Adventure Ocean Quest: The White Sharks of Guadalupe | Episode 4 | Free Documentary Nature

this is the biggest predator in the ocean a great white shark it can reach six meters in length and weigh in at over 2,000 kilograms a supreme hunter equipped with rows of serrated teeth and an arsenal of super senses an encounter with this apex predator in its own element is the stuff of nightmares for most an experience only few would actively see adventure ocean quest an encounter with the world under the way [Music] with Diamond who become underwater beings themselves they work together with scientists on all the world's oceans [Music] deep under the surface of the water without a sound and without a breath [Music] that venture the depths of the sea the likes of which has never been seen before [Music] three extraordinary divers are on their way to undertake the experiment of a lifetime they're heading to the notorious hunting grounds of one of the most feared predators on the planet the island of Guadalupe this dedicated team of experts is preparing to launch a unique expedition into the realm of the great white shark their aim is to contribute to cutting-edge research into the true nature of this legendary beast they'll go face-to-face with great whites in their own element their only protection years of experience and incredible self-control they want to challenge the popular myth of an aggressive bloodthirsty monster I think what we do is really bringing powerful images that are able to change people's opinion Sanko say murder may he's the master of the sale he's the absolute hunter he's at the top of the food chain and fears no one this is almost the top predator in the ocean and it has the myth behind it I'm more afraid than to live in a world without sharks than to meet sharks in the water [Music] San Diego California the expedition repairs for their extraordinary journey on board of the Islander amongst the crew members three of the best free divers in the world the Belgian Friedrich Bowie former world record holder that has now devoted himself to underwater photography the Canadian record holder William Wynn hram and world champion TF Olaf on Monaco managed to go below the 127 meter mark they're ready to begin their journey into Pacific waters highly specialized camera equipment is part of their comprehensive kit to capture a meeting between man and beast unlike anything ever seen before the isolated volcanic island of Guadeloupe lies 250 kilometers of the Mexican mainland a day's journey by boat time to discuss the immense task ahead cameraman Christian Pathan brings almost 50 years as a renowned underwater cinematographer to the table eventually the island of Guadeloupe appears on the horizon a harsh barren rock without any fresh water only a handful of fishermen have settled here fur and elephant seals enjoy the peace and tranquillity and were found in huge numbers right up to the 19th century then the greed of human hunter is all but exterminated the hunter has brought goats with them which soon eradicated the islands natural vegetation cover fortunately the rocky cliffs gave shelter to a few surviving Guadalupe fur seals and northern elephant seals over the last century their population has slowly begun to recover today the island is a strictly protected Nature Reserve only one hunter is still allowed to pursue seals around here a great white shark the new thing in Guadalupe is of course the amount of sharks there are more sharks they are easier to find in South Africa we need to do long boat trips and spend hours and hours before seeing a shark early there is more than hundred fifty sharks in the area at big base so that's a lot of animals and at some point it will come across us so that's the main difference the other difference is that the visibility is really better than in South Africa so most of the people say that the Sharks are more fast and more aggressive than in South Africa probably because of visibility so that could be not in our favor because it means the shark could spot us from very deep water and rocket to the surface in my opinion that won't happen because the great white shark is a apex predator and Eva never takes risk to get a prey so we will first come around us and check us out to see what we are and how we react so I don't think we will be really bothered by the the feasibility but as a lot of people told us that will be very careful for the first time but the crew is not yet complete the Mexican marine biologist dr. Mauricio Hoyos joins the team on board fine you good and a good condition let's see waves come through for five months a year he is based on the island to conduct his field research what is CEO specializes on the hunting behavior of great white sharks and hopes the free divers will enable him to find out more about their natural behavior in these coastal waters will they perceive the free divers as a threat will they attack will they tolerate but this experiment is very risky safety driver Luke tipple is in charge of planning the dives he is constructed a special cage for the dives that will be suspended around ten meters below the water surface it will serve as a launching pad for the free divers and will grant protection for the camera team that will remain within the safety of the cage Luke will only be able to watch the free divers backs in the open water the rest is up to them diving without a cage or protective gear means the divers are completely exposed captain she snot her shares his thoughts with a crew she's the only one one thing I'd add about the Sharks is if you see him down deep and you see any of them tilted on their side a little bit like they're looking up at you that's a that's a that's a red flag also any of them that you know if they're not swimming level on the water and you're up here the shark is here and if they swim sideways a little bit like that they're eyeing it for some some reason and that's one thing that I've seen diving in there it's an indicator if one of them gonna come up at some point so just watch for that anything additional which might help us other than recommending you guys don't go in the water without a cage now [Laughter] diving cages are used across the world for secure dives with sharks to lure sharks into the vicinity of the cages blood and fish are usually used as bait it provides a cheap thrill for tourists since the blood and carcasses provoke the Sharks aggressive feeding instinct and trigger a feeding frenzy I'm very pleased of the cage I designed it specifically to offer both surface and underwater support and to be able to be pushed away from the main vessel great white sharks attack from deep cover you pretty much always see the shark coming from underneath the boat in the shadow being able to push our cage and our surface support away from the boat offers less places for the shark to come from I communicate with them with my stick so I use a metallic banging - to get their attention and then we use signals like - sharks and they confirm - sharks if I'm saying three sharks and they're saying two sharks that means that there's one more that they don't see that they need to be aware of that's one of my primary jobs down there other than just looking after the camera guys is making sure that I'm seeing that bit below where they can't which can be an issue that extra 30 40 50 feet of visibility can mean the difference between there being two sharks and five sharks paramedic Tiffany port Kerr is a vital member of the team should a diver get injured in a shark attack she may well be their only hope of survival and she is only too aware of the risks involved in this experiment I tried to think as far as preparation goes what could be a worst case scenario you know we're we're a few hours at a range for Coast Guard here and we would have to meet them a couple it's going towards San Diego at this foreleg worst-case scenario so worst case scenario yes a shark attack say a wound were to be on on your side here you'd put the turn a key above that you're cutting off circulation to the rest of the limb - so that's your last-ditch effort you know you want to save the limb if possible as well but its life over limb so hopefully I won't have to work but I know there's a good chance that I may everything is set for the first diving attempt but the Sharks come how long will it take before they show up then the crew spots a shadow in the water a massive shadow will not have lunch today the shock perhaps admittance about four meters time for cameraman Christian Patong and his team to get ready [Music] chiaki avoir freediver as far as I'm concerned a diver using the rebreather technique like me is the same as a free diver he doesn't make any noise and no bubbles a scuba diver using compressed air makes lots of bubbles and lots of noise and disturbs the Sharks like I just said a free diver and a diver using the rebreather technique a more or less the same because they don't disturb the Sharks because they don't make bubbles and because they don't make any noise but using a rebreather also carries serious risks should the proportion of oxygen mixed into the reused air be too low the diver will fall asleep underwater forever everyone knows exactly what they're doing this experiment has been meticulously planned but now all bets are off no one knows exactly what will happen once the three free divers are in the water dr. Mauricio Hoyos is watching the proceedings intently [Music] if you are diving you have to hold your breath because if you if you omit these bubbles the shack is gonna grow away when we were diving just today and the shad was really close to us but when it heard the the bubbles it was away from us we wanted to take pictures but we couldn't because we're Google with the bubbles but we did with free diving it's perfect because no sound so I think that the check doesn't feel like Breton then a bizarre turn of events as soon as the divers get into the water the shark that a moment ago was calmly circling the boat has vanished these huge hunters can materialize and disappear in a split second even in the crystal-clear waters of the Pacific yet another reason to be extremely cautious Pierre searches the depths for any signs of sharks [Music] perhaps he can attract the shark [Music] some free divers are able to reach incredible depths of over 130 meters in the open ocean and stay underwater for over seven minutes but these are record-breaking dives in this situation they're unlikely to exceed depths of around 50 meters and may stay there for up to 5 minutes this incredible ability is a result of extreme physical training and incredible self-control to overcome the breathing reflex suddenly they catch a glimpse of movement far below as the shark returned to investigate the divers the shadow doesn't approach them William decides to turn the tables on the shark and approaches it how will the predator react the shark doesn't accept the challenge once again he vanishes into the blue of the ocean [Music] the divers can't get anywhere near the shark [Music] this killer could make short work of each of the divers with just a single bite but it cautiously stays away he decides how close they can come there are no signs of aggression but also no fear against all expectations this first shark encounter has exposed the great whites as cautious even shy animals if you go in front of them they can be afraid so they take a distance it's called a security distance for every animal they have their own security distance with the big sharks it's new for them to have free divers in the water dr. Mauricio Hoyos has worked with sharks for years and explains his research strategy he fits sharks with transmitters that allow him to track their movements closely last year I said three receivers on this Bay in attack the shots with fingers so with these fingers you can know just the absence and the presence of the Sharks attack the Sharks in October and I saw that they were here in October November December January and February most of them and suddenly they disappeared with other kind of satellite transmitters they have found that the Sharks can go as far as Kauai and also to one spot between Hawaii and where a Lupe Island and they remain there for about 160 days and then they come again to what Alabama so with that you will be able to see where they get to see you all they predate on them so you can see where they are in the water - exactly the predatory movements when the shark is chasing the seal maybe I will be able to see if other sharks are together if they are hunting together because that's one theory that the white chest can hold together do you think we can help you by our free dive with the great white and our cameras think we can use some oh yes I think I think that it would be really important for me to identify the shark so if you could look for their conspicuous characteristics such as birth marks or scars or even their pigmentation parents of the gills their pelvic fins on the tail that would be great if you could take pictures of left and right side that would be amazing also if you can take footage or even see the v-shape you're underwater because it's really different when they are at the surface feeding that when they are deep below the surface maybe we can try to if you could try to tag the sharks we I mean that's what I did now because of the surface the next day brings bad news storm clouds are gathering conditions deteriorate rapidly the shark experiment grinds to an abrupt halt [Music] this is what we've done it's cold the divers get out of the water quickly the waves threatened to throw the cage against the boat it has to be lifted the paramedic has to deal with her first casualty Pierre collided with a jellyfish in the water a very painful encounter I need a medic dangerous this year so dangerous white Chuck huh jellyfish as the storm intensifies the boats anchor threatens to tear loose it has to be lifted there's no time to lose they have to seek shelter in a bay they stand no chance of funding the Sharks in this wither wind waves and currents are all working against them but captain otter has other ways of keeping track of the great whites we're gonna try to actively try to find a good shark action here for the next couple days real similar in the way that we look for fish we basically use the side scan sonar and we pick up schools of tuna anywhere from you know maybe ten pounds all the way up to you know eighty or a hundred pounds so it's really easy for us to see a three thousand pound shark on sonar so we'll sweep around the different areas and if we see a good possibility for sharks we'll go ahead and start our operations there okay you guys ready to go find sharks okay let's go but while the team has no choice but to wait for the Sharks Pierre has found a distraction a young storm petrel has become stranded on board they used to see the lights on the boat during the night and they come on the boat is very small it's called a frigate in French I don't know in English and he's wet need to be dry and he seems be nothing good former so you need help and he comes becomes fly you see you want to move but you can try so we try to help him to feed him and we will see now we go in an odd place to help the bird look at him we could help in perhaps we have to feed him it's difficult to feed a girl like that could be fun to try pierre takes his newfound responsibilities seriously especially since the wind and waves have driven the sharks into deeper waters until the storm is lifted there's no way for the divers to reach them there it's frustrating but all they can do is wait I don't think sharks are lurking out in the water wanting to eat human beings I think that you know they're active all of the time and they're constantly hunting if you present yourself in a similar place time and behavior as their prey they will probably taste you but you know I mean I've been in the water with the tiger sharks been in the water with lots of other different sharks and they seem to be more curious than ever aggressive with us there is a possible lead in the search for the vanished great whites tracking down their main prey animals as inhospitable as this isolated island may seem for some creatures it's paradise and a safe haven northern elephant seals enjoy the seclusion it has saved them from certain extermination at the hands of greedy hunters elephant seals are the biggest seals in the world bulls can grow to an astonishing six and a half meters and weigh in at up to three and a half tonnes [Music] despite their ungainly appearance on land they are adept underwater acrobats and hunters able to pursue fish and octopuses down to an astonishing depth of 600 meters but out in the open ocean hunters can quickly become the hunted this seal has been the recent victim of a vicious attack a shark attack it's a sure sign that the Sharks are back in the coastal waters of Guadalupe blood traces sure were the injured animal returned to land but it will survive [Music] many seals in this colony bears serious scars from shark attacks they're not entirely without protection on the water their blubber acts like a shield not only against the cold but also against the jagged teeth of the great white shark [Music] Christiaan patois and the crew get ready for a renewed search for the Sharks the injured elephant seal has renewed their hopes of success and where better to search for sharks than right next to the colonies of their prey they explore the waters near the shore and have the unique chance to witness the surprising elegance of the seals underwater at close range it's the first time we will be diving with 11 steals or until all waiting and we are waiting for them since 35 years using small boats the divers managed to get close to the forbidding rocky coastline [Music] underwater there quickly greeted by curious Guadalupe fur seals they show no fear and approach the divers at close range they are the rarest of the southern fur seals and strictly protected the team are probably the first humans they've come face-to-face with for a very long time [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] the elephant seals are less feisty but they to show no fear perhaps they see the divers as animals similar to themselves and they wouldn't be far from wrong [Music] we are like them because we breathe that the surface where they're breathing at the same time as we were doing we were looking at either each other on the surface and then putting the head down looking at each other's it's very funny because we are like them and we breathe and we dive so same kind of animals maybe we have longer fields and different shoes but same but still the team hasn't managed to spot any sharks in the shallow coastal water where have they gone giving up is not an option so they use a short break to check their equipment and prepare for the next dive then an unexpected visit the Mexican Navy is suddenly on board of the research vessel armed to the teeth [Music] Christian petal is alarmed what did the soldiers want could this spell the end of the expedition the boat is searched from top to bottom the team's papers check meticulously and permits examined no one is allowed in these waters without official permission what a Lupe is one of the best protected nature reserves in the world everyone is nervous they anxiously await the Navy commanders verdict well we are the Coast Guard and our job is to stop the drug traffic and illicit activities like shark fishing sometimes it's necessary to check people who belong to some TV or magazine who are filming like you but they don't have permission everything is in order a sigh of relief ripples through the crew the soldiers leave them to their shark experiments the divers quickly take advantage of the remains of the day they couldn't afford to waste any more time this break and the bad weather could only be a brief reprieve [Music] but still no sharks it is a frustrating strain on the team's patience Pierre tries to raise the sharks curiosity perhaps splashing on the water's surface could guide the Sharks to them something ordinary swimmers and divers should avoid and shark-infested waters at all costs the three free divers work together each one covers the back of another should any sharks materialize they don't want to be taken by surprise success a single great white appears out of the blue just one of the free divers will try to approach while the others watches back the cautious tactic pays off [Music] other sharks join the first including a surprise visitor a fur seal brazenly dives right amongst his predators he's so quick and agile that the Sharks don't stand a chance of catching him they have to rely on surprise attacks to prey on the seals gradually the Sharks appear to be getting news to the divers they become increasingly curious about the visitors but neither divers nor sharks drop their guard for even a second if you want to see how an animal behaves you need to see how he behaves in the real conditions if you start to use a cage or devices you treat the game [Music] getting this close to the Sharks allows the free divers to take detailed photographs of each individual which Mauricio Hoyos will use to catalog the animals [Music] but the divers have to remain vigilant the shark in front of them isn't always the only shark around the shark strategy of attack usually involves a silent approach from behind will has a lucky escape out here just one moment of unwary 'no skid cost to divert his life tiffany keeps a wary eye on the divers who are now encircled by sharks meanwhile dr. Mauricio Hoyos tries to take advantage of the Sharks presence he wants to fit radio transmitters to some of them from the safety of a floating platform it forms a crucial part of his research you can give vital clues that encode the Sharks hunting behaviour the white sharks they feed on seals and they feed on these kind of animals if they don't control those animals these animals are going to be like a plague a lot of animals in the Sea of Cortez we have a lot of California sea lions because now there are not bull sharks or another sharks and those sea lions are a big problem for fishermen for instance actually my captain is a fisherman he told me that it's a big problem when they are retrieving the nets and they can see all the fish written by the California sea lions and they have there are hundreds of them but they are not allowed to do anything because the three different species of benefits are protected in Mexican waters but we have hundreds of them and it's because of that because no sharks in the sea of the face facing up to a great white out in the open sea requires an extraordinary amount of self-control showing panic or fear could provoke an attack it's even possible that sharks can perceive the electrical impulses of a beating heart [Music] the great white is a hunter great white always arrived in the shadow always take advantage of his camouflage and so yeah to be very very aware of his position and if you establish an eye contact with a great white no problem the problem is when you don't have the eye contact with them and every time I've been like a bit surprised by the great white was because I didn't see the animal arriving before [Music] again and again sharks suddenly appear out of the blue and swim straight at the divers they turn away only at the last moment [Music] every year about 60 or 70 shark attacks on people are registered worldwide but in 2009 only about five of these were fatal [Music] gradually the divers managed to get extremely close to the Sharks it allows them to build up an invaluable detailed photographic catalogue of the Predators 4dr oils research sharks science has been turned upside down in recent years for a long time it had been assumed that the Sharks spent most of their time in coastal waters to hunt sea lions and seals but with the help of high-tech satellite transmitters it has become clear that they undertake incredible journeys of several thousand kilometres during these long-distance migrations they tend to stay at depths of 300 or 500 meters but so far scientists have only been able to observe them near the water's surface the rest of the Sharks lives remain a mystery [Music] time for the divers to take a break they have to staying in the water too long could mean a fatal dip in their concentration see boy that was great there's a big like four and a half meter I can show you the photo last minute they turn I was taking the opportunity to come from under and a because you don't see it coming from under she's pretty coming at you and since stop doesn't stop and like fifty sixty centimeters from you it's really nice so the success of the last few days has given the team enough confidence to attempt the next stage of their expedition to tag the sharks underwater since Maurizio's own efforts to fit transmitters have been unsuccessful this could be a vital chance to get this crucial part of his research underway he's installed receivers near seal colonies in three bays Aaron wadded up a when a shark fitted with one of his radio transmitters approaches they registered the signal the receivers will be retrieved again in a year's time to analyze the data Mauricio hopes this data will support his theory that the big females are the most prolific seal hunters since they need the extra energy provided by the seal blubber if his assumptions are correct the receivers will have predominantly registered the approach of females not those of youngsters and males the transmitters are attached near the back fin using barbed hooks Fred will and Pierre carefully prepare the string that attaches the transmitter to the barbed transmitters are very expensive and losing any would mean as serious blow to the entire project to penetrate the tough shark skin they have to be shot from a harpoon it takes long years of experience using harpoons to get the aim and moment of release exactly right but it is a risky undertaking no one knows how the Sharks will react pierre seems relaxed despite the precarious undertaking I know they know what they're doing pretty sure to you that they can draw the line when you know it gets a little bit too dangerous so I hope they know where that line is but I'm I'm sure they're they'll be fine Mauricio Hoyos is hoping for as many sharks as possible to fit a good number of transmitters but more sharks in the water means a greater risk for the divers the crew takes the same approach as before and allows the Sharks to get used to them in the water first [Music] the plan is for will to take a photograph before Pierre tries to tag the first shark everything is going to blad pierre manages to get an ideal position to shoot his harpoon but then he hesitates the chance passes [Music] Fred explains what happened where is your it's one shot he's uh like tax but like it's not acoustic circles dominate with with parasites yes yeah maybe get feather it was from a satellite transmitter it has just been a politics I think so I want us to talk that out yes if you are if you are sure that it's not an acoustic is not a cookie right then we'll maybe it's just a feather with the exercise okay the divers make a second attempt but just as he reaches the ideal shooting position Pierre realizes the danger will is immediately in front of the shark should the shark get aggressive as a result of the shot will would be extremely vulnerable Pierre has to let the shark go a second time the tagging is turning out to be extremely difficult success is not guaranteed but an experienced hunter knows patience is top of the list the divers take their time perhaps the shark has noticed some tension among the team perhaps the long and unfamiliar harpoons have spooked him he is very cautious then Pierre has another chance it's a good hit but the hook didn't bite the transmitter drops along the line into the depth the shark has been spooked for good and disappears will has found another target and prepares to shoot while Pierre retrieves his transmitter will takes a shot but the angle is not ideal the line doesn't release the transmitter but will is lucky eventually the line releases the transmitter and the shark disappears a nervous aggressive shark is unpredictable this could have ended very badly but the transmitter is fixed and well-placed now everything goes smoothly and the team managed to tag two large females did you take it the big female big one excellent it's a female right it's a female oh yeah huge excellent well use the tag photos left it right adios a shock you see don't there this shot was perfect the transmitter is securely in place and releases the line immediately Maurizio is elated yes it's a big female and I think that they are feeding on the seals the big females I have seen a lot of females feeding on seals so this is perfect for the for the rate that I said a few days ago it has been an exceptional accomplishment getting any closer than this to great white sharks in their own element is virtually impossible [Music] [Music] dr. oz is particularly interested in hearing as much as possible about the team's underwater observations of the Sharks behavior she was very quiet she was coming very close but in a very soft manner approaching and not at all inquisitive just curious and we could spend time with her swimming alongside we had a lot of fun with that shark always on the surface yes no and sometimes we stir the fina and the tail outside of the water but we could cruise Reaser she was totally exactly yes perfect perfect thank you you can look at the size of the transmitter it looks like but we have it on film also the tagging placement of the transmitters I don't know that female baby she's new I don't know that and this afternoon we saw another big female no no tagging it we couldn't know SIM size but not as fat thank you very much for your help without your head this couldn't be impossible because I had been trying to tag the shacks for one week and they have been really deep all the time so for me I was there in my skiff and waiting waiting and nothing at the surface but I saw the discharge when they were swimming below me like 10 meters so I stacked two big females today that's what I want because I have seen the big females feeding all the seals and that's why I said this array of suna bush in front of the seal colony with those transmitters we are gonna know their two-dimensional movements off the charts when they are looking for they let us know when your Frizzle well next year you really cruise thank you yeah thank you very much they are convinced their experiences with the sharks can do something towards changing their reputation as bloodthirsty killers you can really explain to the people they are nice animals it's all the picture you see of great white sharks and the film it's always with the mouth open going at the camera but you have to know it if you do that it's because you had a lot of blood and bait in the water sometimes even bait on the camera or on the kids so they go there and not to have like kind of spectacular stations but when they don't have paid it just curves they want to see what we are on this day for 15-20 minutes then they are gone but when they were open the jaws at the time was little bit worried is when William tagging the shark when I saw a sharp eye I think my god gone but it's only time I was very worried because a shark well shy NDI great white shark like everybody says they have like and maybe some black eye without any expression if you really go close to a great white shark you will see it like I was a blue circle and it's what we do really helps people to have a different perspective about about sharks that Island is very nice place for the great whites but perhaps one one of the last so humans have to take care about sea life and water mains we all have to show that Jacque is not dangerous curious and he lives in the sea is so we have to respect that we are just visitors it's possible their groundwork will have paved the way to new groundbreaking insights into the true nature of one of the greatest hunters in the sea [Music] you

Channel: Free Documentary - Nature

Views: 314,142

Rating: 4.6461964 out of 5

Keywords: Free Documentary, Documentaries, Full documentary, HD documentary, Guadalupe Island, Great White Shark, Tourist Destination, Tourism, Mexico, Action, Scuba Diving, Pacific Ocean, free diving, cage, nature, Adventure, Biology, documentary, shark documentary, Free Documentary Nature, Adventure Ocean Quest, Ocean, Ocean Documentary, Sharks, Shark Documentary, Great White, Jaws, Endangered Species, Marine Life, Ocean Life, Wildlife, Wildlife Documentary, Best Documentary, Guadalupe Sharks

Id: pYc6gxYL_A8

Length: 52min 12sec (3132 seconds)

Published: Sun Dec 29 2019