>> male narrator: IT IS
THE LARGEST AND MOST TERRIFYING PREDATOR ON EARTH.
THIS BEAST STRIKES WITHOUT WARNING...
USING DEADLY SPEED. >> AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
AN ANIMAL THAT CAN KILL YOU WITH ONE SHOT.
>> WELL, IT'S LIKE THIS SEMI COMING BY YOU.
>> narrator: THESE MONSTERS ARE COMING CLOSER, GROWING LARGER,
AND STALKING PREY WITH AN UNHEARD-OF LEVEL OF CUNNING.
>> THERE ARE MORE ATTACKS NOW THAN THERE WERE 20 YEARS AGO.
>> narrator: AND NOW IT APPEARS THEIR ATTACKS ON HUMANS
MAY NOT BE RANDOM. <i>MONSTER QUEST </i>IS INVESTIGATING
MONSTER SHARKS. >> AND IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST,
MOST POPULAR WEEKENDS COMING UP HERE, AND--AND YOU'VE GOT
WHITE SHARKS. I'LL TELL YOU, IT'S A <i>JAWS</i>
SCENARIO UNRAVELING. >> narrator: WITNESSES AROUND
THE WORLD REPORT SEEING MONSTERS.
ARE THEY REAL OR IMAGINARY? SCIENCE SEARCHES FOR ANSWERS
ON <i>MONSTER QUEST.</i> Captioning by <font color="#008000">CaptionMax
www.captionmax.com</font> AMERICA IS SURROUNDED
BY THOUSANDS OF MILES OF COASTLINE,
AND EVERY YEAR, MORE FAMILIES MOVE TO THESE COMMUNITIES.
WHAT MANY DON'T KNOW IS THAT LURKING EVER CLOSER TO SHORE
ARE THE WORLD'S MOST EFFICIENT KILLERS.
>> HERE'S A MACHINE THAT'S BUILT TO DESTROY,
BUILT TO TAKE THINGS OUT IN THE QUICKEST, MOST VIOLENT
WAY POSSIBLE. >> WHAT I REMEMBER THE MOST
IS THAT BIG EYE. >> THEY HAVE SO MUCH POWER.
YOU KNOW, THERE CAN BE 2,000 POUNDS BEHIND
THEIR EXPLORATORY BITE. >> WHITE SHARKS ALONG THE
PACIFIC COAST ARE BIGGER, HEAVIER THAN WHITE SHARKS FOUND
IN AUSTRALIA AND SOUTH AFRICA. >> narrator: EYEWITNESSES
REPORT SEEING GREAT WHITE SHARKS UP TO 25 FEET IN LENGTH
AND WEIGHING AS MUCH AS 7,500 POUNDS.
THESE BEASTS ARE GRAY IN COLOR WITH WHITE UNDERBELLIES.
THEY HAVE ROWS OF SERRATED TEETH, ALLOWING THEM TO TEAR
THROUGH FLESH. >> ALL OF A SUDDEN, I SAW
SOMETHING UNIMAGINABLE. >> narrator: NINE TRIATHLETES
MET FOR A 1-MILE TRAINING SWIM. NONE SUSPECTED A DEADLY
PREDATOR WAS LURKING CLOSE BY. >> WE GOT THERE ABOUT
A QUARTER TO 7:00. A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WERE THERE.
>> narrator: THE SUN WAS RISING AS THE TEAM ENTERED
THE MURKY WATER. >> WE GOT IN THE WATER,
WE SWAM PAST THE BREAK, WE DID A HEADCOUNT,
AND THEN WE SAID, "OKAY," AND STARTED SWIMMING NORTH.
>> narrator: JUST MINUTES LATER, ONE OF THE SWIMMERS,
DR. DAVID MARTIN, WAS YANKED UNDER THE WATER.
>> I HAVE EARPLUGS IN WHEN I SWIM,
BUT I HEARD SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T SOUND RIGHT,
AND IT WAS DAVE SCREAMING. I IMMEDIATELY SWAM TO HIM.
>> narrator: THEN THE TRIATHLETES REALIZED
THEY WERE NOT ALONE. >> AND AS I WAS SWIMMING,
I KNEW THAT HE WAS DEFINITELY SAYING, "SHARK!"
WHEN I APPROACHED DAVE AND WAS WITH HIM,
I SAW THE FIN. >> WE SWAM BACK AS QUICKLY
AS WE COULD TO THE GROUP TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED
AND SEE IF WE COULD HELP. THERE WAS PRETTY CLEARLY
SEVERE INJURIES. >> narrator: A 17-FOOT
GREAT WHITE HAD RIPPED INTO MARTIN'S LEG.
THE SLASH IT LEFT WAS GUSHING WITH BLOOD.
THE OTHER SWIMMERS RUSHED THE DYING DOCTOR TO SHORE.
>> WE JUST SWAM AS HARD AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN SWIM
FOR THE BEACH. I RAN AND JUST STARTED
SCREAMING, YOU KNOW, "CALL 911!"
>> narrator: THE RESPONSE WAS IMMEDIATE.
>> THE LIFEGUARDS CLOSED THE BEACHES FOR, I THINK,
A 17-MILE STRETCH. WE SAW THE--THE HELICOPTER
COME AND LAND. >> narrator: DR. MARTIN
SUFFERED AT LEAST SIX BITES TO HIS LOWER BODY,
INCLUDING ONE THAT SEVERED A MAIN ARTERY.
THIS HORRIFIC ATTACK IS AN EXAMPLE OF JUST HOW CLOSE
THESE DEEP-SEA PREDATORS ARE COMING TO U.S. COASTLINES.
>> AFTER THAT, THE LIFEGUARD CAME OVER AND TALKED TO US
AND TOLD US THAT DAVE MARTIN DIDN'T MAKE IT.
>> narrator: WHEN SHARKS ARE THIS CLOSE TO BEACHES,
HUMANS ARE AN EASY TARGET. >> I KNOW WE'VE HAD MORE
SHARK ATTACKS ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST IN THE LAST TEN YEARS
THAN WE HAD IN THE PRIOR TEN-YEAR PERIOD.
>> narrator: THE EVIDENCE OF THIS ACTIVITY CAN BE SEEN
IN ATTACKS ON OTHER SPECIES. >> OVER THIS PAST YEAR, WE'VE
HAD A NUMBER OF ANIMALS-- PINNIPEDS, SEALS,
AND SEA LIONS-- WASH ASHORE DECAPITATED.
>> narrator: AND THE SHARKS DON'T APPEAR TO BE HUNTING
OUT OF A NEED FOR FOOD. >> THIS IS A TYPICAL
PREDATORY BEHAVIOR OF THE WHITE SHARK.
WHAT'S INTERESTING AND UNIQUE IS THAT THE SHARK IS ONLY
KILLING THE SEAL. HE'S NOT EATING THE ANIMAL.
PRECISELY WHAT BEHAVIOR THIS IS AND WHY THEY'RE DOING IT
IS UNKNOWN TO US. >> narrator: SCIENTISTS ARE
NOT SURE WHAT IS MOTIVATING THESE BEASTS.
>> IT'S DIFFICULT TO MONITOR ANYTHING IN THE OCEAN, BECAUSE
WE CAN'T SEE INTO THE OCEAN. WE DON'T HAVE ANY EYES THERE.
WHEN WE'RE IN THE AIR, THE ONLY TIME WE SEE A SHARK IS
WHEN IT'S CLOSE TO THE SURFACE. AND MOST SHARKS SPEND VERY
LITTLE TIME AT THE SURFACE. >> narrator: BUT SOME
BIOLOGISTS, LIKE SHARK BEHAVIORIST CRAIG O'CONNELL,
THINK THE SHARK ATTACKS ARE SIMPLY MISINTERPRETED.
>> I THINK WHAT IS GOING ON IS THAT THE HUMAN POPULATION
IS BECOMING MORE AWARE OF WHERE THESE SHARKS ARE GOING
AND WE'RE BECOMING MORE AWARE OF WHEN THESE SHARKS ARE CLOSER
TO SHORE AND WHEN THEY MAY BE A POTENTIAL THREAT TO US
GOING TO THE BEACH. SO THERE MAY BE MORE BEACH
CLOSINGS, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S MORE SHARKS,
AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE COMING CLOSER TO SHORE.
>> narrator: BUT RECENT SIGHTINGS SHOW GREAT WHITES
COMING NEARER TO COASTLINES AND BEACHES FROM CALIFORNIA
TO NEW ENGLAND. ONE <i>MONSTER QUEST </i>TEAM WILL
TRAVEL TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN TO AN AREA WHERE GREAT WHITES
HUNT ALONG THE COAST. THERE THEY WILL ATTEMPT
TO ATTACH A CAMERA TO ONE OF THE BEASTS TO LEARN WHERE
THESE MONSTERS ARE GOING AND HOW THEY BEHAVE WHEN THEY
ARE OUT OF VISUAL RANGE. THE CAMERA SYSTEM WILL ENABLE<i>
MONSTER QUEST </i>TO EXAMINE THE BELIEF THAT GREAT WHITES
ARE DEVELOPING MORE COMPLEX HUNTING TECHNIQUES.
>> SHARK! >> narrator: A SECOND <i>MONSTER
QUEST </i>TEAM WILL BE IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.
THEY WILL ATTEMPT TO ATTACH A SATELLITE TAG TO A GREAT
WHITE TO TRACK ITS MOVEMENTS AND HUNTING PATTERNS.
SIGHTINGS OF THE BEAST OFF THE ATLANTIC COAST
HAVE INCREASED, AND ENCOUNTERS WITH MAN
ARE MORE LIKELY. BIOLOGIST DR. GREG SKOMAL
HAS BEEN TAGGING, TRACKING, AND RESEARCHING SHARKS NEAR
MASSACHUSETTS FOR 22 YEARS. >> ALL IT TOOK WAS ONE SHARK
TO BITE ONE PERSON, AND IT'S GAME OVER FOR THAT SPECIES IN
TERMS OF HOW IT IS PERCEIVED. >> narrator: IN 2004,
SKOMAL WAS CALLED IN TO DEAL WITH A 14-FOOT GREAT WHITE
THAT SWAM INTO A SHALLOW COASTAL POND ON NAUSHON ISLAND,
JUST A MILE FROM CAPE COD. >> THE SHARK REMAINED
IN THAT AREA FOR 12 DAYS, AND WE TRIED EVERYTHING
WE COULD TO TRY TO MOTIVATE THAT SHARK TO LEAVE,
CERTAINLY TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HER SENSORY
SYSTEMS TO GET HER ATTENTION TO TRY TO SPOOK HER
OUT OF THERE. AND WE COULDN'T.
WE COULDN'T MOVE HER. SO ON THE 12TH DAY, WE ACTUALLY
HAD TO PHYSICALLY FORCE HER OUT USING VERY LARGE NETS.
BUT IT WAS KIND OF A WAKE-UP CALL.
IT WAS AN ALARM CLOCK THAT WENT OFF SAYING, "HEY, DON'T FORGET,
THERE'S WHITE SHARKS IN NEW ENGLAND."
AND THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED PREPARING.
>> narrator: SKOMAL UNDERSTANDS THE FEAR THAT THESE ANCIENT
MONSTERS PRODUCE. >> IT'S A DEEP, PRIMAL FEAR.
WHO WANTS TO BE BITTEN BY SOMETHING THEY CAN'T SEE
AND RAVAGED OR CONSUMED? IT'S A HORRIBLE FEAR, AND IT
CLEARLY PERSISTS TODAY. >> narrator: THE <i>MONSTER QUEST</i>
TEAM WILL SEARCH THE ATLANTIC WATERS LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE
THAT KILLER GREAT WHITES ARE MOVING CLOSER
TO POPULATED BEACHES. DR. SKOMAL'S BEEN TRYING TO TAG
THESE SHARKS FOR DECADES, BUT THERE HAS NEVER BEEN
A SUCCESSFUL SATELLITE TAGGING OF A GREAT WHITE
OFF THE EAST COAST. >> NOT A SINGLE WHITE SHARK
IN ALL THAT TIME PERIOD. IT'S MY WHITE WHALE,
AND I'M AHAB. >> narrator: SIGHTINGS ARE ON
THE RISE, AND SKOMAL SEES AN OPPORTUNITY.
>> IF WE CAN INDEED ATTRACT A WHITE SHARK, GET IT CLOSE
TO THE BOAT, WE'VE GOT THE GEAR TO PUT A SATELLITE TAG IN IT.
THE WAY THE TAG WORKS IS, YOU PUT IT ON THE SHARK,
AND IT COLLECTS DEPTH INFORMATION,
TEMPERATURE INFORMATION AND LIGHT LEVEL DATA.
AND THEN AT A TIME PROGRAMMED BY ME, WHERE I ACTUALLY TELL
THE TAG WHEN TO DO THIS, IT COMES OFF THE SHARK,
FLOATS TO THE SURFACE, AND TRANSMITS ALL THOSE DATA
TO A SATELLITE. THEN I CAN RETROSPECTIVELY
RE-CREATE WHAT THAT SHARK DID DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.
I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. IF WE GET A SATELLITE TAG
IN A WHITE SHARK, I'M GONNA-- I'M GONNA GO NUTS.
>> narrator: THE TAG DATA WILL ALLOW THEM TO TRACK
WHERE THE SHARKS GO AND MAY REVEAL THEIR
HUNTING PATTERNS. >> THE LARGEST WHITE SHARK
I'VE EVER SEEN WAS ABOUT 19 FEET LONG AND 3,000 POUNDS,
LANDED BY A FISHERMAN IN MONTAUK, NEW YORK.
THAT WAS IN THE EARLY '80s, AND THAT WAS AT A TIME WHEN
YOU COULD GO OUT AND KILL WHITE SHARKS.
IT'S A PHENOMENAL ANIMAL TO SEE.
THE LENGTH IS ONE THING, BUT THE GIRTH BLOWS YOUR MIND.
I'LL JUMP ON FIRST, JOHNNY. HEY, GUYS.
HOW WE DOING? >> GOOD.
HOW YOU GUYS DOING TODAY? >> WE ARE FINE.
>> BEAUTIFUL. YOU READY TO ROCK?
>> WE ARE FINE AND FIRED UP. YOU GONNA PUT US ON SOME
FISH TODAY, CAP? >> WE'RE GONNA TRY.
WE'RE GONNA TRY. >> narrator: THE BOAT WILL
LAUNCH FROM CHATHAM HARBOR AND DROP ANCHOR NEAR
MONOMOY ISLAND. >> I LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING
HERE, CAPTAIN, BECAUSE NUMBER ONE, YOU GOT SOME DEPTH,
WHICH IS GOOD. IT COMES RIGHT UP
TO SHALLOW WATER. SO IF A SHARK'S IN THE AREA,
IT'S GONNA PATROL ALONG HERE. AND IF THEY'RE KEYING IN
ON THESE SEALS-- WE KNOW THERE'S A BIG SEAL
COLONY THAT STRETCHES ALL THROUGH HERE,
AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE'VE FOUND CARCASSES OF DEAD SEALS
IN THESE AREAS. >> narrator: THEY HEAD OUT
AND PICK A SPOT TO DEPLOY THEIR BAIT.
>> LET IT GO! >> narrator: THE TEAM CHUMS
THE WATER WITH A MIX OF GROUND BLUEFISH AND MACKEREL
IN A PRIME HUNTING AREA. >> AND IF YOU'RE A BIG FISH,
YOU WANT TO BE IN DEEP WATER, BUT YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO PIN
YOUR PREY AGAINST THE SHALLOWS. THAT'S A NICE SLICK.
THAT'S A NICE SLICK. WE GOT A NICE CALM DAY
WITH THE TIDES MOVING IT, WHICH IS GREAT.
WE GOT TO GET IT OUT THERE. >> narrator: THEY ALSO ADD
A 5-GALLON BUCKET OF BLOOD AND A PIG CARCASS.
>> WE COVER SOME AREA WITH THIS SLICK.
WE GET IT OUT A COUPLE OF MILES.
AND THE WHOLE CONCEPT, OF COURSE, IS YOU'VE GOT
A SHARK CRUISING THROUGH HERE-- IF, INDEED, THERE IS ONE--
AND HE CRASHES INTO THE SLICK, AND IT SENSES THE SLICK
IMMEDIATELY THEN WORKS UP THE GRADIENT OF THE SLICK,
WHICH LEADS IT, OF COURSE, RIGHT TO US.
>> AND THIS IS A--THIS IS A PRIME AREA FOR THE GRAY SEALS
TO HOLE OUT, AND IT'S AN AREA WHERE WE'VE FOUND GRAY SEAL
CARCASSES THAT HAVE BEEN HIT BY WHITE SHARKS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S PEOPLE, AND THEY'RE WALKING ON
THE BEACH, YOU KNOW. IT'S A VERY POPULAR SPOT
FOR SUNBATHING, SWIMMING, AND ALSO BIRD-WATCHING.
>> narrator: THE TEAM HAS THEIR TAGGING GEAR PREPARED.
>> THIS IS THE HARPOON THAT WE USE FOR TAGGING.
THE SATELLITE TAG WILL GO ON THE END THERE WITH THE DART,
AND ONCE IT'S LOADED AND READY TO GO, GREG WILL TAG WHATEVER
SHARK IS AT THE BOAT. >> SO THE WAY THIS WORKS IS,
WE USE THIS AS THE DART, ALL RIGHT?
THAT GOES ON THE END OF THE TAGGING POLE.
SHARK GETS CLOSE TO THE BOAT, JAM IT AT THE BASE OF
THE DORSAL FIN. SO BASICALLY WHAT THIS WILL DO
IS COME DOWN INTO THE SHARK THROUGH THE DORSAL FIN
AND LOCK IN. AND THEN THIS WILL JUST TRAIL.
ONCE IT HITS WATER, IT STARTS COLLECTING DATA ON DEPTH,
TEMPERATURE, AND LIGHT LEVELS AND ARCHIVES THAT EVERY
TEN SECONDS. IT'S BASICALLY A LAPTOP
STRAPPED TO THE SHARK. SLIP TIP GOES ON LIKE THAT.
SO THIS TAG'S READY TO GO, AND IF A WHITE SHARK SWAM UP
RIGHT NOW, WE WOULD, UH-- WE'D DEPLOY IT.
>> narrator: THEY SCAN THE WATER FOR MOVEMENT.
>> WE LOOK FOR THE TELLTALE SIGN OF A SHARK, WHICH IS,
OF COURSE, THE DORSAL FIN. EVERYBODY, PAY ATTENTION.
KEEP YOUR EYES OUT. WELL, I GOT THIS WONDERFUL
IMAGE OF A WHITE SHARK JUST CRUISING ALONG HERE.
>> narrator: <i>MONSTER QUEST </i>IS SEARCHING FOR HUGE GREAT WHITE
SHARKS THAT MAY BE COMING CLOSER TO SHORE AND TARGETING
HUMANS AS PREY. MANKIND HAS FEARED THESE
MONSTERS OF THE DEEP SINCE ANCIENT TIMES.
>> SHARKS' INTERACTIONS WITH HUMANS CAN BE TRACED BACK
TO HERODOTUS, AN ANCIENT HISTORIAN OF GREECE
IN THE YEAR 492 B.C. AND HE DESCRIBED SHIPWRECKED
SAILORS BEING ATTACKED AND KILLED AND EATEN ALIVE
BY MONSTERS. >> narrator: THE OLDEST KNOWN
SHARK FOSSILS DATE BACK ALMOST 5 MILLION YEARS.
THE LATEST RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT ANCESTORS OF THESE
FRIGHTENING BEASTS GREW TO OVER 30 FEET IN LENGTH.
THOSE WHO MADE THEIR LIVING ON THE WATER, WHALERS AND
FISHERMEN, LIVED IN FEAR OF THE BEASTS FOR CENTURIES.
BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL 1916 THAT THE WORLD SAW THEM
AS UNSTOPPABLE KILLERS. >> FROM JULY 1 TO JULY 12,
1916, FIVE PEOPLE WERE SAVAGELY ATTACKED BY A SHARK
OFF THE NEW JERSEY COAST. THERE IS SPECULATION THAT
A WHITE SHARK WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL FIVE ATTACKS
WHICH CAUSED THE DEATHS OF FOUR PEOPLE AND THE AMPUTATION
OF THE SURVIVOR'S LEFT LEG. >> narrator: THE ATTACKS ENDED
SHORTLY AFTER A GREAT WHITE WAS KILLED WITH HUMAN REMAINS
IN ITS BELLY. THE PANIC THAT ENSUED DURING
THOSE TWO WEEKS WOULD LATER INSPIRE THE MOVIE <i>JAWS.</i>
>> WHITE SHARKS' POPULATION WAS DECIMATED IN THE MID-'70s
AFTER THE RELEASE OF <i>JAWS.</i> >> narrator: ANOTHER FATAL
ATTACK IN 1936 WOULD CEMENT THE MONSTER'S
FEARSOME REPUTATION. >> JOSEPH TROY WAS A BOY
FROM DORCHESTER... AND HE WENT DOWN
TO MATTAPOISETT. AND HE WAS VISITING HIS UNCLE,
AND TROY WAS OUT SWIMMING IN THE AFTERNOON
WITH WALTER STILES, AND THEY WERE OFF OF HOLLYWOOD
BEACH IN MATTAPOISETT. AND AROUND 3:00 OR 4:00
IN THE AFTERNOON, A SHARK APPEARED RIGHT NEXT TO TROY
AND GRABBED HIM BY HIS LEFT LEG, PULLED HIM UNDER.
STILES KEPT DIVING DOWN TRYING TO GET TROY,
BUT HE COULDN'T. BUT TROY POPPED TO THE SURFACE
IN A BIG POOL OF BLOOD. WHEN THEY GOT HIM ASHORE,
THEY SHIPPED HIM OFF, AND HE WENT TO ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL,
AND THEY ENDED UP AMPUTATING HIS LEG, AND HE PASSED AWAY,
TROY; HE WAS 16 YEARS OLD. >> narrator: TODAY THE SHARK
POPULATION IS REBOUNDING, AND THESE BEASTS MAY BE
RETURNING TO COASTLINES AND PUBLIC BEACHES.
>> WHAT I REMEMBER THE MOST IS THAT BIG EYE.
>> narrator: JOE FITZBACK, A MASSACHUSETTS BOAT CAPTAIN,
WAS ON A FISHING EXCURSION 2 MILES OUT OF CHATHAM PORT
WHEN SOMETHING ALMOST ATTACKED HIM.
>> WE HAD TWO FISH ON, TWO NICE FISH ON,
AND AS I WATCHING THE ONE IN THE BACK BEING FOUGHT,
SOMEBODY YELLED OUT-- A GIRL YELLS OUT IN THE FRONT,
"WHAT WAS THAT?" AND I KIND OF LOOKED, AND ALL
I COULD SEE WAS LIKE A DORSAL FIN INTO THE WATER.
>> narrator: SOMETHING GRABBED THE LINE AND RAN WITH IT.
>> THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE LINE WENT LIMP.
AND WHEN SHE REELED IT IN, ALL I HAD LEFT WAS THE HEAD.
>> narrator: THEN THEY REALIZED SOMETHING WAS UNDER THE BOAT.
>> AS IT WENT UNDERNEATH THE BOAT, IT MADE A BIG CIRCLE
AROUND AND CAME UP, AND IT STARTED BUMPING THE BOAT.
>> narrator: THE SHARK HIT THE BOAT REPEATEDLY.
THEN, AFTER A FEW HARD IMPACTS, THE WATER WENT QUIET.
>> AS I WAS PICKING IT UP ON THE SIDE OF THE BOAT,
THE SHARK CAME RIGHT UP FROM UNDERNEATH.
THAT'S WHEN I NOTICED THAT IT WAS A GREAT WHITE.
I COULD SEE THE BIG BLACK EYE. HIS LIPS WERE KIND OF PULLED
BACK SO YOU COULD SEE THE SHAPE OF THE TEETH.
FROM THE HEAD WHERE HE WAS AND TO THE BACK OF THE BOAT
WAS 14 FEET. THE SHARK CAME RIGHT UP
FROM UNDERNEATH, GRABBED AHOLD OF THE FISH,
AND JUST STRIPPED THE WHOLE INNARDS AND STUFF RIGHT OUT OF
IT, AND ALL I HAD LEFT IN MY HAND WAS THE HEAD OF THAT FISH.
HE WAS PROBABLY 18 INCHES AWAY FROM MY HAND.
>> narrator: THE CLOSE ENCOUNTER STILL HAUNTS
FITZBACK TODAY. >> I'LL NEVER FORGET HOW CLOSE
I WAS TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY THE WORKING END OF A GREAT
WHITE SHARK. >> IT'S A NEEDLE
IN A HAYSTACK HERE. >> narrator: THE SEARCH
OFF THE COAST OF CAPE COD IS PROVING DIFFICULT.
>> WE'VE GOT BIRDS, WE GOT CALM WEATHER,
WE GOT A GREAT SLICK, AND WE GOT NOTHING AS FAR
AS SHARKS ARE CONCERNED. I DON'T THINK THERE ARE
A LOT OF WHITE SHARKS. IF THERE WERE, I WOULD HAVE
TAGGED A LOT OF THEM BY NOW. I'VE GOT 22 YEARS
IN THE BUSINESS TRYING TO TAG A WHITE SHARK,
AND I HAVEN'T YET. >> narrator: THE LIGHT
IS FADING. >> YOU KNOW, MY OPINION IS,
WE MOVE THE OPERATION NORTH. TOMORROW IS A NEW DAY.
WE'RE GONNA HEAD UP TO STELLWAGEN BANK NATIONAL
MARINE SANCTUARY. IT'S A--IT'S A PROTECTED,
BEAUTIFUL, PRODUCTIVE BANK THAT RISES UP FROM SEVERAL
HUNDRED FEET TO WITHIN 90 FEET OF THE SURFACE.
WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, SOME REPORTS IN THE LAST FEW DAYS
OF LARGE FISH HANGING OUT IN THE AREA, LARGE SHARKS
IN PARTICULAR. IT'S JUST, THE PLAYER
DIDN'T SHOW. >> narrator: <i>MONSTER QUEST</i>
IS SEARCHING THE UNITED STATES COASTAL WATERS FOR KILLER
GREAT WHITE SHARKS. NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS
THAT THESE MONSTERS STALK THEIR PREY,
STRATEGIZING BEFORE STRIKING WITH THE PREMEDITATION
AND PRECISION OF A HUMAN SERIAL KILLER.
>> SHARKS ARE ACTUALLY LEARNING WHERE THE BEST HUNTING
SPOTS ARE. >> narrator: SHARK RESEARCHER
DR. NEIL HAMMERSCHLAG HAS SPENT THE LAST EIGHT YEARS
STUDYING THE ATTACK STRATEGIES OF GREAT WHITES IN THE WATERS
AROUND SEAL ISLAND, SOUTH AFRICA.
>> THE SHARKS ARE PICKING THEIR HUNTING SPOTS
CAMOUFLAGED AGAINST THE BOTTOM THROUGH DEEP, DARK MURKY WATER,
PEERING UP TO SPOT THE SILHOUETTE OF A SEAL
AGAINST THE WATER'S SURFACE. THIS ANCHOR POINT WAS NOT WHERE
THE SHARKS HAD THE HIGHEST CHANCE OF INTERCEPTING
THEIR SEAL PREY, BUT INSTEAD WAS SOME SORT OF
AN OPTIMAL BALANCE WHERE SHARKS COULD DETECT PREY, REMAIN
UNDETECTED BY THE SEALS, AND EVEN AVOID COMPETITION
WITH OTHER SHARKS. >> narrator: HAMMERSCHLAG CALLS
THESE OPTIMAL STALKING TERRITORIES THE UNDERWATER
EQUIVALENT OF DARK ALLEYS. >> THEY'RE USING SOME
UNDERWATER ALLEYS AND USING THE UNDERWATER BOTTOM
TOPOGRAPHY TO HIDE FROM OR SNEAK UP.
>> narrator: USING CRIMINAL PROFILING METHODS, HAMMERSCHLAG
HAS TRACKED THESE BEASTS AND IDENTIFIED THE STALKING AREAS
AROUND THE ISLAND. LIKE HUMAN SERIAL KILLERS,
THE GREAT WHITE THRIVES IN SHADOW.
>> WE USE A TECHNIQUE CALLED GEOGRAPHIC PROFILING,
WHICH USES THE LINK SITES OF WHERE ATTACKS TAKE PLACE,
USUALLY CRIMINAL ATTACKS ON PEOPLE, AND PLUG IT INTO
THIS MATHEMATICAL PROGRAM CALLED GEOGRAPHIC PROFILING
THAT USES THE LINKED LOCATIONS IN THIS VERY FANCY MATHEMATICAL
MODEL WHICH DETERMINES WHERE THE HIGHEST PROBABILITY OF
THAT CRIMINAL WHO PERPETRATES THE ATTACK HAS ACTUALLY
STATIONED THEMSELVES. SHARKS AND SERIAL KILLERS ARE
OBVIOUSLY VERY DIFFERENT. THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT MOTIVE.
BUT BASICALLY, THEY ARE USING COMPLEX, SIMILAR UNDERLYING
HUNTING STRATEGIES, WHICH IS THE NEED TO ENCOUNTER THEIR
PREY, AVOID COMPETITORS, AVOID BEING DETECTED,
AND THEY NEED TO USE THE UNDERWATER HIGHWAYS
AND OTHER THINGS, AND THAT THERE IS SOME LINKAGES
BETWEEN THEIR ATTACKS. >> narrator: ATTACKS THAT
DEMONSTRATE THE DEADLY EFFICIENCY OF THESE
KILLING MACHINES. >> THE SHARKS ARE HUNTING
PRIMARILY UNDER LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS, LIKE DURING
DAWN AND DUSK. AND DURING TIMES WHERE
IT WAS OVERCAST THAT DAY, THEY INCREASED THEIR
HUNTING ACTIVITY. >> narrator: IT IS THESE
SHADOWY CONDITIONS THAT GIVE THE GREAT WHITE ITS GREATEST
SUCCESS RATE. >> IN COMPARISON TO THE LION,
THE KING OF THE JUNGLE HAS A SUCCESS RATE NORMALLY OF
ABOUT 12%, WHICH IS-- THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.
BUT ON AVERAGE, THE GREAT WHITE SHARKS AT SEAL ISLAND HAVE
A SUCCESS RATE OF ALMOST 48%, AND DURING LOW LIGHT
CONDITIONS, THEY HAVE SUCCESS RATES AS HIGH AS 55%.
THAT'S OVER--MORE THAN HALF OF THEIR ATTEMPTS ARE SUCCESSFUL.
WHAT WE FOUND HAS NEVER BEEN SHOWN BEFORE, IS THAT WHEN
THEIR SUCCESS RATE DROPS TO ABOUT 40% AT HIGH LIGHT LEVELS,
THEY JUST STOP HUNTING. SO THEY ACTUALLY KNOW TO STOP
HUNTING WHEN THE CHANCES OF THEM MAKING A SUCCESSFUL KILL
IS LOW. YOU KNOW, OTHER ANIMALS
WOULD JUST KEEP HUNTING AND, YOU KNOW, FAILING,
BUT THE SHARKS ACTUALLY STOP WHEN THEIR CHANCES OF ACTUALLY
MAKING A SUCCESSFUL KILL HAS DROPPED.
>> narrator: THE GREAT WHITE TARGETS VULNERABLE VICTIMS,
THE WEAKEST OF WHICH CAN BE MANEUVERED AND ISOLATED
FOR SLAUGHTER. >> THEY'LL LET DIFFERENT SEAL
GROUPS PASS BY, OLDER SEALS. AND, YOU KNOW, IN A BIG GROUP
OF SEALS OF DIFFERENT AGES, SOMETIMES THE YOUNGER ONES
CAN'T SWIM AS WELL AND THEY START TRAILING OFF THE BACK
END OF THE GROUP. THE SHARKS NOTICE IT
RIGHT AWAY, AND THEY ISOLATE THAT SEAL,
AND THEY LAUNCH THEIR ATTACK ON THAT ANIMAL.
>> narrator: THE GREAT WHITE FAVORS THE BLITZ TECHNIQUE
USED BY HUMAN SERIAL KILLERS LIKE JACK THE RIPPER:
AN ATTACK SO QUICK AND BRUTAL THAT THE VICTIM HAS NO TIME
TO REACT. >> THE SHARKS START TRACKING
THE SEALS' MOVEMENT, MONITORING THE SEALS' BREATHING
AND ARE TRYING TO ANTICIPATE WHEN THE SEALS LIFT THEIR HEAD
OUT OF THE WATER TO BREATHE, NOT LOOKING DOWN.
AT THAT POINT, THE SHARK LAUNCHES A BRIEF VERTICAL
ATTACK AND IN JUST A FEW TAIL BEATS RUSHES TO THE SURFACE,
TOTALLY KNOCKING THE SEAL IN ITS JAWS.
THEY BUILD UP ENOUGH SPEED, OVER 35 MILES AN HOUR,
THAT THEY COME HIT THE SEAL WITH SUCH FORCE AT THE SURFACE
THAT IT INCAPACITATES THE SEAL; FATAL ON THE FIRST STRIKE.
IT'S OVER IN SECONDS. >> narrator: THE SCIENCE TEAM
IS STUDYING SHARK ATTACK DATA TO UNDERSTAND HOW AND WHY
THESE BEASTS ARE ATTACKING MAN MORE OFTEN.
THE ANALYSIS SEEMS TO INDICATE FOUR DISTINCT TYPES OF ATTACK.
>> PREDATORY ATTACKS BY WHITE SHARKS ARE VERY VIOLENT
AND VERY HIGH-ENERGY. USUALLY, THE VICTIMS
OF PREDATORY ATTACKS DO NOT SURVIVE.
THEY ARE MEANT TO IMMOBILIZE AND/OR KILL THE PREY
ON INITIAL CONTACT. THIS MINIMIZES INJURY
TO THE SHARK. >> narrator: THE PREDATORY
ATTACK IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESULT IN DEATH TO ITS VICTIM.
>> GENERALLY, IT'S A SINGLE BITE, THEN THE SHARK WILL BACK
AWAY AND THEN COME IN AT ITS LEISURE TO FINISH OFF THE PREY.
>> narrator: THESE TYPES OF ATTACKS ARE FOR FEEDING.
AN EXAMPLE OF A PREDATORY ATTACK OCCURRED IN 1981 NEAR
PEBBLE BEACH, CALIFORNIA. >> AND IT WAS A MASSIVE ANIMAL.
A YOUNG MAN WENT SURFING ALONE IN MONTEREY BAY.
THE NEXT DAY, TWO YOUNG MEN WALKING ALONG THE BEACH FOUND
A SURFBOARD WITH A LARGE BITE REMOVED FROM IT.
TWO DAYS LATER, LEWIS BOREN'S BODY WASHED TO SHORE.
HE HAD BEEN STRUCK ONE TIME. THE CONFIGURATION OF
THE WOUND, ITS LOCATION IMMEDIATELY TOLD US THAT IT WAS
PREDATORY, BECAUSE THE SHARK IN A SINGLE BITE HAD REMOVED
ALL OF THE TISSUE AND ORGANS THAT--FROM UNDER HIS ARMPIT
INTO THE CENTER OF HIS CHEST, THE STERNUM, AND DOWN AND OUT
OVER THE TOP OF THE HIP. SO THE SHARK HAD REMOVED THE--
THAT ENTIRE SECTION OF LEWIS BOREN'S BODY IN A SINGLE BITE.
>> narrator: MEASURING THE SIZE OF THE BITE REVEALED JUST HOW
MONSTROUS THIS GREAT WHITE WAS. >> AND IT WAS OVER 20 FEET.
>> narrator: THE SECOND TYPE OF GREAT WHITE BEHAVIOR IS FAR
MORE FRIGHTENING AND GRISLY. THEY ARE CALLED PRACTICE
ATTACKS AND APPEAR TO BE DONE SIMPLY TO PERFECT THE ACT
OF KILLING. >> WHETHER OR NOT THESE ARE
ATTACKS WHERE THE SHARK HAS DECIDED AFTER KILLING
THE ANIMAL IT DIDN'T WANT TO FEED, WHETHER THESE ATTACKS
ARE THE RESULT OF A REFLEXIVE RESPONSE WHERE THE SHARK SEES
THE SEAL AND SIMPLY STRIKES IT AS A NATURAL REACTION,
WE DON'T KNOW. WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT
DECAPITATED SEALS, AND A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER,
WASHED ASHORE THIS YEAR ALONG THE CALIFORNIA COAST.
AND THAT TELLS US THAT WE HAD MORE ACTIVITY FROM WHITE SHARKS
WITH THESE ANIMALS. >> narrator: THE THIRD TYPE
OF ATTACK, KNOWN AS AN INVESTIGATIVE BITE AND RELEASE,
IS BY FAR THE MOST COMMON. >> WELL, WHITE SHARKS ARE
A VERY CURIOUS APEX PREDATOR. ANYTHING AT THE SURFACE IS
SUBJECT TO THEIR INVESTIGATION. IN THE CASE OF INVESTIGATORY
ATTACKS BY WHITE SHARKS, THOSE HAVE BEEN PERPETRATED
AGAINST ALL TYPES OF OCEAN USER GROUPS--SWIMMERS,
DIVERS, KAYAKERS. THAT'S WHEN THE SHARK ISN'T
SURE WHAT THE OBJECT IS AND IT CIRCLES AND IT WILL
COME IN AND EVENTUALLY IT TAKES A VERY LIGHT NIBBLE
OF THE OBJECT. THE SHARK ISN'T BITING
THE KAYAK AND THE SURFER BECAUSE IT THINKS IT'S
A MARINE MAMMAL. IT'S BITING THAT BECAUSE IT
ISN'T SURE WHAT IT IS. THIS IS THEIR WAY OF TESTING.
GENERALLY, WHEN A HUMAN IS INVOLVED, IT WILL BE ONE QUICK
BITE, THE SHARK RELEASES THE VICTIM, AND SWIMS AWAY.
>> narrator: THE FOURTH TYPE OF SHARK ATTACK IS A DEFENSIVE
OR TERRITORIAL ATTACK. >> IN THE CASE OF DAVID MARTIN,
IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THAT ATTACK WAS NOT PREDATORY,
THAT IT WAS PROBABLY SOME FORM OF THREAT, A TERRITORIAL
DISPLACEMENT BEHAVIOR BY THE SHARK.
IN THE CASE OF A TERRITORIAL ATTACK, THE INDIVIDUAL INVADES
THE SHARK'S SPACE. THE SPACE COULD BE A SPECIFIC
LOCATION THAT THE SHARK IS USING, POSSIBLY FOR FEEDING
OR PUPPING, AND IF YOU INVADE THAT AREA, THE SHARK IS GOING
TO TRY TO DRIVE YOU OFF. DAVID WAS BITTEN MULTIPLE
TIMES, AT LEAST FOUR, POSSIBLY AS MANY AS SIX,
TIMES BY THE SHARK. THE SHARK RETURNED AND
CONTINUED TO BITE HIM A NUMBER OF TIMES UNTIL THE WITNESSES,
THE RESCUERS IN THE WATER WERE ABLE TO GET TO HIM
AND TAKE HIM TO THE BEACH. YOU GENERALLY DO NOT HAVE
THAT TYPE OF INTERACTION BETWEEN THE SUBJECT AND THE
SHARK WHEN IT'S PREDATORY. >> narrator: TERRITORIAL
ATTACKS ARE JUST AS DEVASTATING AS PREDATORY ATTACKS,
AND ANY ANIMAL CAN BE A VICTIM. OFF AN AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING
BEACH IN 2009, OFFICIALS FOUND A DEAD 10-FOOT GREAT WHITE
KILLED BY THIS TERRITORIAL- TYPE BITE.
ITS ATTACKER WAS ESTIMATED TO BE A GREAT WHITE
OVER 20 FEET IN LENGTH. THE CANNIBALISTIC ATTACK
WAS VISUAL PROOF THAT THESE MONSTERS WILL
DEFEND THEIR TERRITORY AGAINST ANYONE OR ANYTHING
THAT GETS TOO CLOSE. STORMS ARE MOVING IN ALONG
THE COAST OF CAPE COD. >> WE GOT A REPORT THAT SOME
BIG SHARKS BEEN REPORTED EAST- SOUTHEAST OF THE SOUTHWEST
CORNER OF STELLWAGEN BANKS. [radio chatter]
>> WIND NORTHEAST AT 12, GUSTING TO 20 MILES AN HOUR.
>> narrator: THE CONDITIONS WILL MAKE SIGHTING FROM THE BOAT
IMPOSSIBLE, SO A DIVE TEAM IS DISPATCHED TO SEE IF THEY
CAN GET AN UNDERWATER VIEW. >> JUDGING FROM THE COAST GUARD
FLAG, IT'S BLOWING ABOUT 15 TO 20 NORTHEAST, WHICH IS
PROBABLY THE WORST WIND WE COULD HAVE FOR WHERE
WE'RE GOING. DEFINITELY NOT IDEAL.
USUALLY A DAY THAT WE'D PROBABLY, YOU KNOW,
STAY AT THE DOCK. WE'RE NOT--WE'RE NOT THAT FAR
FROM PORT NOW, AND YOU CAN SEE THE SEAS ARE DEFINITELY
BUILDING THE FURTHER OUT WE GET.
THE WIND'S PROBABLY PICKED UP A GOOD 5 KNOTS, AND THERE'S
PATCHY FOG BLOWING AROUND, SO WE'RE GETTING DOWN
TO SOME LOW VISIBILITY. I MEAN, WE'LL FIND OUT FAST
IF IT'S TOO ROUGH OR NOT. >> narrator: THE DIVE TEAM
TESTS THE SHARK CAGE. >> IF IT'S BOUNCING UP
AND SMASHING OFF THE BOAT, THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE GONNA PUT
A DIVER IN AND RISK THAT. IF THE DIVER GOT HIS HAND
OR ARM CAUGHT BETWEEN THE CAGE AND THE BOAT, HE COULD BREAK
HIS ARM. HE COULD BREAK HIS FINGERS.
OKAY, LET'S GIVE IT A SHOT, SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
READY? SEE HOW THE CAGE IS SHAKING?
YOU PUT A MAN IN THERE, THAT'D BE VERY DANGEROUS.
>> narrator: THE TEAM HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO TURN BACK.
>> AH, IT'S A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING THAT WE DIDN'T
GET OUT THERE AND GET ANY SHARKS, BUT THE WEATHER
JUST WASN'T COOPERATING. THE FURTHER WE GET OUT THERE,
THE MORE THE WIND PICKED UP, THE HEAVIER THE SEAS GOT,
AND IT JUST WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO DEPLOY THE CAGE,
AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A REALLY HARD TIME SPOTTING SHARKS
IN THESE WEATHER CONDITIONS. SO IT'S DISAPPOINTING, BUT WE
KNOW THEY'RE OUT THERE. >> narrator: THE <i>MONSTER QUEST</i>
EXPEDITION TEAM IS HUNTING GREAT WHITE SHARKS
IN THE COASTAL WATERS OF AMERICA...
AND TRYING TO DETERMINE WHY ATTACKS ON HUMANS
ARE ON THE RISE. >> THERE ARE MORE ATTACKS NOW
THAN THERE WERE 20 YEARS AGO ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST
OF NORTH AMERICA. >> narrator: THE TEAM IS
INVESTIGATING THESE RECENT ATTACKS AND SIGHTINGS
TO ANALYZE THIS NEW THREAT. >> THE POTENTIAL FOR AN
ENCOUNTER BETWEEN A WHITE SHARK AND A HUMAN HAS INCREASED
ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST IN THE LAST TEN YEARS
SIMPLY BECAUSE THE OCEAN USER GROUPS, THEIR POPULATIONS--
SWIMMERS, DIVERS, SURFERS, AND KAYAKERS--
HAVE ALSO INCREASED. THE MORE PEOPLE WE HAVE IN
THE WATER, THE MORE LIKELY YOU ARE TO HAVE AN ENCOUNTER
IF A SHARK IS IN THE AREA. >> narrator: THERE'S ANOTHER
FACTOR THAT MAY BE PLAYING A ROLE IN HOW CLOSE TO SHORE
THESE MONSTERS ARE COMING. >> PINNIPEDS, SEALS, HAVE BEEN
PROTECTED SINCE THE MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT OF 1972.
WHITE SHARKS' POPULATION WAS DECIMATED IN THE MID-'70s
AFTER THE RELEASE OF <i>JAWS.</i> SO REMOVAL OF THESE ADULT
SHARKS IN THE MID-'70s TO SELL THEIR TEETH AND JAWS GAVE
THE PINNIPED POPULATION A CHANCE TO EXPLODE UNCHECKED.
THERE WERE NO PREDATORS TO KEEP THEM IN CHECK, TO TAKE CARE
OF THE SICK, THE INJURED, THE YOUNG AND OLD.
SO THEIR POPULATION GREW AND GREW AND GREW AND NOW IS
AT A POINT WHERE IT'S GROWING EXPONENTIALLY.
WE HAVE NEARLY 400,000 OF THEM OFF OUR COASTS NOW.
TEN YEARS AGO, WE HAD BARELY 200,000.
>> narrator: AND MORE SEALS MEAN MORE GREAT WHITE SHARKS.
>> YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE THEM CLOSE INSHORE WHEN YOU HAVE
PINNIPEDS ALONG THE SHORELINE. WHITE SHARKS GENERALLY DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO FEED UPON PINNIPEDS UNTIL THEY REACH A LENGTH OF
ABOUT 10 FEET, 3 METERS. >> narrator: WITH MORE GREAT
WHITES HUNTING FOR SEALS, THERE IS A GREATER RISK OF
A SHARK MISTAKING A HUMAN FOR A SEAL.
>> THE GROWTH RATE OF WHITE SHARKS ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST
IS DEPENDENT UPON THE AVAILABLE FOOD.
THE MORE FOOD THE SHARK HAS TO CONSUME, THE LARGER
AND FASTER IT WILL GROW. >> narrator: THERE'S ANOTHER
TROUBLING CONSEQUENCE TO THIS. WITH ACCESS TO A STEADY FOOD
SOURCE, GREAT WHITES CAN GAIN 100 POUNDS AND GROW A FOOT
IN LENGTH IN AS LITTLE AS NINE MONTHS.
>> WE HAVE WHITE SHARKS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED
THIS YEAR THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID ARE IN EXCESS
OF 20 FEET AND AS BROAD AS A STATION WAGON.
ANIMALS OF THAT SIZE PROBABLY ARE IN THE 19- TO 20-FOOT RANGE
AND IT'S HIGHLY CONCEIVABLE THAT THEIR WEIGHT COULD
EXCEED 5,000 POUNDS. >> narrator: IT IS THESE
GIANT GREAT WHITES THAT HAVE BEEN SPOTTED HUNTING ALONG
THE COASTLINES, DRAWN IN BY PREY THEY CAN SENSE
EVEN FROM MILES AWAY. >> SHARKS DO HAVE EARS
LOCATED JUST BACK HERE ON THE HEAD.
THEY'RE VERY SENSITIVE. THEY HAVE HAIR CELLS INSIDE
OF THESE EARS, AND THEY PICK UP ON THE VIBRATIONS THAT GO
THROUGH THE WATER. SHARKS USE THE AUDITORY SENSE,
OR THEIR SENSE OF HEARING, AT DISTANCES VERY FAR AWAY
FROM THEIR PREY ITEMS, SOMETIMES UP TO SEVERAL MILES
AWAY FROM THEIR PREY. THEIR PREY ITEMS MAY MAKE
NOISES OR EVEN MAYBE SPLASHING AT THE SURFACE,
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT A SHARK WILL KEY IN ON
AND QUICKLY GO TO INVESTIGATE. >> narrator: THESE MONSTERS
ALSO HAVE A HIGHLY DEVELOPED SENSE OF SMELL.
>> AS A SHARK SWIMS, IT MOVES ITS HEAD BACK AND FORTH.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO FIND AREAS THAT HAVE HIGHER
CONCENTRATIONS OF ODOR MOLECULES, AND THIS IS TO HELP
THEM PINPOINT EXACTLY WHERE THAT PREY ITEM IS.
>> narrator: AS IT APPROACHES FOR THE KILL, THE SHARK RELIES
ON BIOELECTRIC RECEPTORS. >> SHARKS HAVE A BIG BLIND SPOT
WHEN THEY'RE FEEDING. WHEN A SHARK GETS TO BE ABOUT
30 TO 50 CENTIMETERS AWAY FROM ITS PREY ITEM, THE SHARK IS NO
LONGER GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ITS NOSE.
SO A SHARK HAS A UNIQUE STRUCTURE KNOWN AS THE
AMPULLAE OF LORENZINI, WHICH ARE A BUNCH OF PORES
LOCATED ON THE HEAD OF THE SHARK THAT ARE FILLED
WITH GEL. AND WHAT THIS ALLOWS A SHARK
TO DO IS KEY IN ON ELECTRIC IMPULSES GIVEN OFF
BY THEIR PREY. AFTER IT IDENTIFIES ITS PREY
ITEM, IT'S GOING TO LAUNCH A VERTICAL ATTACK, OR IT'S
GOING TO SWIM DIRECTLY UPWARD. >> narrator: ONCE THE GREAT
WHITE OPENS ITS JAWS, IT CAN NO LONGER SEE ITS VICTIM,
BUT IT STILL KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE IT IS.
>> AND IT'S GOING TO FORCEFULLY RAM INTO THAT PREY ITEM,
DAMAGE IT, AND TAKE A GOOD CHUNK OF MEAT OUT OF IT.
NOW, IT'S SAID THAT THESE GREAT WHITES CAN TAKE UP TO 50 POUNDS
OF MEAT OUT OF THEIR PREY ITEM IN ONE BITE.
>> narrator: BUT CRAIG O'CONNELL SAYS THIS MONSTER'S
PREFERRED PREY IS NOT HUMAN. >> THEY'RE NO MORE DANGEROUS
THAN ANY OTHER PREDATOR. THEY ARE A LOT BIGGER
THAN MOST PREDATORS, BUT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND
THAT THE MARINE ECOSYSTEM IS THEIR ENVIRONMENT
AND WE HAVE TO RESPECT THAT. THE GREAT WHITE SHARK OVER
THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES HAS BEEN REPRESENTED
AS A MAN-EATER, AND THIS TRAIT AS BEING
A MAN-EATER IS HIGHLY INACCURATE.
GREAT WHITE SHARKS ACTUALLY DON'T TARGET HUMANS AS ONE
OF THEIR PREY ITEMS. WE'RE NOT ON THEIR MENU.
>> narrator: BUT SOMETHING IS BRINGING GREAT WHITES
TO THE WATERS WHERE HUMANS SWIM.
>> BUT THE BIG THING IS ABOUT WHITE SHARKS, WE NEVER--
WE NEVER GO LOOKING FOR THEM. >> narrator: WHILE IN SEARCH
OF GAME FISH, WAYNE DAVIS MADE A BIZARRE SIGHTING
DURING A ROUTINE FLIGHT NEAR PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS.
>> THE MOST RECENT ONE WAS RIGHT ON THE BEACH
JUST NORTHEAST OF THE CHATHAM AIRPORT.
IT WAS A DAY AFTER KIND OF A BIG STORM.
THE WATER WAS ALL MURKY BROWN AND GREEN, BIG SURF.
SO I WHIPPED AROUND, GOT MY CAMERA OUT,
WENT BACK OUT AND FOUND HIM. HE WAS RIGHT WHERE I LEFT HIM.
HE WAS JUST OUTSIDE THE SURF LINE 200 OR 300 YARDS.
>> narrator: THE MASSIVE PREDATOR WAS JUST OFF THE BEACH
WITH ITS VICTIMS IN SIGHT. >> BUT JUST SOUTH OF THIS BEACH
NOT A MILE, AND THE WHITE SHARK WAS HEADED SOUTH, WAS A GANG
OF SURFERS. I WOULDN'T WANT TO HAVE BEEN
A SURFER THERE. IF I HAD BEEN A SURFER DOWN
THERE AND I KNEW THAT SHARK WAS THERE, I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN
OUT OF THE WATER. >> narrator: THE <i>MONSTER QUEST</i>
TEAM IS IN MASSACHUSETTS WHEN TWO KAYAKERS SIGHT A GREAT
WHITE NEAR CHATHAM ON CAPE COD. THE KAYAKERS WERE ONLY YARDS
AWAY WHEN A GREAT WHITE LEAPT INTO THE AIR
AND GRABBED A SEAL. IT WAS THE FIRST OF AN
UNPRECEDENTED CLUSTER OF SIGHTINGS.
>> I GOT A CALL FROM CAPTAIN BILL.
HE TOLD ME THAT HE SAW TWO WHITE SHARKS OFF THE BEACH,
EAST BEACH OF CAPE COD, AREA KNOWN AS MONOMOY ISLAND.
IT'S VERY EXCITING, BUT I'M TENUOUS AT BEST
BECAUSE I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW, "IS IT TRUE?
ARE THEIR WHITE SHARKS OUT THERE?"
AND IF THERE ARE, WE GOT TO MOBILIZE AND GET OUT THERE
AND DO SOME TAGGING. WE GOT TO GET THIS GOING.
WE GOT TO GET THIS HAPPENING. THESE THINGS ARE GONNA LEAVE.
THEY'RE GONNA LEAVE. >> narrator: SKOMAL TAKES
TO THE AIR. >> I DROVE DOWN TO FALMOUTH,
MASS, ON THE CAPE, AND GOT IN THIS PLANE,
FLEW OUT TO THE AREA, AND LITERALLY WITHIN MOMENTS
OF ARRIVING IN THAT SPOT, YOU KNOW, I SAW A WHITE SHARK.
>> narrator: THE SCOUT CONFIRMS THERE ARE MULTIPLE GREAT WHITES
OFF THE CAPE. >> AND AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES,
I REALIZED THAT THIS WASN'T THE ONLY WHITE SHARK.
THERE WERE FOUR OF THEM THERE IN ADDITION TO THIS ONE,
SO FIVE WHITE SHARKS SWIMMING CLOSE TO THE BEACH.
UNBELIEVABLE. YOU KNOW, ONE, TWO, OKAY,
FINE, THAT'S EXCITING ENOUGH, BUT FIVE IN 20 MINUTES
BLOWS ME AWAY. IT'S LIKE ALL OF A SUDDEN GOING
OUT AND SEEING, YOU KNOW, FIVE LOCH NESS MONSTERS
WHEN YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THERE WAS ONE THERE.
>> narrator: THE TEAM LAUNCHES INTO ACTION.
>> ONCE I GET BACK TO MY OFFICE, WE'RE GOING TO
MOBILIZE THE CREW. I WANT TO GET THE GEAR
TOGETHER, GET OUT ON A BOAT TOMORROW, AND GET, YOU KNOW,
BILLY ORGANIZED. HE'S GONNA HAVE HIS
TEAM TOGETHER. WE'RE GONNA GO TRY TO--
TRY TO TAG THESE ANIMALS. >> narrator: <i>MONSTER QUEST</i>
IS INVESTIGATING GREAT WHITE SHARKS ALONG U.S. COASTLINES,
COASTLINES WHERE THESE BEASTS SEEM TO BE ATTACKING HUMANS
WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY. MAN HAS FEARED THESE PREDATORS
FOR CENTURIES AND THE DANGERS THAT SWIM JUST OFFSHORE.
>> WHEN WE LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF SHARK INTERACTIONS WITH
HUMANS ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST OF NORTH AMERICA,
WE CAN FIND INTERACTIONS WITH COASTAL INDIAN TRIBES
AND SHARKS ALL THE WAY FROM THE LOWER PARTS OF CALIFORNIA
EXTENDING ALL THE WAY UP INTO BRITISH COLUMBIA.
LEGENDS AND TALES OF SHARKS TIPPING OVER CANOES
AND EATING THE OCCUPANTS ARE COMMON.
THEY EVEN HAD PRAYERS AND OFFERINGS THAT THEY WOULD
MAKE BEFORE SWIMMING OUT ON SEAL HUNTS IN ORDER TO KEEP
THE SHARKS FROM ATTACKING AND KILLING THEM.
>> narrator: ONE OF THE MOST FRIGHTENING ATTACKS IN THE
PACIFIC OCCURRED NEAR MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, IN 1952.
>> HE WAS SWIMMING WITH A FRIEND WHEN ATTACKED BY A WHITE SHARK.
>> narrator: BERRY WILSON AND BOOKNER BRADY JR. WERE
SWIMMING WHEN WILSON WAS SUDDENLY PULLED UNDER.
BRADY HAD A KNIFE WITH HIM AND BEGAN STABBING THE MONSTER.
>> THE SHARK THRASHED AROUND, AND THE KNIFE WAS DISLODGED
FROM HIS HAND, AND THE SHARK RELEASED BERRY.
AND AT THAT POINT, FOUR SKIN DIVERS THAT WERE DIVING NEARBY
CAME TO THEIR RESCUE. DURING THE SWIM TO THE BEACH,
THE SHARK RETURNED AT LEAST THREE OR FOUR TIMES
AND BIT WILSON. THE SHARK WAS ABLE TO FIND
BERRY BY USING ITS NOSE, FOLLOWING THE BLOOD TRAIL,
BECAUSE THE ARTERY HAD BEEN SEVERED.
>> narrator: WILSON WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO DIE
IN AN AREA THAT WOULD BECOME THE EPICENTER FOR GREAT
WHITE ATTACKS. KNOWN AS THE RED TRIANGLE,
FOR THE BLOOD THAT OFTEN STAINS ITS WATERS, NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA'S COASTAL WATERS ARE INFAMOUS AS SHARK TERRITORY.
>> THE AREA FROM MONTEREY BAY TO A LITTLE ABOVE SAN FRANCISCO
BAY AND OUT TO THE FARALLON ISLANDS FORMS A TRIANGLE.
THIS HAS BEEN REFERRED TO BY COLLEAGUES AS THE RED TRIANGLE.
THE REASON FOR THAT IS THE HIGH NUMBER OF WHITE SHARK ATTACKS
THAT HAVE OCCURRED WITHIN THIS GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION.
>> narrator: SHARK ACTIVITY IN THE AREAS SEEMS TO BE
ON THE RISE. >> FROM THE YEAR 2000
TO THE PRESENT, 2009, WE HAVE ALREADY SUSTAINED
45 UNPROVOKED SHARK ATTACKS. >> narrator: AND ONCE GREAT
WHITES CLAIM A TERRITORY, THE ATTACKS ARE LIKELY
TO INCREASE. >> IN OUR STUDY, WE USE
GEOGRAPHIC PROFILING, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY A CSI TECHNIQUE
TO TRACK THE WHEREABOUTS OF SERIAL KILLERS, AND WE APPLIED
THAT TECHNIQUE TO STUDY THE HUNTING BEHAVIOR OF SHARKS.
>> narrator: LIKE SERIAL KILLERS WHO RETURN TO THE SAME AREAS
TO SEARCH FOR VICTIMS, GREAT WHITES HAVE PREFERRED
STALKING GROUNDS. >> WE'VE IDENTIFIED AREAS THAT
ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR SHARK HUNTING, AND IF I WAS A SURFER
OR A SWIMMER, I WOULDN'T GO SWIM AROUND THAT AREA OR GO
SPEARFISHING, BECAUSE YOU'RE ASKING FOR TROUBLE.
>> narrator: A <i>MONSTER QUEST</i> TEAM IS HEADED TO MEXICO
TO TRACK GREAT WHITES IN THE PACIFIC.
THEY WILL ATTEMPT TO ATTACH A CAMERA TO THE DORSAL FIN
OF THE BEAST TO RECORD ITS MOVEMENTS AND AGGRESSION
WHEN THE SHARK IS OUT OF VISUAL RANGE.
>> THE GREAT WHITE SHARKS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN LOOKED AT AS DUMB
EATING MACHINES, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
THESE GREAT WHITE SHARKS ARE HIGHLY INTELLIGENT ANIMALS.
YOU'RE WORKING WITH EVERYTHING IN NATURE ROLLED INTO THIS
INCREDIBLE PACKAGE. I MEAN, IT'S THE DANGER
OF NATURE. IT'S THE MYSTERY OF NATURE.
CRAIG FERREIRA HAS SPENT HIS LIFE STUDYING GREAT WHITES.
HE KNOWS THE RISKS OF CONTACT WITH THESE FEROCIOUS BEASTS.
>> THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE A GREAT WHITE SHARK
IS TO EQUATE IT TO AN F-16 FIGHTER JET.
HERE'S A MACHINE THAT'S BUILT TO DESTROY, BUILT TO TAKE
THINGS OUT IN THE QUICKEST, MOST VIOLENT WAY POSSIBLE,
AND THE GREAT WHITE SHARK IS THE SAME THING.
>> OKAY, HERE WE GO. >> narrator: FERREIRA WILL BE
JOINED BY DIVER DALE PEARSON. >> ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS
ACTUALLY GETTING A 15- TO 18- FOOT WHITE SHARK INTO POSITION
WHERE YOU CAN HOOK A CAMERA ONTO HIS BACK WITHOUT
GETTING KILLED. I MEAN, HE'S GONNA HAVE
TO LEAN OUT OF THE BOAT IN SHARK-INFESTED WATERS
WITH A SHARK RIGHT THERE AND HOOK A CAMERA
TO ITS DORSAL FIN. >> narrator: THEY WILL TRAVEL
TO THE WATERS OF ISLA DE GUADALUPE, 150 MILES OFF
BAJA CALIFORNIA. THEY HAVE TARGETED THIS AREA
AS A LIKELY PLACE FOR CAMERA TAGGING BECAUSE FEMALE GREAT
WHITES TRAVEL FROM HERE TO THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
COAST TO GIVE BIRTH. >> I WAS A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE
ON THE WAY DOWN HERE. BUT NOW YOU GET DOWN HERE,
YOU SEE THE <i>SEA ESCAPE.</i> THIS BOAT IS FANTASTIC.
THE CREW HAS GOT THEIR ACT TOGETHER.
>> I WAS IN SOUTH AFRICA, AND WE DEVELOPED THE SHARK CAM
OVER THE INTERNET, SO I HAVEN'T SEEN IT, SO WE'VE ORDERED A LOT
OF EXTRA EQUIPMENT LIKE SPRINGS AND NUTS AND BOLTS AND GALVANIC
LINKS AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS, BECAUSE I GOT A FEELING WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE TO IMPROVISE ON THE JOB.
WE COULD PROBABLY BUILD A NUCLEAR SUBMARINE
ON THIS TRIP. >> narrator: THE TEAM HAS
DECIDED THAT A SMALLER BOAT WILL GET THEM CLOSER
TO THE MASSIVE BEASTS, AND THREE SHARK-PROOF CAGES
WILL ALLOW THEM TO OBSERVE AND FILM THE ATTACK BEHAVIOR
UP CLOSE. >> THESE CAGES ARE HEAVY,
OVERBUILT, BUT WHAT I LIKE ARE THESE BIG PORTS.
THIS IS A MASSIVE PORT. THE NICE THING IS, IF A SHARK
CAN GET HIS HEAD IN THERE, YOU CAN GET A NICE UP-CLOSE
AND PERSONAL SCENE WITH HIM. >> narrator: THE CAGES HAVE
BEEN SPECIALLY DESIGNED TO STAND UP TO THE LARGEST
GREAT WHITES KNOWN TO MAN. >> BUT THE GREAT WHITE SHARK
IS THE LARGEST PREDATORY SHARK IN THE OCEAN.
THESE ANIMALS GET TO AT LEAST 6 METERS LONG, WHICH IS, WHAT,
20 FEET, 18, 20 FEET. I'VE PERSONALLY SEEN AN ANIMAL
WHICH IS AROUND ABOUT 22, 23 FEET LONG WEIGHING MAYBE
4 TO 5 TONS. I MEAN, THIS IS A GIANT ANIMAL.
THEY'RE MACROPREDATORS. THEY'RE RIGHT AT THE TOP
OF THE FOOD CHAIN. >> narrator: THE TEAMS SETS OUT
FOR THE ISLAND. >> [speaks Spanish]
>> narrator: THEY WILL SPEND THE NEXT WEEK IN THE WATER
WITH GREAT WHITES... AND THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF
THE DANGERS THEY WILL FACE. >> YOU CAN'T BE COMPLACENT
AROUND THEM. YOU LOOK AT THEM,
YOU'RE DIVING WITH THEM, YOU'RE WORKING WITH THEM,
YOU SEE THEM CRUISING AROUND, AND YOU THINK, "AH, THESE ARE
JUST BIG PUSSYCATS." BUT YOU GO OUT THERE
AND YOU CROSS THAT LINE, AND YOUR LIFE CAN END
LIKE THAT. >> narrator: AND THOSE WHO SPEND
TIME IN THE OCEAN KNOW JUST HOW QUICKLY THE BEAST CAN STRIKE.
>> MY WETSUIT'S FILLING UP WITH FLUID, AND I KNEW
IT WAS BLOOD. >> narrator: BRIAN KANG WAS
SPENDING THE DAY SURFING HIS FAVORITE BREAK.
>> AFTER SURFING THE INSIDE FOR A FEW MINUTES, I DECIDED
TO MAKE MY WAY TO THE BREAK THAT WAS FURTHER OUTSIDE.
>> narrator: THE 38-YEAR-OLD WAS WAITING FOR A WAVE.
>> I GOT HIT AND DRUG FOR ABOUT 20 YARDS.
I LOOK OVER TO MY LEFT-HAND SIDE, AND I SEE THE TAIL.
I SEE THIS HUGE TAIL STICKING OUT OF THE WATER ABOUT 4-PLUS
FEET OUT OF THE WATER AND JUST THRASHING WILDLY.
THE TAIL WAS SO FAR AWAY THAT I WAS LIKE, "OH, MY GOD.
THIS IS A HUGE SHARK." >> narrator: THE 17-FOOT GREAT
WHITE TORE INTO KANG'S HIP AND BEGAN DRAGGING HIM OUT
TO SEA. >> IT TAKES ME FOR, LIKE, 20
YARDS AND THEN DROPS ME OFF. I'M COMPLETELY FREAKING OUT.
I KNOW I'M HIT. MY WETSUIT'S FILLING UP
WITH FLUID, AND I KNEW IT WAS BLOOD.
>> narrator: KANG SCRAMBLED TO ESCAPE.
>> I JUST HAD THE EERIE FEELING THAT IT WAS GONNA COME BACK
FOR SECONDS, AND SURE ENOUGH, IT DID.
THE MINUTE I GOT MY BOARD UP AND UNDERNEATH ME, THE SHARK
COMES STRAIGHT BELOW ME AND ABOVE AND JUST ROLLS ME OVER.
ITS HEAD'S STICKING OUT OF THE WATER AND KIND OF
GUMMING FOR ME. >> narrator: KANG REACTED
INSTINCTIVELY. >> THE ONLY THING I COULD DO
AT THAT POINT WAS LITERALLY TO GRAB ITS NOSE, AND I WAS, LIKE,
PUNCHING WITH MY RIGHT HAND IN ITS LOWER JAW, JUST HOLDING
ONTO ITS NOSE. I PUT IN SOME KIND OF TRANCE
OR SOMETHING, AND, LIKE, NOTHING HAPPENED.
WITH ITS MOUTH COMPLETELY OPEN, IT JUST SLOWLY SUBMERGED
INTO THE WATER. >> narrator: THE SURFER BEGAN
PADDLING DESPERATELY TOWARD SHORE, LEAVING A TRAIL OF BLOOD
IN THE WATER. KANG WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL,
WHERE DOCTORS NEEDED 60 STITCHES TO CLOSE THE BITE.
>> I BELIEVE IT WAS, LIKE, NEAR 60 STITCHES AND STAPLES.
AMAZINGLY, YOU KNOW. THAT'S PRETTY MINOR
FOR A SHARK ATTACK. OBVIOUSLY, I FEEL,
YOU KNOW, VERY LUCKY. THERE'S TIMES WHERE I REALLY
WONDER I'M STILL ALIVE. >> narrator: IT IS THIS
PREDATORY BEHAVIOR THAT THE EXPEDITION TEAM
IS ATTEMPTING TO RECORD. THEY ARE PLANNING
TO PLACE A CAMERA ON A GREAT WHITE SHARK.
THE TEAM HAS ARRIVED AT THEIR DESTINATION,
DROPPING ANCHOR JUST OFF THE ISLA DE GUADALUPE.
>> THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS IN THE WORLD THAT ARE KNOWN
FOR HAVING LARGE WHITE SHARK POPULATIONS.
GUADALUPE ISLAND IS KIND OF LIKE THE KING OF ALL OF
THOSE SPOTS. THERE'S ACTUALLY BEEN A COUPLE
PEOPLE THAT WERE KILLED HERE THAT WERE ATTACKED BY SHARKS,
SPEARFISHERMAN. SO THIS AREA RIGHT HERE IS
INFAMOUS FOR HAVING HUGE, HUGE WHITE SHARKS AND PERFECT
CONDITIONS TO DIVE WITH IT. >> narrator: SHARK EXPERT CRAIG
FERREIRA HAS SUGGESTED THE TEAM STAY IN ONE LOCATION TO LET
THE GREAT WHITES LEARN OF THE NEW FOOD SOURCE.
>> IT'S A LITTLE BIT OBSCURE ON THE RADAR, YOU KNOW,
IN THE SHARK WORLD. IT'S A--IT SEEMS LIKE A
DIFFICULT PLACE TO GET TO. I MUST BE HONEST, IT ACTUALLY
LOOKS LIKE WHITE SHARK WORLD. BUT THE FACT THAT IT'S SO FAR
FROM LAND, LIKE 180 MILES FROM LAND, WE'RE ON OUR OWN.
SO WE'RE ISOLATED OUT HERE IN OUR OWN LITTLE WORLD.
WE CAN'T GO BACK TO SHORE AND BUY SOMETHING TO COME
AND REPAIR SOME KIT. SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE
TO BE A LOT MORE CAREFUL OF WHAT WE DO OUT HERE.
>> THE PLAN TODAY IS, BASICALLY WE'VE GOT TO TEST
A LOT OF STUFF. YOU KNOW, THE FIRST DAY IS
ALWAYS THE HARDEST ONE. THE GOAL OF THIS EXPEDITION IS
TO ACTUALLY HOOK A CAMERA ONTO THE DORSAL FIN OF A WHITE SHARK
AND BE ABLE TO RECORD SOME FOOTAGE OF ITS ACTIONS ONCE
YOU DO THAT. >> SO MANY VARIABLES.
SO MANY DANGERS. JUST AS YOU PUT THE CAMERA ON,
YOU KNOW, THE SHARK CAN WHACK THE BOAT AND DAMAGE THE CAMERA.
ONCE THE SHARK TAKES OFF, YOU GOT TO CHASE THE SHARK.
YOU GOT TO BE ON IT. YOU COULD LOSE THE CAMERA,
SO IT'S A LOT AT STAKE HERE. >> narrator: THE SHARK CAM
IS NONINVASIVE. GREAT WHITES, THOUGH DEADLY,
ARE A PROTECTED SPECIES. THE TEAM DROPS THE SPECIALLY
DESIGNED CAMERA DOWN TO 100 FEET.
>> AND WE'VE GOT ONE CAMERA, ONE SHARK CAM.
AND EVEN JUST TESTING IT TODAY, DROPPING IT DOWN ON THE LINE
TO SEE IF IT'S GOING TO LEAK, I MEAN, MY HEART'S ALREADY
PUMPING THEN BECAUSE I'M THINKING, "IF THE SHARK COMES
OVER AND GRABS IT, IT'S GONE." AND THEN THIS CAMERA
WILL BE LIKE THIS. SO THE SHARK--THE TAIL OF
THE SHARK WILL BE THERE. THE HEAD WILL BE BEHIND ME.
THE CAMERA WILL BE ON LIKE THAT.
THE MAIN THING IS JUST TO HOPE THAT YOU GET THE CAMERA
ON PROPERLY. HOPEFULLY, IT GETS AN EYE VIEW
OF THE WHITE SHARK IN ITS OWN WORLD.
>> narrator: THE TEAM WILL ALSO HAVE DIVERS IN CAGES RECORDING
THE SHARKS' BEHAVIOR AND ALERTING THE CREW WHEN
A GREAT WHITE IS APPROACHING. BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS
THE TEAM CAN'T SCHEDULE. >> IT'S A VERY NONINVASIVE WAY
TO HOOK A CAMERA TO AN ANIMAL. >> SHARK!
>> narrator: <i>MONSTER QUEST</i> IS SEARCHING NORTH AMERICAN
COASTAL WATERS FOR MONSTER GREAT WHITE SHARKS.
THESE DEADLY BEASTS MAY BE COMING CLOSER TO SHORE AND INTO
CONTACT WITH HUMANS MORE OFTEN THAN EVER BEFORE.
>> WE GOT ANOTHER--WE GOT ANOTHER SHARK, RIGHT.
WE'VE GOT ONE COMING IN RIGHT NOW.
>> narrator: IN THE SHARK- INFESTED WATERS OF ISLA DE
GUADALUPE, THE TEAM IS SEARCHING FOR GREAT WHITES.
THEY WANT TO TRACK THE BEASTS' MOVEMENTS AND SEE EXACTLY HOW
THEY ATTACK. >> WE'VE GOT A GOOD SHARK, YEAH.
IT'S COMING UP TO THE SURFACE. IT'S TAKING THE BAIT.
IT'S TAKEN TWO OR THREE BAITS ALREADY.
SO WE'RE GONNA GET RIGGED UP NOW AND TAKE THE SMALL BOAT OUT
AND TRY AND GET THE CAMERA ONTO IT, THE SHARK CAM ONTO IT.
I JUST WANT TO RIG UP NICE BIG FRESH BAITS BEFORE WE DO IT.
NO SECOND CHANCES HERE. THROW SOME BLOOD IN THEM.
THAT'S GOOD. >> narrator: THE TEAM IS TRYING
TO LURE ONE OF THE PREDATORS CLOSE ENOUGH TO ATTACH A CAMERA
TO ITS DORSAL FIN. >> narrator: THE BOAT
HAS JUST DROPPED ANCHOR, AND ALREADY THE BEASTS
ARE GATHERING. >> THERE'S THE SHARK
RIGHT THERE. IT'S COOKING.
THIS IS THE SHARK WE NEED. THAT'S A BIG SHARK.
IT'S THE BIGGEST ONE WE'VE SEEN TODAY.
I'D LIKE SMALLER ONES. THESE ANIMALS ARE A BIT BIG
TO DO LIVE CAPTURE WITH, TO GET THE CAMERA ON.
AH, THIS IS WHAT WE NEED, GUYS. THIS IS GOOD.
THE SHARK'S REALLY COOKING. IT'S COMING RIGHT ON
THE SURFACE. IT'S FULL OF CONFIDENCE.
IT'S COMING RIGHT TO THE BACK OF THE BOAT, SO IT WON'T BE
AFRAID OF THE SMALL BOAT AT ALL.
>> narrator: THE TEAM ESTIMATES THAT THE SHARKS ARE ALL
AT LEAST 16 FEET IN LENGTH. FERREIRA LAUNCHES A SMALLER BOAT
TO GET CLOSER TO THE MONSTERS. >> WE'RE GONNA TRY THE FIRST
DEPLOYMENT OF THE CAMERA. SO WE'VE GOT THE LITTLE BOAT
CONNECTED TO THE BIG BOAT. WE'VE GOT A BIG SHARK OUT
THERE, LIKE 4 1/2 METERS PLUS. WHAT THE PLAN IS, JUST,
THE SHARK COMING FOR THE BAIT. FERNANDO WILL GUIDE THE BAIT
PAST THE BOAT. HOPEFULLY, THE SHARK WILL
FOLLOW THE BAIT UP THE BOAT. AND THEN I'LL BE IN THE MIDDLE
BETWEEN THE SHARK AND FERNANDO, AND AS IT COMES CLOSE TO ME,
FOLLOWING THE BAIT, I CAN PUT THE CAMERA
ONTO THE SHARK. >> narrator: IT IS A MOVE
THAT WILL REQUIRE SPLIT-SECOND TIMING.
THE TEAM'S ATTACHED A GUIDELINE TO THE CAMERA TO RETRIEVE IT
IF THEY MISS THE MARK. >> HULL SIDE, BE ADVISED.
SHARK COMING IN ON THE STARBOARD SIDE.
MOVING IN FAST. GET READY.
>> OKAY, ONE'S COMING. >> THERE'S ANOTHER ONE
IN THE BACK. >> I REPEAT, THREE SHARKS
IN THE AREA, OVER. THERE'S A LOT OF SHARKS
IN THE AREA. THEY'RE NOT COMING UP
TO THE BAIT, THOUGH. THEY SEEM TO BE JUST
CIRCLING AROUND. >> narrator: DARKNESS
BEGINS TO FALL. >> THERE WERE TWO BIG SHARKS
AROUND THE BOAT. THEY SUDDENLY CAME UP
OUT OF NOWHERE. SO WE'RE GONNA GIVE IT A QUICK
BASH BEFORE IT GETS DARK, SEE IF WE CAN GET A CAMERA
ONTO ONE OF THESE SHARKS. OKAY.
THAT'S IT. THAT'S IT.
AW. MAYBE HE'LL TUR--
>> HE'S COMING. HE'S COMING.
>> YEAH. PULL IT.
PULL IT IN, WILL YOU? IT'S TOO CLO--
OH! AH, LOOK AT THE SIZE OF IT!
MAN. >> SON OF A GUN, IT'S COMING.
>> COME AGAIN. OKAY.
BEAUTIFUL! OKAY, THROW THE BAIT OUT AGAIN.
OKAY, OKAY. AH, COME HERE.
COME HERE. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
IT'S A FEMALE. AH, THAT'S WHAT I WANT.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT. OKAY, IT'S GETTING UNDER
THE BOAT AGAIN. AH.
HE CAME INTO US. DAMN IT.
OKAY, THAT WAS PERFECT. TOOK OUR BAIT AGAIN.
ALL RIGHT, I'M READY. I CAN'T SEE HER NOW.
>> IT WAS PASSING BY, BUT I DON'T SEE IT ANYMORE.
>> THE SHARK'S BELOW US. >> SO HE'S THERE.
OKAY, HE'S COMING AROUND. >> UH, ROGER THAT.
>> WHOA, WHOA, WHOA. ALL RIGHT.
I'M NOT GONNA GET THAT THERE. OH, [...].
THAT'S WHAT I NEED. I NEED THAT DORSAL FIN.
IT'S VERY DARK NOW, SO IT'S HARD TO SEE WHERE THE SHARK IS.
AND IT SURPRISED FERNANDO. IT JUST CAME UP AND GRABBED
THE BAIT, AND YOU CAN'T STOP IT ONCE A SHARK THAT SIZE GETS
THE BAIT. SO HE'S GONNA STICK ANOTHER
BAIT ON QUICKLY. OKAY, FERNANDO.
A SHARK THAT SIZE, ONCE HE GETS THE BAIT--THERE IT IS RIGHT
THERE--AND TURNS AROUND, YOU CAN'T STOP IT.
IT'S JUST TOO MUCH POWER. OKAY, IT'S COMING AROUND.
OKAY. AH, THERE HE IS.
RIGHT THERE, RIGHT THERE. OKAY.
OKAY, OKAY. THAT'S IT.
>> WHOO! >> IT'S A LITTLE BIT ASKEW.
>> YEAH! >> narrator: YEAH, IT'S LIKE
THE CLASSIC <i>JAWS </i>SCENARIO. >> narrator: SURFER ROYCE
FRALEY KNOWS JUST HOW PREVALENT GREAT WHITES ARE
IN PACIFIC WATERS. HE HAS WITNESSED MULTIPLE
ATTACKS IN HIS 43 YEARS. FRALEY HAS ALSO BEEN CHASED
BY GREAT WHITES TWICE BEFORE AND BEEN IN THE WATER WHEN
OTHER SURFERS HAVE BEEN BITTEN AND ATTACKED.
HIS LATEST ENCOUNTER OCCURRED IN THE WINTER OF 2006,
WHEN HE FELT A TERRIFYING AND FAMILIAR PRESENCE.
>> ALL OF A SUDDEN, I JUST FEEL ALL OF THIS
UPWARD SURGE. AND I JUST LOOK TO MY RIGHT
AND JUST SEE, LIKE, THE CLASSIC MOUTH, COMPLETELY OPEN.
FOR ONE SPLIT SECOND, I'M THINKING IT'S SOMETHING ELSE,
BUT THE NEXT SPLIT SECOND, AND YOU SEE THIS BIG OLD GRAY
THING WITH TEETH COMING AT YOU. >> narrator: HE TURNED TO SEE
A 15-FOOT GREAT WHITE CLOSING IN FOR THE KILL, AND THERE WAS
NO TIME TO REACT. >> AND THE NEXT SECOND,
I'M GOING DOWN. I JUST INSTINCTIVELY HUNG
ONTO MY BOARD. I JUST TOOK A BREATH OF AIR,
AS MUCH AS I COULD, AND WAS GOING DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN.
BEFORE I KNEW IT, I HAD JUST SHOT TO THE TOP LIKE A CORK,
YOU KNOW, HIT THE SURFACE OF THE WATER, STILL HOLDING
ONTO MY BOARD. >> narrator: GASPING FOR AIR,
HE MOTIONED TO ANOTHER SURFER NEARBY.
>> SO I JUST STARTED HIGHTAILING IT STRAIGHT TO HIM,
AND HE LOOKED AT ME AND JUST STARTED PADDLING AWAY.
AND I BASICALLY PADDLED ONTO HIS BACK.
>> narrator: HE MADE IT BACK TO THE BEACH,
AND AS WORD OF THE ATTACK SPREAD, OTHER SURFERS
SCRAMBLED OUT OF THE WATER. >> YEAH, IT'S LIKE THE CLASSIC<i>
JAWS </i>SCENARIO. WE WERE WAVING TO EVERYBODY,
YOU KNOW, "GET IN THE WATER. CLEAR IT OUT!"
>> narrator: ROYCE WAS LUCKY. >> THEN I PULLED MY WETSUIT
DOWN, AND SURPRISINGLY I JUST HAD THESE FOUR LITTLE MARKS
ON MY HIP. >> narrator: THE SHARK HAD LEFT
AN 18-INCH-WIDE IMPRINT OF JAGGED TEETH.
THE BOARD LITERALLY SAVED ROYCE'S SKIN.
>> IT WAS LIKE THIS SEMI COMING BY YOU AND JUST
KIND OF GRAZING YOU. SOMEHOW AVOIDED DISASTER.
>> narrator: ON THE EAST COAST, NEAR WHERE THE MOVIE <i>JAWS </i>WAS
SET, GREAT WHITE SHARKS ARE COMING CLOSER TO COASTLINES
AND BEACHES. RECENT SIGHTINGS NEAR THE PORT
TOWN OF CHATHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, HAVE LED TO BEACH CLOSINGS
AND WARNINGS TO STAY OUT OF THE WATER.
THE EXPEDITION TEAM IS PREPARING TO DO SOMETHING
NEVER BEFORE ACCOMPLISHED IN ATLANTIC WATERS,
THE TAGGING OF A GREAT WHITE, IN AN EFFORT TO SEE WHERE
THESE MONSTERS ARE GOING AND WHAT THIS NEW BEHAVIOR
MIGHT MEAN. >> YEAH, I'VE BEEN ON THE WATER
FOR 40 YEARS, AND I'VE PROBABLY SEEN MAYBE TWO OR THREE GREAT
WHITES IN ALL THOSE YEARS, AND HERE'S A PILE.
THERE'S THESE TWO RIGHT OFF THE BEACH.
>> narrator: MULTIPLE GREAT WHITES HAVE BEEN SPOTTED
CLOSE TO SHORE BY A FISHING BOAT AND CONFIRMED BY
AERIAL FLYOVERS. >> WE WERE ALL LOBSTERING
AND--CAPE COD BAY-- MY PILOT DID A FLYOVER
OF THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAPE AND SPOTTED TWO GREAT WHITES.
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE EVER HAD SEEN TWO GREAT WHITES
TOGETHER RIGHT ALONG THAT BEACH.
I FIGURED, "THIS IS IT," AND I CALLED GREG RIGHT AWAY,
SAID, "WE GOT TO GET INTO ACTION AND GET MOVING,
AND TOMORROW'S THE DAY. LET'S GO.
LET'S DO IT." >> narrator: TAGGING CAN BE
VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF HOW CLOSE THEY NEED TO BE
TO THE SHARKS. >> THE SHARKS ARE STAYING
BASICALLY ON THE BOTTOM, AND WE REALLY HAVE TO TAKE--
IT TAKES AWHILE BEFORE WE CAN GET THE BEST SHOT
ON THAT SHARK. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT BETWEEN
3 TO 5 FEET BELOW THE SURFACE IS PROBABLY THE MAXIMUM DEPTH
THAT WE'LL EVEN CONSIDER TAKING A SHOT ON A SHARK.
>> narrator: THE TEAM LAUNCHES OFF OF SANDWICH MARINA.
A SHARK IS QUICKLY SIGHTED, AND SHARK BIOLOGIST DR. GREG
SKOMAL LEADS THE MISSION. >> THE SPOTTER PLANE PUT US
ON THIS 12-FOOT SHARK. IT WAS SWIMMING ABOUT, UH,
YOU KNOW, MAYBE 100 YARDS OFF THE BEACH.
WE MOBILIZED VERY QUICKLY. AND THE MIX OF INGREDIENTS
THAT MADE <i>JAWS </i>SO POPULAR WERE STARTING TO HAPPEN RIGHT
HERE IN NEW ENGLAND AGAIN, BUT IN REAL LIFE.
THIS WASN'T A HOLLYWOOD PRODUCTION.
WE HAD A TOURIST TOWN. WE HAD A VERY POPULAR WEEKEND,
A HOLIDAY WEEKEND. WE HAD WHITE SHARKS,
AND WE HAD RESEARCHERS, AND WE HAD A HARPOONER.
[radio chatter] >> narrator: THE PILOT LEADS
THEM TO A 10-FOOT SHALLOWS ABOUT 150 FEET OFF
THE NORTHEAST SHORE OF MONOMOY ISLAND.
>> AH, THIS IS GREAT. IT'S EARLY IN THE DAY,
AND WE GOT A SHARK SIGHTING. LET'S GO TAG HIM.
WE GET THIS SHARK TAGGED, I'M GONNA HAVE THE DAY OF MY LIFE.
>> narrator: THE TEAM TAKES THEIR POSITION.
>> THE HARPOONER, BILL, GOES OUT ON THE END.
IN THIS CASE, I FOLLOWED HIM AND CAME OUT RIGHT BEHIND HIM.
SO WE'RE BOTH BALANCED-- BALANCING ON THE END
OF THIS PULPIT, AND IT'S LIKE WALKING
THE PLANK. >> GET READY TO BACK IT UP.
GET READY TO BACK IT UP WHEN I HIT HIM.
>> narrator: THEY SEE THE MONSTER BEFORE IT SEES THEM.
>> LEFT, LEFT, LEFT, LEFT. >> AND WE GOT OVER IT,
AND I'M GOING, "BILLY. COME ON, TAG IT.
TAG IT, TAG IT." PUT IT IN, PUT IT IN,
PUT IT IN. IT'S LIKE HIS ARM
WAS SPRING-LOADED, WAITING, WAITING, WAITING.
SO IT'S COMING UP, IT'S COMING UP,
AND THEN BOOM, HE RELEASES THE SPRING.
THAT HITS THE SHARK, THE SHARK MOVES AWAY FAIRLY
QUICKLY, BECAUSE WE SURPRISED THE HECK OUT OF IT,
AND THE PARTY WAS ON. WE HAD OUR FIRST TAG OUT ON
A WHITE SHARK IN, YOU KNOW... [laughs]
I'M THINKING, "WE JUST TAGGED THE FIRST WHITE SHARK
IN THE ATLANTIC." WHAT A PARTY.
YEAH, HE DOES. LOOK AT THAT.
I GET THIS GREED THING THAT KICKS IN, LIKE,
"ALL RIGHT, LET'S FIND ANOTHER. LET'S FIND ANOTHER."
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I SAID TO THE CREW,
"LET'S KEEP GOING. LET'S KEEP GOING."
YEAH! WHOO!
YEAH! YEAH! HUH, WOW.
I'M A LITTLE BIT OVEREXCITED HERE.
YEAH, YEAH. I MEAN, IT'S SUCH A BUILDUP
THAT IT DRAWS THE LIFE OUT OF YOU.
[laughs] IT JUST...WOW.
UM, AMAZING. >> narrator: <i>MONSTER QUEST</i>
IS SEARCHING THE COASTLINES OF AMERICA FOR MASSIVE GREAT
WHITE SHARKS. THESE BEASTS APPEAR TO BE
COMING CLOSER TO SHORE AND PREYING ON HUMANS IN
EVER-INCREASING NUMBERS. SOME EXPERTS WHO HAVE ANALYZED
WHERE AND WHEN GREAT WHITES ATTACK BELIEVE THEY MAY BE
STAKING OUT SPECIFIC TERRITORIES.
>> WE APPLY THE GEOGRAPHIC PROFILING MODEL,
WHICH WAS DEVELOPED TO ANALYZE SERIAL KILLER
AND SERIAL RAPE PATTERNS. AND WE WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY
ANALYZE SHARK PREDATION. WHEN WE LOOK AT CRIMINALS,
WE FIND SIMILAR PATTERNS. SO IN BOTH CASES, YOU HAVE
A STRONG INFLUENCE OF GEOGRAPHY.
YOU HAVE THE NEED TO FIND TARGETS OR VICTIMS OR PREY.
THERE IS A SIMILARITY IN HOW SERIAL OFFENDERS HUNT,
HOW ALL CRIMINALS HUNT, AND HOW ANIMALS PREDATE.
WELL, THE VERY FIRST THING WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD
ALL OF THE DATA ACCURATELY MAPPED OUT.
"WERE THESE PATTERNS OF ATTACKS RANDOM, CLUSTERED,
OR DISPERSED?" AND WE FOUND THEM TO BE
DEFINITELY CLUSTERED. EVEN THOUGH SHARKS ARE
CONSTANTLY IN MOTION, THERE ARE OPTIMAL AREAS FOR
THEM TO BE SEARCHING FROM. SO THEY KEEP RETURNING TO THESE
LOCATIONS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. >> AND I LOOKED DOWN,
AND I SAW WHAT AT FIRST I THOUGHT WAS A DOLPHIN.
AND I WAS LIKE, "NO, NO, NO. THEY'RE WAY TOO BIG."
>> narrator: THIS CALIFORNIA PHOTOGRAPHER IS ONE OF
THE LATEST WITNESSES TO DOCUMENT GREAT WHITES
STALKING EVER CLOSER TO SHORE. >> AND I LOOKED DOWN,
AND I SAW WHAT AT FIRST I THOUGHT WAS A DOLPHIN.
AND I WAS LIKE, "NO, NO, NO. THEY'RE WAY TOO BIG."
THEN I THOUGHT IT WAS A WHALE. IT'S LIKE, "WAIT A MINUTE.
IT'S NOT MOVING LIKE A WHALE." I GOT A CLOSER LOOK, AND THEN
IT WAS A WHITE SHARK. I MEAN, I KNEW.
I KNOW SHARKS. IT WAS A WHITE SHARK,
AND IT WAS A BIG ONE. SO I TOLD THE PILOT,
AND I WAS LIKE, "GO DOWN, GO DOWN.
WE HAVE TO GET THIS." A COUPLE OF TIMES, I WAS
SHOOTING THE SHARK, AND I PANNED UP TO SHOW HOW
CLOSE WE WERE TO THE MALIBU-- THE COASTLINE AT MALIBU.
THE SHARK WAS ACTUALLY, I WOULD GUESS, ABOUT 1/4
OF A MILE OFF THE BEACH. >> narrator: THE MONSTER WAS
BEARING DOWN A SPOT WHERE HUMANS WERE IN THE WATER.
>> PROBABLY A MILE NORTH OF SURFRIDER BEACH IN MALIBU,
WHICH IS SURFRIDER BEACH. IT'S ONE OF THE MOST WELL-KNOWN
SURF SPOTS IN THE WORLD. IT WAS SWIMMING KIND OF LAZILY,
BUT YOU COULD SEE IT WAS LOOKING FOR FOOD OR SOMETHING.
>> narrator: LATER ANALYSIS OF THE FOOTAGE ALLOWED EXPERTS
TO ESTIMATE THAT THE PREDATOR WAS OVER 15 FEET IN LENGTH.
>> AND IT WAS--IT WAS LIKE LOOKING AT A SCHOOL BUS
UNDERWATER. I HAVE NOT SEEN A WHITE SHARK
THAT BIG. I MEAN, I'VE SEEN A COUPLE
OF SMALL WHITE SHARKS AND A BUNCH OF OTHER SHARKS.
BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN A GREAT WHITE THAT BIG THIS CLOSE
IN THESE WATERS. >> narrator: THE FOLLOWING DAY,
THE BODY OF A HEADLESS SEAL WAS FOUND NEAR THE MALIBU PIER.
THE EXPEDITION TEAM IS ANCHORED 150 MILES OFF THE BAJA
CALIFORNIA COAST, WHERE GREAT WHITES ARE KNOWN TO CONGREGATE.
THE TEAM IS ATTEMPTING TO ATTACH A CAMERA
TO ONE OF THE BEASTS TO SEE HOW IT HUNTS.
>> OKAY, OKAY. THAT'S IT.
>> narrator: THEY HAVE SUCCEEDED IN ATTACHING
THE CAMERA TO THE FIN OF AN 18-FOOT PREDATOR.
>> KEEP THIS TIGHT AND KEEP THE SHARK AROUND US.
IF THE SHARK TAKES OFF AND IT SNAPS SOMETHING UP,
WE'RE SCREWED. I'VE GOT TO REALLY CONCENTRATE
ON THIS NOW. THERE IT IS.
THERE SHE IS. SHE'S CRUISING NICELY.
THE CAMERA WENT ON A BIT ASKEW, BUT IT'S STILL ON.
>> narrator: BUT THE SHARK FIGHTS TO FREE ITSELF
OF THE CAMERA. >> I DON'T KNOW WHEN I SHOULD
PULL THIS CAMERA OFF. OKAY, I'M GONNA TRY AND PULL
THE CAMERA OFF. >> IT CAME OFF.
WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT HAPPENED?
>> IT WASN'T ON STRAIGHT. >> WE GOT IT ON, AND IT WORKED
REALLY WELL. IT DID THE JOB EXACTLY WHAT,
YOU KNOW, WAS IN MY HEAD, WHAT I ENVISIONED.
THE ONLY THING IS, I THINK WE'VE GOT TO MOVE...
LET ME JUST THINK NOW. IT SEEMED TO BE PULLING ASKEW
FOR SOME REASON, SO THE CAMERA WAS--IT SORT OF LOOKED LIKE IT
WAS FACING OFF TO THE SIDE. PERHAPS WE'VE GOT TO ADJUST
THE CAMERA FORWARD OR BACKWARDS. I'M NOT SURE.
I MUST THINK ABOUT IT. BUT I'M EXCITED.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD TASTE. I THINK THAT'S IT.
LET'S NOT PUSH OUR LUCK TODAY, GO BACK, SEE WHAT WE GOT,
SEE HOW IT WORKED, AND WE DO IT TOMORROW AGAIN.
>> narrator: THE NEXT DAY, THE TEAM SPENDS HOURS WATCHING
AS THE SHARKS CIRCLE JUST OUT OF REACH.
>> IT'S LIKE THEY'RE CALCULATING.
THEY DEFINITELY WERE DOING SOME SORT OF A THINKING.
>> narrator: THE SHARKS SEEMED TO BE KEEPING TO THE SHADOWS.
>> DAMN. THESE THINGS ARE SMART.
>> narrator: BUT THERE ARE SIGNS OF GROWING AGGRESSION.
>> OH, LOOK AT THAT. RIGHT THERE.
PERFECT. >> narrator: THE PREDATORS
BUZZ THE CAGES, APPEARING OUT OF NOWHERE.
DALE PEARSON HEADS TOPSIDE. >> I WAS SURPRISED HOW
HARD THEY WERE TO SEE IN CLEAR WATER.
THAT WAS THE FIRST THING I NOTICED, THAT YOU DON'T
REALLY SEE THEM COMING, AND THEN WHEN YOU DO,
IT'S AMAZINGLY CAMOUFLAGED IN THE CLEAR WATER.
>> narrator: THE AGGRESSIVE NATURE OF THE SHARKS
HAS THE TEAM ON EDGE. DALE PEARSON DECIDES TO TAKE
A BACKUP TANK OF AIR INTO THE CAGE WITH HIM.
>> IT WAS A LITTLE MORE DANGEROUS THAN WHAT I EXPECTED
WITH THE HOOKAH LINES AND EVERYTHING COMING DOWN.
THERE WERE SO MANY SHARKS AROUND.
ONE COULD HAVE EASILY GRABBED AHOLD OF THE HOOKAH LINE
OR GOT TANGLED INTO IT AND RIPPED ME RIGHT OUT
OF THE CAGE. >> WHEN YOU SEE 'EM COMING
AROUND, AND YOU... YEAH, THE ANTICIPATION BUILDS
UP, AND YOU THINK SOMETHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN,
AND IT'S LIKE THIS EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER RIDE.
>> narrator: THE SHARKS GLIDE UNDER THE BOAT AND HIDE
IN THE SHADOWS WATCHING AND WAITING, AS IF HUNTING.
THE BEASTS ARE ENGINEERED BY NATURE TO BE THE PERFECT
STEALTH PREDATOR. >> THE THING WITH WHITE SHARKS,
IT'S A WAITING GAME. AND THEN THEY ARRIVE,
AND IT'S ALL ADRENALINE AND EXCITEMENT.
AND THEN THEY DISAPPEAR AGAIN. YOU JUST GO SIT AND WAIT.
IT CAN BE QUITE FRUSTRATING AT TIMES.
narrator: THE TEAM BAITS THE AREA, TRYING TO DRAW
THE BEASTS CLOSER. >> YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF
SHARKS IN THE AREA. THEY'RE NOT COMING UP
TO THE BAIT, THOUGH. THEY SEEM TO BE JUST
CIRCLING AROUND STALKING. >> SO WE GOT THE SMALL BOAT
OUT, YEAH, TO PUT THE CAMERA ON THE SHARK, 'CAUSE WE HAVE
TO USE THE SMALL BOAT FOR THAT. AND AS SOON AS WE GOT ALL SET
UP, THE SHARK TOOK OFF. >> FAR SIDE, BE ADVISED.
SHARK COMING IN ON THE STARBOARD SIDE,
MOVING IN FAST. GET READY.
>> OKAY, ONE'S COMING. >> narrator: PEARSON OBSERVES
THE SHARKS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY TERRITORIAL.
>> PORT SIDE, PORT SIDE. THERE'S ANOTHER ONE COMING IN.
IT'S A BIG ONE. ALL RIGHT, HERE HE COMES.
HERE HE COMES. >> OKAY, IT'S COMING
AROUND THE BACK OF US. >> PORT SIDE, PORT SIDE.
BIG ONE COMING INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE BOAT.
PORT SIDE. >> THIS COULD BE IT.
>> narrator: <i>MONSTER QUEST</i> IS ON THE HUNT FOR
GREAT WHITE SHARKS, SEARCHING FOR THE MAN-EATERS
WHICH MAY BE ATTACKING HUMANS MORE OFTEN.
OFF CAPE CODE, WHERE TERROR OF THE GREAT WHITE BEGAN
ALMOST A CENTURY AGO, THE MONSTER HAS RETURNED.
>> YEAH! WHOO!
YEAH! YEAH! WE SAW ANOTHER THREE OR FOUR
SHARKS THAT DAY THAT WERE NOT TAGGED, SO WE KNEW THERE WERE
AT LEAST 10 TO 12 DIFFERENT ANIMALS IN THE AREA.
OH, MY GOD. AGAIN, IT'S THE <i>JAWS </i>SCENARIO
KIND OF REPLAYING ITSELF: QUAINT NEW ENGLAND VILLAGE,
WHITE SHARK IN THE AREA. IT DREW ALL KINDS OF MEDIA
ATTENTION AND PUBLIC ATTENTION. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M KIND OF
HAPPY A THE TIME THAT IT OCCURRED, IN LATE SEPTEMBER,
BECAUSE I THINK IF IT HAD OCCURRED IN JULY,
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SCENARIO.
PERHAPS THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SOME PUBLIC OPINION THAT THE
ANIMAL NEEDED TO BE KILLED. >> narrator: SINCE THE HISTORIC
FIRST TAGGING DAYS BEFORE, MORE GREAT WHITES HAVE BEEN
TAGGED, AND SEVERAL WERE SIGHTED THAT GOT AWAY.
THE TAGGING DATA COULD PROVE THAT DEADLY SHARKS ARE COMING
CLOSER TO U.S. SHORES. WELL, ALONG WITH THIS INCREASE
IN WHITE SHARK SIGHTINGS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS,
WE ALSO CAN LOOK AT A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE SIZE
OF THE GRAY SEAL POPULATION IN THE SAME AREA.
THAT POPULATION WASN'T THERE 10, 15, 20 YEARS AGO.
NOW IT'S EXPANDED, IT'S GROWING,
IT'S SIZEABLE, AND IT'S IN THIS REGION
YEAR ROUND. I THINK THAT'S ATTRACTING THESE
WHITE SHARKS CLOSER TO SHORE AND CREATING, IF YOU WILL,
AN ATLANTIC HOTSPOT FOR WHITE SHARKS.
AND ONCE WHITE SHARKS FIND A PREDICTABLE FOOD RESOURCE,
LIKE A SEAL COLONY, IT'S GOING TO RECUR THERE YEAR AFTER YEAR.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT CERTAINLY WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME IF
MONOMOY ISLAND, CHATHAM, AND THAT PART OF CAPE COD
BECOMES A CONSISTENT FEEDING AREA FOR WHITE SHARKS.
>> narrator: THE DATA WILL GIVE SKOMAL A MUCH BETTER SENSE OF
WHY GREAT WHITES ARE COMING CLOSER TO SHORE.
>> THE FIRST TAGS ARE PROGRAMMED TO COME UP IN MID-JANUARY,
AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW EXCITED AND ANXIOUS I AM
TO SEE THOSE DATA, BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BE
THE REAL FIRST GLIMPSE AT WHAT THIS CRITTER DOES
IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. >> narrator: IN THE PACIFIC,
SUPPLIES ARE BEING DEPLETED, AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT.
THE TEAM IS LOSING LIGHT FAST. SOON THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO SEE
WELL ENOUGH TO GET THE CAMERA ON THE SHARK.
>> SO CLOSE BUT YET SO FAR. I MEAN, THE SHARKS
ARE RIGHT THERE. WE GOT A BIG ONE HERE NOW.
IT LOOKS LIKE A FEMALE, BUT SHE'S JUST HANGING BACK,
HANGING BACK, NOT COMING IN. >> HE'S STILL HERE.
HE'S JUST DOWN CIRCLING. >> OH, YEAH, YEAH.
OKAY. DAMN IT.
GET IN THERE. GET IN THERE.
COME ON. >> PORT SIDE, BE ADVISED.
SHARK COMING IN ON THE STARBOARD SIDE,
MOVING IN FAST. GET READY.
>> WHOA. MAN.
WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT. AWW.
SHARKS ARE COMING IN PRETTY CLOSE, BUT THEY'RE
NOT CONSISTENT. YOU KNOW, THEY COME IN,
THEY MAKE ONE OR TWO PASSES, AND THEY BUGGER OFF FOR
10, 15 MINUTES. AND THE PROBLEM IS, WE DON'T
HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO SIT HERE ALL DAY WAITING FOR THEM
TO MAKE UP THEIR MINDS. >> YOU GOT IT, BUDDY.
HERE HE COMES. >> AW, CLOSE.
OKAY, CAN WE GET THE BAIT OUT AGAIN?
COMING THE OTHER WAY. YEAH, IT'S OUR LAST CHANCE.
IT'S REALLY LATE IN THE AFTERNOON.
WE ARE REALLY STAYING LONGER THAN WE SHOULD.
>> narrator: THEN FINALLY... SUCCESS.
>> THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED. THEY ARE NOT HUNGRY AT ALL.
THEY'RE JUST PLAYING WITH THE BAIT.
>> PORT SIDE, PORT SIDE. BIG ONE COMING IN
TO THE BOTTOM OF THE BOAT. PORT SIDE.
>> AH, THERE YOU GO. THERE YOU GO.
>> I'M TAKING IT BACK. I'M TAKING IT BACK.
>> BRING IT BACK. BRING IT...
YEE-HAW! >> narrator: THE TEAM HAS
CAMERA-TAGGED A GREAT WHITE SHARK.
>> YEAH, IT WAS HIGH ON THE DORSAL, THAT'S FOR SURE,
BUT HE GOT IT. >> IT CAME OFF.
IT CAME OFF. >> narrator: <i>MONSTER QUEST</i>
HAS BEEN CHASING HUGE SHARKS THAT ARE COMING CLOSER
TO SHORE, ATTACKING HUMANS WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY
AND PRECISION. THIS EXPERT BELIEVES THESE
PREDATORS ESTABLISH PERSONAL KILLING GROUNDS.
THIS RESEARCHER HAS REALIZED A LIFELONG QUEST AND TAGGED
A GREAT WHITE SHARK. THIS MAN HAS SURVIVED WHAT
RESEARCHERS HAVE FOUND IS THE MOST COMMON TYPE
OF GREAT WHITE ATTACK: THE BITE AND RELEASE
EXPLORATORY ATTACK. AND THIS RESEARCHER IS FINDING
PATTERNS IN WHERE AND WHEN THESE MASSIVE PREDATORS STRIKE.
>> BRING IT. YEAH!
>> narrator: OFF THE BAJA CALIFORNIA COAST,
THE EXPEDITION TEAM HAS ATTACHED A CAMERA
TO A GREAT WHITE. >> IT CAME OFF.
IT CAME OFF. WHAT HAPPENED?
WHAT HAPPENED? >> narrator: THE SHARK CAM
REMAINS ATTACHED FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES.
>> I'M JUST, LIKE, SHAKING AND EVERYTHING.
WHEW. WE GOT IT ON THE SHARK,
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS REALLY STRAGGLING AROUND THE BOAT.
IT WAS SORT OF LEANING AWAY FROM ME, SO I COULDN'T GET
A GOOD SHOT, AND I THINK I GOT A BIT HIGH ON THE DORSAL,
AND THE SHARK TOO OFF QUITE QUICKLY, AND THE CAMERA
CAME OFF. BUT THAT'S IT, MAN.
WE JUST GOT TO KEEP TRYING. THE EXPEDITION WAS, FOR ME,
IT WAS SUCCESSFUL IN THAT WE FOUND SHARKS, AND JUST FINDING
GREAT WHITE SHARKS IS ALWAYS A BIG PART OF THE EQUATION.
AND WE FOUND THESE ANIMALS. THEY WERE VERY BIG.
THE AVERAGE SIZE, IT WAS CLOSE TO 4 1/2 METERS LONG.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MASSIVE BIG ANIMALS, BIG MATURE SHARKS.
SO IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL. WE HAD SUCCESS IN THAT WE GOT
THE CAMERA ON THE SHARK. IT'S A NEW SYSTEM I'M USING,
AND IT WORKED. I KNEW IT WOULD WORK.
I KNEW IT WOULD GET ONTO THE FIN AND THE SHARK
WOULD TAKE OFF. UNFORTUNATELY, THE ACTUAL
CAMERA HOUSING WAS TOO LARGE. I THINK IT WAS OVERBUILT.
>> BECAUSE OF THE HYDRODYNAMIC DRAG ON THE SYSTEM, IT DIDN'T
STAY ON AS LONG AS WE WOULD HAVE LIKED, SO WE KNOW THAT
THE ATTACHMENT POINT, THE NONINVASIVE ATTACHMENT
SYSTEMS, THAT'S GOOD. ALL WE NEED TO DO IS SCALE DOWN
THE SIZE OF THE HOUSING AND REDUCE THE DRAG,
AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO FIND SOME BEHAVIOR IN THESE THINGS
THAT'S NEVER BEEN SEEN. I WAS IN THE WATER FOR--
DIVING WITH THE WHITE SHARKS FOR SIX HOURS A DAY EVERY DAY
FOR THE DURATION OF THE TRIP, AND I SAW SOME BEHAVIORS
THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. >> narrator: NEW RESEARCH
SUGGESTS THAT GREAT WHITE SHARKS PREMEDITATE, CALCULATE,
AND REFINE THEIR KILLING SKILLS.
DALE PEARSON OBSERVED THESE BEHAVIORS CLOSE UP WHILE
IN THE SHARK CAGE. >> WATCH OUT, WATCH OUT.
>> YEAH, BUDDY! >> WOW!
>> IT FELT ALMOST LIKE THEY WERE STALKING US.
YOU COULD TELL THAT WHEN THEY CAME UP TO THE CAGES THAT THEY
COULD--THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WERE INSIDE OF SOMETHING WHERE
THEY COULDN'T GET TO US. BUT ANYTIME AN ARM OR A LEG
OR THEY SAW SOMETHING, MAYBE THEY COULD GET A SHOT
AT YOU, THEY WERE THERE. THEY'D COME OUT OF SOMEWHERE
WHERE YOU WEREN'T EXPECTING IT, SO IT WAS PRETTY SURPRISING.
AND IT WAS LIKE THEY WERE WAITING FOR YOU TO MAKE
A MISTAKE. >> narrator: THE SCIENCE TEAM
HAS FINISHED ITS ANALYSIS OF THE PACIFIC COAST ATTACK DATA.
THEY'VE DETERMINED THAT SINCE THE 1990s, SHARK ATTACKS HAVE
INCREASED TO ALMOST FIVE PER YEAR.
>> DURING THE 20TH CENTURY, FROM 1900 TO 1999, WE RECORDED
108 UNPROVOKED SHARK ATTACKS ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST
OF NORTH AMERICA. FROM THE YEAR 2000
TO THE PRESENT, 2009, WE HAVE ALREADY SUSTAINED 45
UNPROVOKED SHARK ATTACKS, OR NEARLY 50% OF THE ENTIRE
TOTAL FOR THE 20TH CENTURY. WITH THE INCREASED POPULATIONS
OF OCEAN USER GROUPS-- SURFERS, SWIMMERS,
KAYAKERS, AND DIVERS-- MORE THAN LIKELY THIS TREND
WILL CONTINUE TO RISE. >> narrator: THE TEAM HAS ALSO
IDENTIFIED THE MOST LIKELY LOCATION FOR SHARK ATTACKS.
>> THIS MAP SHOWS AN AREA IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
FROM SANTA CRUZ UP TO SAN FRANCISCO.
WE CAN SEE ALL OF THESE ATTACKS OCCURRING ALONG THIS HIGHWAY
THAT'S UTILIZED BY WHITE SHARKS IN THEIR MOVEMENTS
NORTH AND SOUTH ALONG THE CALIFORNIA COAST.
MORE THAN 60% OF THE CASES OCCURRED IN ONLY THREE MONTHS
OF THE YEAR: AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, AND OCTOBER.
>> narrator: THESE THREE MONTHS ARE THE TIME WHEN GREAT WHITES
ARE DRAWN TO SHORE... AND NEAR HUMANS.
>> WE NOTICED THAT THE ATTACKS BY WHITE SHARKS SEEM TO OCCUR
AT THE SAME LOCATIONS REPEATEDLY, AND MORE THAN 60%
OF THE ATTACKS BY WHITE SHARKS ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST
OF NORTH AMERICA OCCUR AT A RECURRING LOCATION.
IN THIS AREA, BIRD ROCK, WE HAVE TWO.
THIS AREA DOWN HERE, WE HAVE TWO.
UP HERE AT TOMALES POINT, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF SEVEN
ATTACKS THAT OCCURRED. THE BALANCE OF THE COASTLINE
IN THIS AREA, WE'VE HAD NONE, NO ACTIVITY AT ALL.
THIS DEMONSTRATES A PREFERRED LOCATION FOR THE SHARK,
AREAS WHERE WE HAVE RECURRING ATTACKS.
>> narrator: THAT MAKES THIS CALIFORNIA BEACH ONE OF
THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACES ON EARTH TO SWIM AND SURF.
THIS <i>MONSTER QUEST </i>EXPEDITION HAS CONFIRMED THAT GREAT WHITES
ARE COMING CLOSER THAN EVER TO U.S. SHORES, AND WITH THE
FIRST SUCCESSFUL ATLANTIC TAGGING, MORE WILL SOON BE
KNOWN ABOUT THIS MYSTERIOUS CREATURE'S MOVEMENTS.
>> THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON IN THE THOUGHT PROCESS
OF A SHARK. THEY DON'T JUST GO RANDOMLY
COME OUT AND NAIL YOU. THERE'S A TECHNIQUE THEY USE
TO THEIR FEEDING THAT'S NOT JUST SOME RANDOM ATTACK.
>> I LOOK AT THIS EXPERIENCE AS JUST THE BEGINNING,
OPENING A NEW CHAPTER TO WHITE SHARK RESEARCH, WHITE SHARK
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES, AND ACTUALLY SOLVING
THE PUZZLE OF THE WHITE SHARK IN THE ATLANTIC.
>> WHITE SHARKS ALONG THE CALIFORNIA COAST ARE DOING
THE SAME THING TODAY THEY DID 300,000 YEARS AGO.
THE ONLY THING THAT'S CHANGED, AS FAR AS THE WHITE SHARK
IS CONCERNED, IS HUMANS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED
INTO THE ENVIRONMENT. >> IF WE'RE ENTERING
AN ENVIRONMENT CONTAINING GREAT WHITES, WE HAVE TO BE
AWARE THAT THEY ARE THERE, AND WE HAVE TO KNOW THE SIGNS
AND MAKE VERY WISE DECISIONS. >> IN THE 30 YEARS THAT HAVE
PASSED SINCE THE MOVIE <i>JAWS,</i> 100 MILLION SHARKS ARE
SLAUGHTERED EVERY YEAR, 270,000 A DAY IN JUST
THE LAST TEN YEARS. AND I THINK A PLANET WITHOUT
GREAT WHITE SHARKS IS GOING TO BE A LOT MORE BORING,
A LOT LESS INTERESTING, A LOT LESS MYSTERIOUS.
>> I THINK WE CAN SIT WORKING WITH THIS ANIMAL FOR THE NEXT
100 YEARS AND THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE SOMETHING NEW
TO LEARN, AND EVERY TIME WE LEARN SOMETHING, IT'S GOING
TO OPEN UP MORE QUESTIONS.
