cena and embrace scientists touring to Australia to see why there’s been an uptick in assaults close to Sydney Harbor, and to Mexico to determine why there have been three deadly Great White shark incursions close to a fishing village.
The present “Big Shark Energy” has researchers evaluating some New Zealand sharks’ velocity, looking potential and fearlessness to find out who has the swagger to swim away with a feminine shark, whereas different scientists hope to find the fattest Great White — is 6,000 kilos attainable? — and take a look at their poop to determine what they’re consuming.
“Shark Week” has turn out to be a key a part of the summer time vacation TV schedule, a spot the place people protected on land can see historical apex predators effortlessly and unnervingly slip into view from the darkish and snap open their jaws.
“They just seem still oddly like a monster species from the past,” says Howard Lee, the president of Discovery Networks and TLC. “There’s always something new to learn that has not yet been discovered. There’s even breeds of sharks that we have not always captured.”
“Shark Week” highlights additionally embrace a take a look at whether or not angel sharks stay in Japan’s waters — together with exceptional footage of the delivery of velvet dogfish shark pups — and why a South Pacific resort has turn out to be a shark assault hotspot with bull, tiger and Great White sharks shifting nearer and nearer to the seashores.
As at all times, there’s a deep respect for the creatures and powerful science beneath the amusing titles, dramatic music and racy titles like “The Real Sharkano” and “Monster Hammerheads: Species X.”
The large feminine power that Dixon talked about is obvious out of the water, too. She and researchers like Zandi Ndhlovu, Christine de Silva and Kendyl Berna are entrance and heart, difficult the male-dominated shark waters.
“I hope more than anything it can inspire other young women and females to get involved,” says Dixon. “I’m so proud to represent women in this space. I really think that’s important for other women, and especially the next generation of young entrepreneurs and scientists.”
Ndhlovu, a South African-based freediving teacher and founding father of The Black Mermaid Foundation, first appeared on “Shark Week” in 2022 and returns for 2 episodes this season, blazing a method ahead in illustration.
“It’s amazing to be working with sharks and showing up in the world as a Black woman in a way that allows little kids to see that the ocean belongs to them, too — increasing that representation around who the explorers and what science means.”
The week additionally sees an investigation into a large mako dubbed “Makozilla,” accused of chomping on sea lions off the California coast. Scientists use a sea lion decoy after which drop large slabs of tuna to attempt at get chunk marks to match with sea lion scar assaults.
“I personally also do whale research and I’m like, ‘I wish there was a ’Whale Week,’ but no one would be like, ‘Oh, wow, these humpbacks are really peaceful and beautiful,’” says Berna, an environmental scientist and wildlife filmmaker, who hung out in a shark cage luring makos.
“My hope is that it gets little kids to love sharks as well,” she provides. “And hopefully, by the time my kids are watching things like this, we’re going further in the direction of beginning to create more protections for sharks, not just in the U.S., but really globally.”
Discovery’s “Shark Week” has a rival — its programming coincides with National Geographic’s “SharkFest,” which additionally has hours of sharky content material, together with Anthony Mackie exploration of the shark ecosystem in his hometown of New Orleans. There’s additionally an unconnected shark thriller in film theaters referred to as “The Last Breath.”
“Shark Week” — with an accompanying podcast this yr — was born as a counterpoint for individuals who developed a worry of sharks after seeing “Jaws.” It has emerged as a vacation spot for scientists keen to guard an animal older than bushes.
“Isn’t that one of the things that makes the ocean so incredible? And isn’t that what makes life so amazing?” asks Ndhlovu. “We know so much on land. We don’t know so much about the ocean, and there’s so much to still be discovered.”
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