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Sharks - nature's perfect solution
to an underwater life.
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They've been swimming in the oceans
for over 400 million years...
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..and, as top predators,
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00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:20,160
play a vital role
in keeping our seas healthy
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and productive.
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But they're coming under
increasing pressure,
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millions are hunted and killed
every year.
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Never have sharks needed friends
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more than they do today.
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For three weeks, I've been
in the Bahamas for Blue Planet Live.
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Watching,
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monitoring,
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and diving with one of the richest
shark populations on the planet.
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I want to reveal why sharks
are thriving here
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and find out if there are lessons
to be learned
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from these crystal clear waters
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that could help secure their future
elsewhere around the world.
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Advertise your product or brand here
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Our blue planet is home to more than
a thousand species of shark...
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..and their cousins, the rays.
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They come in a myriad of shapes...
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..and sizes...
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..and are found across
all of our oceans...
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..from the tropics...
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..to the Arctic...
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..and into the deep abyss.
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There are a few places where
the number and diversity of sharks
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is unparalleled.
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The Bahamas is one of them,
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earning it the title of
shark diving capital of the world.
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700 islands are scattered
over 84,000 square miles of ocean.
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This location is unique -
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perched on the edge of deep water,
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where the seabed plunges
to a depth of 4,000 metres.
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The meeting of shallow water
and deep, open ocean
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leads to a profusion of life.
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In winter, the resident
Caribbean reef sharks
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and bull sharks
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are joined by visitors,
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bolstering the shark
and ray population to 78 species.
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In 2011, the Bahamas were declared
a shark sanctuary,
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making it illegal to fish for
or kill any species of shark.
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These protected waters offer me
a unique chance
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to get close to
these amazing top predators...
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..and to see first-hand
what it takes
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to have a healthy, thriving
population of sharks.
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Within seconds of coming down here,
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I'm greeted with
one of the most dazzling displays
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you'll ever see underwater.
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There's probably two or three
different sort of shark
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at this location,
but the dominant kind
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is going to be
the Caribbean reef shark.
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And I can already see at least 20
of them here in the water around us.
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I guess the first question that
people would ask would be,
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isn't it dangerous, isn't it risky
to be surrounded
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by this many apex predators?
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And I have to say,
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I feel just as comfortable
being in here,
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surrounded by all these
extraordinary animals,
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as I would do going for a walk
with a pack of poodles.
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These animals are so good
at sensing their environment,
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they know what's prey
in the water around them,
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and it's not us.
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They may well swim in close
but at the last second,
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they just bank away.
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They could not be less interested,
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and the statistics about sharks
prove that's true.
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Around the world, you're more likely
to be killed taking a selfie
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than you are to be killed
by a shark.
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In fact, statistically speaking,
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the chance of being killed by a cow,
a deer or even a vending machine
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is higher than the risk posed
by one of these.
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Sadly, this abundance of sharks
is not typical
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across all of our oceans.
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This is not a sight that you get to
see just anywhere.
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So, around the world,
we human beings are taking
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at least 100 million sharks
from the world's oceans
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every single year.
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In some places, sharks have
declined by over 90%.
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And in the time it'll take
for you to watch this programme,
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over 11,500 will be killed.
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It's a number that simply
cannot be sustained.
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If it carries on like this,
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then our children will not
have the opportunity
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to dive in seas like this,
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surrounded by these
stunning predators.
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The Bahamas isn't the only place
to offer protection to sharks.
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Today, a total of 17 sanctuaries
have been created around the world,
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covering over
7.5 million square miles.
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But this still amounts
to only 5% of our oceans.
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Sharks need more help,
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and if we don't give it to them,
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much of the life in our oceans
will suffer.
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As apex predators,
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they remove
any sick or injured animals,
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keeping fish stocks healthy.
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Animals below them in the food chain
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are kept in check.
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And removing sharks would unbalance
whole ecosystems.
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Over 3 billion people depend on
the ocean for their livelihoods.
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It's essential we protect sharks
for our sake
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as well as theirs.
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And a vital step towards this
is combatting the reputation of fear
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that many sharks still hold.
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I always had a passion
for the ocean.
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I fell in love with scuba diving.
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I fell in love with everything.
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It was a calling, I think.
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Cristina Zenato left her homeland
of Italy over 20 years ago,
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heading for the Bahamas.
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Ever since, she's become
an advocate for sharks.
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And two decades of diving
at one site,
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off the island of Grand Bahama,
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has convinced her that these animals
are a long way from being
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mindless killers.
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Cristina is known locally
as the Shark Dancer...
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..and this is her stage.
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I love that there is a busy silence.
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It is the most peaceful
and calming moment of my day.
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My babies are Caribbean reef sharks.
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I love watching their behaviours
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and their interactions.
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They appear to me as different
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as any other human being
that I encounter.
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Some of them are more dominant.
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Some of them are shy.
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And some seemingly seek out
a closer encounter with Cristina.
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The first time that shark
settled in my lap...
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..and every time,
she settles in my lap,
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and I feel her weight over my legs,
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that is the most amazing feeling...
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..and there's nothing, to this day,
that beats that.
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You can feel everything
about the shark.
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You can feel that it's a living,
breathing creature
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that is aware of her surroundings,
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that is aware
of what I am doing to her,
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that is aware of my touch.
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And the suit might actually have
a nice feeling to their skin.
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These sharks are 8ft long.
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I could never force an animal
of that size
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to do anything or to sit anywhere.
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It's their decision to come in,
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it's their decision to stay,
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it's their decision to go.
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There is a total disconnect
from humans to sharks.
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We can swim in the ocean with sharks
in a way that you could never
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walk around on the snow
with a polar bear following you.
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We have to make that connection
with the sharks,
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understanding they
are way, way less dangerous
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than many creatures out there.
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Cristina's unique relationship
with sharks
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allows her to do something
quite extraordinary.
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She can take out fishing hooks
that are caught in their mouths.
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Over the years,
she's removed more than 300 hooks.
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We must change our ways,
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because we need to protect
the oceans
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and we need to protect the sharks.
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And when you reach that message,
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then you have a victory.
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A greater understanding
of these misunderstood creatures
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can undoubtedly help sharks.
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And with such a diverse and healthy
population on its doorstep...
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..the Bahamas has long been at the
forefront of global shark research.
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The Bimini Biological Field Station,
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or Shark Lab,
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has been increasing our knowledge
of sharks and rays
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for the last 29 years.
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Heading this institute is
Matt Smukall,
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who's had a passion for
the marine world
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for as long as he can remember.
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MATT: My first memories were
snorkelling in the Florida Keys.
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Growing up, I always had an affinity
and a connection with, you know,
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spending pretty much every weekend
and all summer in the ocean.
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My favourite group of animals are
the sharks.
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That's what originally brought me
to the Shark Lab,
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that's what makes me enjoy
waking up every day
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and doing this job.
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The Bimini Shark Lab
started in 1990.
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Right now at the Shark Lab,
we're studying everything from
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southern stingrays to bull sharks,
tiger sharks,
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lemon sharks, hammerheads,
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but we take it from
a very ecosystem-driven model,
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where we want to understand
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everything that's going on
around Bimini
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and how that's impacting
these big sharks.
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One of the biggest and most
impressive species,
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and the focus for a number
of Shark Lab studies,
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can be found a stone's throw
from the heart of a busy marina.
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These are bull sharks...
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..drawn in by the scraps
discarded from fishing boats.
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They spend much of their lives
in murky estuaries...
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..so this clear water gives me
a unique opportunity
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to see them up close,
and Matt a chance to learn more
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about this little understood
species of shark.
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I'm here on the bottom
of the harbour
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and, as you can probably see,
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I'm absolutely surrounded
by bull sharks.
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This is an opportunist
that has a very wide array
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of different kinds of prey,
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so they'll feed on fish, on rays,
on birds at the surface,
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on dolphins, they'll even bite
through the shells of turtles.
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Now, all the sharks that I'm seeing
around me at the moment
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are females, I haven't seen
a single male.
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And they're quite big in the belly.
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Why the warm waters
of the Bahamas attract
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these large, slightly rotund females
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has long been a mystery.
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One Matt and his team from Shark Lab
are hoping to solve.
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But to do that, they first have
to catch one.
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To go ahead and catch, say,
a big female bull shark,
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what we'll do is drop a baited hook,
throw it right in,
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and they pretty quickly will
normally take the hook.
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All right. On, on, on.
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Hooking the bull shark
is the easy part.
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As soon as they start running around
with the balls and the rope,
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this is a bit of a dance between
the person bringing it in
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and the shark.
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We have to be very careful
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cos they are not expecting to be
caught and handled by humans.
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In order to help, number one,
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for human safety
but also for shark safety,
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we'll put a tail rope on.
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That helps to secure the shark
to the boat.
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Quick! Quick!
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INDISTINCT CHATTER
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With the shark safely harnessed
and calm,
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the team can take the measurements
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and assess the shark's condition.
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And one of the most crucial jobs
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is to find out
her reproductive state...
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..using a very familiar method.
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Ultrasound.
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I think there's something
right there.
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You can see it moving
slightly there.
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That looks like the pup.
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Over 50% of the females that
we catch are actually pregnant.
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They have paired uterus,
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so we check both sides.
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And we're going to try to count
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00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:08,480
the number of pups that we can see,
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00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:10,320
the size of pups in both sides,
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00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:13,800
to get a better understanding
of her offspring litter.
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After ten months, bull sharks
give birth to up to 13 pups.
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These fully-formed pint-size sharks
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are then left to fend
for themselves.
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Now that we've confirmed
she's pregnant,
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we're going to go ahead
and let her go on her way.
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Give her a push.
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All right, nice job.
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At the end of the procedure,
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it's great to be able
to give that shark a push.
252
00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:46,640
We're blessed here
with beautiful, clear water
253
00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:48,680
and we can always observe the shark,
254
00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:51,240
basically follow her to make sure
that she's swimming strong
255
00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:53,000
and that she's doing well.
256
00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:57,240
And it's not just
the visiting bull sharks
257
00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:59,080
who are carrying
the next generation.
258
00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:06,160
Many other species
found in the Bahamas
259
00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:07,760
are also pregnant.
260
00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:17,360
It's thought that the warm waters
and rich feeding grounds here
261
00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:21,200
help raise the shark's metabolism
and speed up gestation.
262
00:19:31,360 --> 00:19:33,600
MATT: We know a lot about sharks
but there's so much more
263
00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:35,560
that we still need to understand.
264
00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:39,080
We still don't even know some of
the basic reproductive biology,
265
00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:40,800
some of their life history things,
266
00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:43,320
and these are all very important
for conservation.
267
00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:45,800
This is what's really
going to help us manage
268
00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:47,400
the next generation of sharks.
269
00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:52,520
And it's managing
this next generation
270
00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:55,560
and the habitats that are
essential to their survival
271
00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:59,360
that's vital to maintaining
a healthy population of sharks.
272
00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:19,440
This tangled mass of roots
is the mangroves.
273
00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:21,920
It's an environment that
changes constantly
274
00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:23,920
with the tides throughout the day.
275
00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:28,240
And provides the perfect spot
for baby marine animals
276
00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:29,640
to hide out in.
277
00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:34,960
I'm joining Clemency White
from Bimini Shark Lab
278
00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:38,160
to see how these mangroves
are key to the success of sharks
279
00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:39,480
in the Bahamas.
280
00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:44,840
Whoa! Look at that!
281
00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:47,920
Yep, they're all waiting for us.
282
00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:49,320
Baby sharks!
283
00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:53,040
That's absolutely incredible.
284
00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:00,400
These are lemon sharks.
285
00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:03,560
And they've been studied by Clemency
and her fellow researchers
286
00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:05,000
for over 30 years.
287
00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:09,360
It looks like they want to be fed.
288
00:21:09,360 --> 00:21:11,480
Yeah, we actually have
a little bit of squid
289
00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:13,080
if you want to give it a go.
290
00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:15,160
I...I would genuinely love to.
291
00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:20,680
So, Clemency, how old are the sharks
we're looking at here?
292
00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:23,120
Most of these sharks are
in their first few years of life.
293
00:21:23,120 --> 00:21:25,480
So the majority of them will be
maybe two or three years old.
294
00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:27,120
And some of those larger sharks
you can see
295
00:21:27,120 --> 00:21:28,760
are maybe four or five.
296
00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:30,000
So this is a refuge.
297
00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:32,200
This is an area that's pretty much
only accessible
298
00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:33,800
to these guys at high tide.
299
00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:36,160
So that small, narrow walkway
that we walked in,
300
00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:37,720
bigger sharks can't use that.
301
00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:39,760
What sort of things
are they taking shelter from?
302
00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:42,200
The biggest predator of juvenile
lemon sharks is actually
303
00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:44,200
lemon sharks themselves,
adult lemon sharks.
304
00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,880
So they're cannibalistic?
Yes, they are cannibalistic.
305
00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:50,080
And also other large sharks,
so maybe bull sharks,
306
00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:52,720
other species like that.
307
00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:55,320
So this genuinely is a nursery,
308
00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:58,400
it's a place where the youngsters
are safe from other...
309
00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:01,080
Oh! That went right between my legs.
310
00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:04,480
Yeah. I should be wearing a
cricket box or something. Um...
311
00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:05,720
Are you OK?
312
00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:07,600
THEY LAUGH
No!
313
00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:09,600
Seriously, they're all making
a beeline
314
00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:12,360
straight between my legs.
315
00:22:12,360 --> 00:22:13,880
This would be a disaster if
316
00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:15,880
all the things I've done in my life
317
00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:18,360
and I was to get savaged
in the goolies by a baby shark.
318
00:22:18,360 --> 00:22:20,120
Well, they must like you.
319
00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:23,560
That one there's a decent size.
320
00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:26,840
Yeah, so they'll be pretty loyal to
the mangrove that they were born in
321
00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:29,480
until they're about 13 years old,
when they sexually mature.
322
00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:31,880
Then they'll also come back to give
birth here as adults.
323
00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:33,400
So they really rely on
those mangroves
324
00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:34,920
for their entire life cycle.
325
00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:37,640
What are the main threats
to mangroves in the Bahamas?
326
00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:39,880
So, a lot of places, even in Bimini,
327
00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:43,120
we see the mangroves are being
removed to facilitate bigger hotels,
328
00:22:43,120 --> 00:22:45,560
bigger resorts,
and that in itself means
329
00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:47,720
that these pups will still be born
in the same place,
330
00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:49,520
they'll still be using
the same areas,
331
00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:52,280
but they won't have that
same security from the larger fish.
332
00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:56,080
So, lose the mangroves and
you lose the lemon sharks? Yep.
333
00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:03,000
It may not look like any other
nursery you've seen before,
334
00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:05,840
but you can see how vital
this environment is
335
00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:09,920
to these rather wonderful and
surprisingly cute animals. Mm-hm.
336
00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:22,120
All over the world,
baby sharks and rays seek refuge
337
00:23:22,120 --> 00:23:24,720
in mangroves, seagrass
and estuaries.
338
00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:33,120
Throughout their lives,
339
00:23:33,120 --> 00:23:36,040
sharks need a whole variety
of ocean habitats...
340
00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:40,520
..and protecting these is essential
341
00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:42,960
if shark numbers are to bounce back.
342
00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:58,760
Most sharks take many years
to reach sexual maturity.
343
00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:04,720
Female great white sharks
need a whopping 33 years
344
00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:06,560
before they can breed.
345
00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:12,520
This, combined with their tendency
to produce just a few offspring,
346
00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:16,760
means that shark populations are
extremely vulnerable to overfishing.
347
00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:44,760
Right now, sharks are being killed
at a staggering rate.
348
00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:56,960
They're deliberately caught
for food.
349
00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:02,240
And accidentally caught in nets
or long lines
350
00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:04,000
set for other species.
351
00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:14,040
They're also harvested
in their millions for their fins,
352
00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:17,800
to make shark fin soup -
353
00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:23,560
a delicacy that's seen shark fins
sell for $650 a kilo...
354
00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:32,720
..fuelling a cruel, wasteful trade,
355
00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:36,360
which sees the rest of the shark
being thrown back into the sea...
356
00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:39,640
..often still alive.
357
00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:47,320
A third of all shark species are now
threated with extinction.
358
00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:53,040
And this is being driven
by human activities.
359
00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:10,520
But all is not yet lost.
360
00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:13,280
There is hope.
361
00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:15,760
And it comes from the fact
that these sharks
362
00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:19,240
can be worth more alive than dead.
363
00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:37,520
I'm heading 12 miles north
of Grand Bahama
364
00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:39,760
to a site of global importance.
365
00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:54,800
This could well be the best
shark dive in the whole world.
366
00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:00,640
And what happens here is key
to securing the future of sharks
367
00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:02,360
right across the world.
368
00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:09,200
Whoa! Great hammerhead! Amazing.
369
00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:14,080
Look at that. Powering straight in.
370
00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:15,920
That is just extraordinary.
371
00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:21,360
Drawn to
the warm, productive waters,
372
00:27:21,360 --> 00:27:25,120
this is also the best place
in the world to see tiger sharks.
373
00:27:28,880 --> 00:27:32,800
A tiger shark is unmistakable
in form.
374
00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:35,800
It has the dappling running down
its sides,
375
00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:39,240
which gives it its tiger name.
376
00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:43,560
They'll feed on just about anything
they can find in the water.
377
00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:49,640
And with those teeth, they can even
go through the shell of a turtle.
378
00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:54,480
This is absolutely dazzling.
379
00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:57,240
I don't know which way to look!
380
00:27:57,240 --> 00:27:59,200
Tiger sharks, great hammerheads,
381
00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:01,920
lemons, bull sharks, reef sharks.
382
00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:06,680
It's the world's greatest safari,
383
00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:09,080
it just all happens underwater.
384
00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:13,320
Here and throughout the Bahamas,
385
00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:16,040
sharks are drawn in with food
386
00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:18,440
so tourists can reliably
get close to them.
387
00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:27,240
Feeding of sharks
is a hotly debated topic.
388
00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:31,320
there's people who think
that it's a bad idea
389
00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:34,520
and might, potentially,
change the behaviour of sharks,
390
00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:37,040
and I can totally see that,
391
00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:40,800
but there's no doubt that
shark tourism here in the Bahamas
392
00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:43,240
is incredibly important.
393
00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:49,160
Each year, 20,000 people come to
the Bahamas to dive with sharks...
394
00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:54,000
..making it the largest shark diving
industry in the world.
395
00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:58,280
Shark diving here in the Bahamas
396
00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:05,800
is worth an estimated $114 million
every year to the local economy.
397
00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:11,920
Unquestionably, the sharks are worth
more alive than they are dead.
398
00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:15,360
And that's hugely important
399
00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:17,800
for the survival
of these extraordinary animals.
400
00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:30,360
INDISTINCT CHATTER
401
00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:40,280
All across the world,
402
00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:44,800
shark tourism is fast becoming
a thriving industry -
403
00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:47,360
not just for dive operators,
404
00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:50,320
but boat drivers, hotels,
restaurants,
405
00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:53,720
and bringing much-needed income
to shark hot spots
406
00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:55,560
from all over the world.
407
00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:00,240
I came from Philadelphia today
408
00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:01,760
to swim with the sharks.
409
00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:03,760
It was just invigorating.
410
00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:05,520
It's a whole 'nother world
down there.
411
00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:13,400
I'm from Argentina.
412
00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:16,280
It was a long trip but it's amazing.
413
00:30:18,760 --> 00:30:22,280
It's estimated that well over
half a million people
414
00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:25,040
come to watch sharks every year.
415
00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:27,520
Not only are sharks gaining
more advocates,
416
00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:31,120
but they now hold
an indisputable monetary value.
417
00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:38,000
And this will certainly help
to secure their future.
418
00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:48,160
Shark conservation is something
that will require human effort
419
00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:50,000
for many years to come.
420
00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:51,960
And right here in the Bahamas,
421
00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:54,720
there's a very special project
that's training up
422
00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:57,320
the next generation
of shark champions.
423
00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:06,440
Marine biologist Jillian Morris
has set up Sharks4Kids.
424
00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:13,400
A charity to show children
across the Bahamas
425
00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:15,920
that sharks are something
to celebrate,
426
00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:17,200
not to fear.
427
00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:24,240
I really believe that the best way
to change the way people see sharks
428
00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:26,360
is to let them get in the water.
429
00:31:30,840 --> 00:31:32,520
We take kids out to see sharks
430
00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:34,560
and a lot of them are very afraid.
431
00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:36,320
They don't want to get off the boat,
432
00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:38,400
they don't want to step off
the beach,
433
00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:40,440
and we get them to put a mask
and a snorkel on,
434
00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:42,320
and we kind of ease them in.
435
00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:44,160
And then they're snorkelling around
436
00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:46,600
and they're seeing the sharks
and the rays up close
437
00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:49,120
and realising they're not
trying to attack them,
438
00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:51,560
that they're actually
really beautiful animals.
439
00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:06,360
It's really incredible to see
students go from being terrified
440
00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:07,960
and not wanting to get in the water,
441
00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:10,080
to we're having to drag them out -
442
00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:12,080
"We've got to go.
It's time to go home."
443
00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:15,440
And to see that transition happen
right in front of you,
444
00:32:15,440 --> 00:32:18,000
very quickly, is really,
really powerful.
445
00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:22,640
The Bahamas is a shark sanctuary,
446
00:32:22,640 --> 00:32:25,960
which is incredible and has set
a standard around the world
447
00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:29,080
for shark conservation,
shark diving, shark science,
448
00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:33,640
and so it's vital to have
the locals involved at all levels,
449
00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:35,040
from kids to adults,
450
00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:37,680
to protect the future
of this sanctuary
451
00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:39,480
and the sharks here in the Bahamas.
452
00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:52,720
While places like the Bahamas
offer protection
453
00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:54,160
when the sharks are here...
454
00:32:55,960 --> 00:32:58,960
..once beyond the invisible boundary
of the sanctuary,
455
00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:01,200
sharks are immediately vulnerable.
456
00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:08,680
Knowing where they go in
this vast, featureless landscape
457
00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:11,680
is essential if we're to offer
them protection.
458
00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:17,640
A few miles off the coast of Andros,
459
00:33:17,640 --> 00:33:19,880
the endless blue is interrupted...
460
00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:24,360
..by a naval buoy.
461
00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:34,800
This lone beacon is a big draw
for passing travellers...
462
00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:40,760
..providing shelter
for schools of fish...
463
00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:44,880
..which attract the hunters.
464
00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:49,480
Top of the food chain out here
are these -
465
00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:51,080
silky sharks.
466
00:33:53,840 --> 00:33:56,680
They get their name from
the silky sheen of their skin.
467
00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:04,400
So little is known
about the migrations
468
00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:06,440
of these open ocean drifters.
469
00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:12,880
When shark biologist
Tristan Guttridge
470
00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:15,840
heard rumours of this location,
471
00:34:15,840 --> 00:34:19,800
it was an opportunity for him
to try and uncover these secrets,
472
00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:23,080
which might just help protect
these threatened sharks.
473
00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:30,800
There's nothing that gives me
more energy
474
00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:33,160
than being in the water with sharks.
475
00:34:38,040 --> 00:34:41,720
These silky sharks, they're a
completely different type of animal.
476
00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:46,680
There's just something about them
that, you know,
477
00:34:46,680 --> 00:34:48,880
brings them closer
and draws them in to you.
478
00:34:52,280 --> 00:34:55,560
They have this curious,
bold personality
479
00:34:55,560 --> 00:34:57,800
and it is a bit intoxicating.
480
00:34:57,800 --> 00:34:59,040
And I love it.
481
00:35:00,680 --> 00:35:04,520
But this inquisitiveness
is this shark's Achilles heel.
482
00:35:05,920 --> 00:35:08,560
Silkies are in trouble globally.
483
00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:12,640
And, in fact, silky sharks are the
second-highest caught shark species
484
00:35:12,640 --> 00:35:13,840
in the world.
485
00:35:16,120 --> 00:35:19,360
Industrial fishing often
uses floating objects,
486
00:35:19,360 --> 00:35:21,280
working just like the naval buoy,
487
00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:23,520
to attract an aggregate fish
like tuna
488
00:35:23,520 --> 00:35:24,840
in the open ocean.
489
00:35:28,240 --> 00:35:30,160
But they don't just attract tuna.
490
00:35:32,560 --> 00:35:35,480
Every year, hundreds of thousands
of silky sharks
491
00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:37,040
get accidentally caught.
492
00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:42,920
I see the evidence of the pressures
that these animals are under
493
00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:44,480
from the hooks in the mouths
494
00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:46,800
and the leader wire
that's coming out of it,
495
00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:49,840
you can see these sharks
are...they're in trouble.
496
00:35:49,840 --> 00:35:52,800
They've got a lot to deal with
out in the open ocean.
497
00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:56,920
Tristan wants to catch a shark
498
00:35:56,920 --> 00:35:59,200
in order to attach a tracker,
499
00:35:59,200 --> 00:36:01,440
which will reveal,
for the first time,
500
00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:03,040
where these curious sharks go.
501
00:36:07,120 --> 00:36:10,560
One method that we can use
to catch silkies is
502
00:36:10,560 --> 00:36:13,840
that you can actually bend the top
of the tail over
503
00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:18,280
and it sends them into this kind of
bizarre trance-like state.
504
00:36:18,280 --> 00:36:21,320
And if you turn them upside down
at the same time,
505
00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:24,560
then they're almost playing dead,
they're just out.
506
00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:26,600
It's not fully understood why,
507
00:36:26,600 --> 00:36:30,080
but many shark species enter
this trance-like state
508
00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:33,360
called tonic immobility
when upside down,
509
00:36:33,360 --> 00:36:36,600
enabling the team to tether
the shark next to the boat.
510
00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:38,360
INDISTINCT SPEECH
511
00:36:42,720 --> 00:36:45,280
A satellite tag
is fixed to its dorsal fin.
512
00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:51,200
Every five minutes, this tag will
record important information,
513
00:36:51,200 --> 00:36:55,120
including depth, light level
and water temperature.
514
00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:01,760
After 30 days,
it'll pop to the surface
515
00:37:01,760 --> 00:37:04,640
and start sending a stream of data
to Tristan.
516
00:37:07,240 --> 00:37:09,800
TRISTAN: There's nothing more
exciting than the few days
517
00:37:09,800 --> 00:37:11,520
when we know a tag is going to pop
518
00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:13,040
as to where it's going to pop.
519
00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:18,760
It's very important that we learn
more about their migration patterns,
520
00:37:18,760 --> 00:37:20,280
their population structure,
521
00:37:20,280 --> 00:37:23,440
in order to try and put management
measures in place
522
00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:25,120
to improve their conservation.
523
00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:31,000
They deserve to be on this planet.
524
00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:34,240
Like us and like anything,
they deserve to be here
525
00:37:34,240 --> 00:37:38,280
and we, as humans,
should be responsible.
526
00:37:38,280 --> 00:37:41,920
So it is critical that we learn
more about these animals
527
00:37:41,920 --> 00:37:43,760
and it's critical
that we protect them.
528
00:37:47,480 --> 00:37:51,280
Tristan's tags have shown that these
sharks not only traverse oceans...
529
00:37:53,560 --> 00:37:56,800
..but dive down to feed at depths
of over 400 metres.
530
00:37:59,240 --> 00:38:01,600
Showing that if we want
to protect sharks,
531
00:38:01,600 --> 00:38:04,480
we need to look after
every part of our oceans.
532
00:38:13,560 --> 00:38:15,640
Satellite tags
are now being deployed
533
00:38:15,640 --> 00:38:18,320
on many different species of sharks
534
00:38:18,320 --> 00:38:20,880
and they're revealing
some incredible journeys.
535
00:38:24,920 --> 00:38:27,160
The greatest distance ever recorded
536
00:38:27,160 --> 00:38:30,520
was by a great white shark
named Nicole,
537
00:38:30,520 --> 00:38:33,920
who swam from South Africa
to Australia
538
00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:35,600
and back again -
539
00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:39,520
a staggering 12,000 miles
in just nine months.
540
00:38:49,200 --> 00:38:53,480
While understanding where
these top predators go is important,
541
00:38:53,480 --> 00:38:56,280
another vital piece
of this conservation puzzle
542
00:38:56,280 --> 00:38:58,520
is understanding why they go.
543
00:39:08,240 --> 00:39:11,360
Just off the coast of Bimini
in the Bahamas,
544
00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:14,360
there's a dive site that,
for a few months each year,
545
00:39:14,360 --> 00:39:16,600
provides a close encounter
546
00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:20,640
with one of our most iconic
and well-known migratory sharks.
547
00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:27,400
This is the only place
in the whole world
548
00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:31,480
where you can reliably see
great hammerhead sharks.
549
00:39:33,840 --> 00:39:35,720
So we have dozens of sharks
around us.
550
00:39:35,720 --> 00:39:38,760
Most are like this one here.
551
00:39:38,760 --> 00:39:40,040
It's a nurse shark.
552
00:39:42,400 --> 00:39:45,200
And the reason they have this name
is that when they're feeding,
553
00:39:45,200 --> 00:39:47,400
they make a sucking noise,
554
00:39:47,400 --> 00:39:50,560
kind of like a baby
when it's nursing,
555
00:39:50,560 --> 00:39:53,000
when it's feeding.
556
00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:55,640
You can see that they're quite
content lying on the bottom.
557
00:39:55,640 --> 00:40:00,080
They can pump water
through their gills
558
00:40:00,080 --> 00:40:03,320
and they don't have to swim
constantly in order to breathe,
559
00:40:03,320 --> 00:40:05,000
like many other sharks do.
560
00:40:07,200 --> 00:40:10,720
But this creature that's heading
towards us now,
561
00:40:10,720 --> 00:40:13,160
that really is the main event.
562
00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:15,840
It's a great hammerhead.
563
00:40:17,560 --> 00:40:22,560
There are at least three of them
around us right now.
564
00:40:22,560 --> 00:40:26,720
And while the nurse sharks
are quite dopey
565
00:40:26,720 --> 00:40:29,080
and just hanging out on the bottom,
566
00:40:29,080 --> 00:40:31,840
this is a far more targeted
predator.
567
00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:36,640
There is nothing else quite like
a great hammerhead shark.
568
00:40:36,640 --> 00:40:38,920
The shape of the head,
569
00:40:38,920 --> 00:40:41,080
the giant dorsal fin.
570
00:40:41,080 --> 00:40:43,520
It's so unusual-looking
571
00:40:43,520 --> 00:40:46,960
and, yet, so perfectly adapted
to its job.
572
00:40:48,640 --> 00:40:50,920
Shaking the hammerhead
from side to side
573
00:40:50,920 --> 00:40:52,560
as it moves along the bottom,
574
00:40:52,560 --> 00:40:55,720
sensing the potential
moving muscles of its prey.
575
00:41:02,880 --> 00:41:05,720
Perhaps the most incredible thing
about this
576
00:41:05,720 --> 00:41:09,320
is that great hammerheads are
an endangered species.
577
00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:13,800
There are very, very few of these
almighty sharks left
578
00:41:13,800 --> 00:41:15,320
in the whole world.
579
00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:20,080
And right now,
I think we have seven.
580
00:41:22,320 --> 00:41:24,640
I don't quite know what to say.
581
00:41:24,640 --> 00:41:26,400
I'm completely blown away.
582
00:41:33,520 --> 00:41:36,560
These great hammerheads
are seasonal visitors,
583
00:41:36,560 --> 00:41:38,240
spending the winter months here,
584
00:41:38,240 --> 00:41:39,840
between December and April.
585
00:41:43,560 --> 00:41:46,000
Many return year after year.
586
00:41:49,960 --> 00:41:53,000
The scientists have at least
30 individuals
587
00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:55,240
that they know by name...
588
00:41:56,480 --> 00:41:59,600
..and not just by name,
but by personality
589
00:41:59,600 --> 00:42:01,320
and character and behaviour.
590
00:42:02,920 --> 00:42:05,960
And even in the short time
since I've been here,
591
00:42:05,960 --> 00:42:09,880
I've been starting to get to know
the individual personalities here.
592
00:42:11,440 --> 00:42:14,120
You might not think of a shark
as having a personality,
593
00:42:14,120 --> 00:42:15,800
but they very much do.
594
00:42:15,800 --> 00:42:19,640
Some of them are quite bold
and dramatic,
595
00:42:19,640 --> 00:42:22,640
and others are real gentle giants.
596
00:42:25,720 --> 00:42:30,000
This almighty great hammerhead here
is called Gaia.
597
00:42:30,000 --> 00:42:32,440
She's a female.
598
00:42:32,440 --> 00:42:34,240
And the largest that they see here.
599
00:42:37,080 --> 00:42:39,120
What an absolute beauty!
600
00:42:44,440 --> 00:42:46,880
I will never, ever get tired
of this.
601
00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:51,520
Holy Moley!
602
00:42:51,520 --> 00:42:53,720
HE LAUGHS EXCITEDLY
603
00:42:56,560 --> 00:42:58,520
For five months of the year,
604
00:42:58,520 --> 00:43:00,880
these hammerheads are seen
virtually every day.
605
00:43:02,800 --> 00:43:05,520
But in April,
they suddenly disappear.
606
00:43:16,880 --> 00:43:20,200
One female was tagged here
at Bimini.
607
00:43:20,200 --> 00:43:23,000
She then headed north
to the coast of the Carolinas,
608
00:43:23,000 --> 00:43:25,000
before turning south again,
609
00:43:25,000 --> 00:43:28,200
ending up off the coast of Florida.
610
00:43:28,200 --> 00:43:32,320
A journey of over 3,000 miles
in less than two months.
611
00:43:40,080 --> 00:43:43,440
But what's causing these ocean
wanderers to travel so far
612
00:43:43,440 --> 00:43:45,080
and so fast?
613
00:43:52,040 --> 00:43:54,280
I'm taking to the air to find out.
614
00:44:02,680 --> 00:44:05,280
This is Palm Beach, Florida.
615
00:44:05,280 --> 00:44:07,720
It's a playground for the rich
and the famous.
616
00:44:07,720 --> 00:44:10,720
But little do they know that
just off the coast
617
00:44:10,720 --> 00:44:13,960
is one of the greatest gatherings
of large predators on the planet.
618
00:44:23,320 --> 00:44:25,280
These are blacktip sharks.
619
00:44:31,720 --> 00:44:33,640
Massing in their thousands
620
00:44:33,640 --> 00:44:37,120
before migrating north
to their summer feeding grounds
621
00:44:37,120 --> 00:44:38,960
off the coast of North Carolina.
622
00:44:41,040 --> 00:44:45,440
It's these sharks that attract
a host of larger predatory sharks,
623
00:44:45,440 --> 00:44:47,520
including the great hammerheads,
624
00:44:47,520 --> 00:44:51,360
which travel from the Bahamas
to feast on this bounty of food.
625
00:44:54,800 --> 00:44:56,840
I've joined Stephen Kajiura,
626
00:44:56,840 --> 00:44:59,440
a professor at
Florida Atlantic University.
627
00:45:01,520 --> 00:45:05,360
Each year, he takes to the air
to monitor the number of sharks.
628
00:45:08,440 --> 00:45:14,320
Just a slick of sharks going on
all the way parallel to the coast.
629
00:45:14,320 --> 00:45:16,160
That is absolutely fantastic.
630
00:45:17,400 --> 00:45:20,640
They stand out so well against
the sandy bottom, don't they?
631
00:45:20,640 --> 00:45:22,640
That's one of the reasons
we're so successful
632
00:45:22,640 --> 00:45:24,320
with the aerial surveys here.
633
00:45:24,320 --> 00:45:26,360
We have clear water,
a light, sandy bottom,
634
00:45:26,360 --> 00:45:27,760
we're able to see everything.
635
00:45:27,760 --> 00:45:30,200
And they're in nice and shallow.
They're nice and shallow.
636
00:45:30,200 --> 00:45:32,280
They really make it easy for you,
don't they?
637
00:45:33,400 --> 00:45:35,560
But all's not what it seems.
638
00:45:35,560 --> 00:45:37,720
Stephen's long-term study has shown
639
00:45:37,720 --> 00:45:40,640
that this spectacular migration
is changing.
640
00:45:42,360 --> 00:45:45,520
And this could have serious
consequences.
641
00:45:45,520 --> 00:45:48,680
I've been doing these aerial surveys
for the last nine years.
642
00:45:48,680 --> 00:45:51,320
We've seen this decline
in the number of sharks
643
00:45:51,320 --> 00:45:52,720
over the past nine years.
644
00:45:52,720 --> 00:45:54,160
At the same time,
645
00:45:54,160 --> 00:45:56,800
we've seen an increase
in the water temperature down here.
646
00:45:56,800 --> 00:45:58,840
They have a very narrow
thermal tolerance.
647
00:45:58,840 --> 00:46:02,080
They like water between about
21 and 25 Celsius.
648
00:46:02,080 --> 00:46:04,320
And as water temperatures
keep rising,
649
00:46:04,320 --> 00:46:06,760
we're getting fewer and fewer sharks
coming this far south.
650
00:46:06,760 --> 00:46:09,480
Presumably the blacktips
that you've got here,
651
00:46:09,480 --> 00:46:11,600
there are constant interactions
between them
652
00:46:11,600 --> 00:46:13,360
and the larger predatory sharks
653
00:46:13,360 --> 00:46:15,840
like the tigers,
the great hammerheads and the bulls.
654
00:46:15,840 --> 00:46:17,960
How is that likely to be affected?
655
00:46:17,960 --> 00:46:19,520
That's a really good question.
656
00:46:19,520 --> 00:46:22,280
If you don't have these blacktips
sweeping down here
657
00:46:22,280 --> 00:46:24,640
in the tens of thousands
every spring,
658
00:46:24,640 --> 00:46:26,840
there's no food
for the big hammerheads
659
00:46:26,840 --> 00:46:29,280
and these blacktips are not eating
all the bait fish.
660
00:46:29,280 --> 00:46:31,640
And so, we don't even know
what might happen.
661
00:46:37,080 --> 00:46:38,480
You know, these ecosystems
662
00:46:38,480 --> 00:46:40,840
have remained pretty much unchanged
for millennia,
663
00:46:40,840 --> 00:46:44,120
but they are dramatically changing
in my lifetime,
664
00:46:44,120 --> 00:46:46,920
and where that will lead
we simply don't know.
665
00:46:54,080 --> 00:46:57,560
The rate at which our seas
are heating up is accelerating.
666
00:46:59,360 --> 00:47:02,440
And the effects of this warming
are now being felt
667
00:47:02,440 --> 00:47:04,400
in every one of our oceans.
668
00:47:18,040 --> 00:47:21,440
Sharks are under pressure
from all sides -
669
00:47:21,440 --> 00:47:24,120
fishing, their habitats changing,
670
00:47:24,120 --> 00:47:27,160
and now, in these protected waters,
671
00:47:27,160 --> 00:47:28,960
their fellow sea creatures.
672
00:47:35,600 --> 00:47:39,560
Recently, an unwanted visitor
has appeared in Caribbean waters.
673
00:47:46,720 --> 00:47:49,480
This is a lionfish.
674
00:47:52,960 --> 00:47:56,960
A predator that could eat
fish populations out of existence...
675
00:47:58,640 --> 00:48:01,480
..threatening the future
of the resident sharks.
676
00:48:08,000 --> 00:48:10,360
Ten years ago, I saw for myself
677
00:48:10,360 --> 00:48:14,440
just what devastating predators
they are in their native waters
678
00:48:14,440 --> 00:48:15,760
off Malaysia.
679
00:48:17,720 --> 00:48:19,840
There's a small fish over here.
680
00:48:19,840 --> 00:48:21,600
The lionfish has spotted it.
681
00:48:23,000 --> 00:48:24,800
This could be trouble.
682
00:48:26,120 --> 00:48:28,360
It's moving in.
683
00:48:28,360 --> 00:48:32,000
Oh! Unbelievable!
684
00:48:32,000 --> 00:48:34,440
Did you see the speed
of that strike?
685
00:48:37,320 --> 00:48:41,840
Lionfish eat about 70 different
species of fish and invertebrate.
686
00:48:44,840 --> 00:48:46,680
If it fits in their mouth,
687
00:48:46,680 --> 00:48:48,400
they'll eat it.
688
00:48:53,240 --> 00:48:54,680
It did it again.
689
00:48:56,200 --> 00:49:00,400
This is just the most astounding
display of feeding
690
00:49:00,400 --> 00:49:02,560
I think I've ever seen.
691
00:49:10,200 --> 00:49:13,200
Such an elegant fish is,
unsurprisingly,
692
00:49:13,200 --> 00:49:15,200
a favourite of the aquarium trade.
693
00:49:16,680 --> 00:49:21,280
And in the 1980s, a few unwanted
pets ended up being released
694
00:49:21,280 --> 00:49:22,720
in the seas off Florida...
695
00:49:25,360 --> 00:49:27,320
..with devastating results.
696
00:49:31,640 --> 00:49:35,320
In just over 30 years,
they've spread from coastal Florida
697
00:49:35,320 --> 00:49:36,720
with alarming speed.
698
00:49:39,000 --> 00:49:42,040
They're now found as far north
as New York
699
00:49:42,040 --> 00:49:44,640
and south to Brazil.
700
00:49:45,920 --> 00:49:48,920
This is the wrong fish
in the wrong place
701
00:49:48,920 --> 00:49:50,360
and at the wrong time.
702
00:49:53,800 --> 00:49:57,680
And it's threatening to unbalance
the already fragile system
703
00:49:57,680 --> 00:49:59,880
upon which the sharks depend.
704
00:50:03,600 --> 00:50:05,800
This is a growing problem
705
00:50:05,800 --> 00:50:08,640
that people like marine biologist
Alex Fogg
706
00:50:08,640 --> 00:50:10,480
are trying to find a solution to.
707
00:50:11,520 --> 00:50:13,640
ALEX: The reefs have changed
actually quite a bit
708
00:50:13,640 --> 00:50:14,920
since I first started diving.
709
00:50:14,920 --> 00:50:18,200
I started diving about ten years ago
and in this area in particular,
710
00:50:18,200 --> 00:50:19,920
lionfish weren't here yet.
711
00:50:27,000 --> 00:50:29,600
When we first started seeing
lionfish on the reef
712
00:50:29,600 --> 00:50:32,760
it was one here or one there,
but now you go to a reef site
713
00:50:32,760 --> 00:50:35,360
and you can see upwards
of 100 lionfish.
714
00:50:35,360 --> 00:50:37,360
I mean, they're here eating
everything.
715
00:50:37,360 --> 00:50:39,920
It's like an all-you-can-eat buffet,
if you will.
716
00:50:41,960 --> 00:50:44,000
They're not just voracious hunters,
717
00:50:44,000 --> 00:50:46,040
they're prolific breeders too.
718
00:50:47,680 --> 00:50:53,960
A female lionfish can lay more than
20,000 eggs every four days.
719
00:50:55,800 --> 00:51:00,200
They can reach densities of
over 200 adults per acre of reef
720
00:51:00,200 --> 00:51:05,320
and that quantity can hoover up
nearly half a million fish a year.
721
00:51:08,600 --> 00:51:13,040
This is having a devastating effect
on an already fragile ecosystem.
722
00:51:14,360 --> 00:51:16,680
But Alex has a plan.
723
00:51:20,800 --> 00:51:22,680
You can't really catch them
on hook and lines.
724
00:51:22,680 --> 00:51:24,840
There's really only one way to
harvest lion fish
725
00:51:24,840 --> 00:51:27,560
and that's through diving
and harvesting with spears.
726
00:51:33,400 --> 00:51:35,680
And all these fish
don't go to waste.
727
00:51:38,240 --> 00:51:41,480
Lionfish are definitely one of the
most environmentally-friendly fish
728
00:51:41,480 --> 00:51:42,800
that you can actually eat.
729
00:51:44,600 --> 00:51:47,160
This is one fish that we want to
eat into extinction.
730
00:51:48,560 --> 00:51:51,240
Hey, Chef. Got you a bunch of fish.
Right, man. Appreciate it.
731
00:51:51,240 --> 00:51:52,800
Thank you very much. Thank you.
732
00:51:58,960 --> 00:52:01,560
Alex hopes that by making
a commercial market
733
00:52:01,560 --> 00:52:03,800
for these lionfish,
more will be caught...
734
00:52:05,160 --> 00:52:07,680
..allowing reefs and sharks
to recover.
735
00:52:10,920 --> 00:52:12,960
Ten years down the road from now,
736
00:52:12,960 --> 00:52:15,000
lionfish are still going to be here.
737
00:52:15,000 --> 00:52:17,480
Are they going to be at the numbers
that we have today?
738
00:52:17,480 --> 00:52:20,840
I'm not sure. I think that if we can
just get lionfish to a point
739
00:52:20,840 --> 00:52:23,160
to where the ecosystem can actually
deal with it,
740
00:52:23,160 --> 00:52:25,120
or they find their space
in the ecosystem,
741
00:52:25,120 --> 00:52:26,160
that's our best bet.
742
00:52:28,800 --> 00:52:32,040
The market for lionfish
in restaurants is growing.
743
00:52:33,160 --> 00:52:35,480
But to fully combat this invasion,
744
00:52:35,480 --> 00:52:37,720
things are being taken
a step further.
745
00:52:45,880 --> 00:52:50,800
Along the coast of America, locals
have created lionfish derbies.
746
00:52:53,400 --> 00:52:57,480
The aim - to collect and remove
as many lionfish as possible.
747
00:53:07,200 --> 00:53:11,000
Each fish is measured and prizes
are awarded for catching the most,
748
00:53:11,000 --> 00:53:13,200
the biggest,
749
00:53:13,200 --> 00:53:15,320
and the smallest lionfish.
750
00:53:27,120 --> 00:53:29,320
Hundreds gather
to share in the prize...
751
00:53:30,920 --> 00:53:32,360
..and eat the catch.
752
00:53:42,560 --> 00:53:45,600
These derbies serve to
reduce numbers,
753
00:53:45,600 --> 00:53:48,120
as well as raising awareness
of a fish
754
00:53:48,120 --> 00:53:52,400
that threatens the ocean ecosystems
upon which the sharks rely.
755
00:53:57,520 --> 00:54:00,040
INDISTINCT CHATTER
756
00:54:08,080 --> 00:54:11,080
Our blue planet is defined
by its oceans...
757
00:54:15,840 --> 00:54:18,920
..and if they are to stay healthy
and productive,
758
00:54:18,920 --> 00:54:22,520
we need a healthy population
of sharks.
759
00:54:25,560 --> 00:54:30,280
At present, sharks are being killed
faster than they can reproduce
760
00:54:30,280 --> 00:54:34,120
and we're set to lose
some of our most iconic species
761
00:54:34,120 --> 00:54:35,760
in the next 50 years.
762
00:54:42,080 --> 00:54:43,760
But across the globe,
763
00:54:43,760 --> 00:54:48,360
many people are working tirelessly
to uncover the secrets of sharks
764
00:54:48,360 --> 00:54:50,000
in order to save them.
765
00:54:53,600 --> 00:54:56,880
People are seeing sharks
in their true light
766
00:54:56,880 --> 00:54:59,200
and starting to appreciate them
767
00:54:59,200 --> 00:55:02,000
for the essential role
they play in our oceans.
768
00:55:06,000 --> 00:55:08,520
There is still much work
that needs to be done...
769
00:55:10,760 --> 00:55:12,760
..but, for now, there is hope...
770
00:55:14,600 --> 00:55:18,680
..for our oceans are packed
with the ingredients for recovery.
771
00:55:23,520 --> 00:55:28,400
The seas are full
of tiny, microscopic life
772
00:55:28,400 --> 00:55:33,040
just looking for somewhere
to fix and make home.
773
00:55:37,720 --> 00:55:40,120
This is the Sapona.
774
00:55:44,800 --> 00:55:49,320
It was grounded here in a hurricane
many decades ago,
775
00:55:49,320 --> 00:55:53,160
and ever since,
it's become a living reef...
776
00:55:54,600 --> 00:55:56,920
..absolutely bursting with life.
777
00:56:01,200 --> 00:56:02,480
So many fish.
778
00:56:05,320 --> 00:56:06,760
So beautiful.
779
00:56:12,080 --> 00:56:15,920
The superstructure
makes a perfect habitat,
780
00:56:15,920 --> 00:56:19,760
places for them to hide
from predators.
781
00:56:19,760 --> 00:56:24,960
And it's covered with encrusting
soft corals and fans.
782
00:56:30,560 --> 00:56:33,480
All sorts of animals
take up shelter inside.
783
00:56:37,960 --> 00:56:40,240
Oh, stingray!
784
00:56:44,480 --> 00:56:50,880
It's like swimming through
the ribcage of an almighty whale
785
00:56:50,880 --> 00:56:52,880
lying on the bottom.
786
00:56:52,880 --> 00:56:54,480
Incredible.
787
00:56:59,800 --> 00:57:04,360
This is the basis of the food chain
upon which sharks depend.
788
00:57:15,680 --> 00:57:20,120
If we protect our seas then life
will bounce back in our oceans,
789
00:57:20,120 --> 00:57:21,920
if we give it the chance.
790
00:57:27,480 --> 00:57:30,960
The interconnectedness of our oceans
and their inhabitants
791
00:57:30,960 --> 00:57:33,200
is intricate and far-reaching.
792
00:57:35,840 --> 00:57:38,760
Sharks depend on the creatures
around them
793
00:57:38,760 --> 00:57:40,280
as these creatures in turn
794
00:57:40,280 --> 00:57:41,840
depend on the sharks.
795
00:57:44,480 --> 00:57:49,760
They've been stalking our seas
for at least 400 million years.
796
00:57:49,760 --> 00:57:52,800
I hope they've got a few million
more left in them yet.
797
00:57:55,680 --> 00:57:59,520
The Bahamas are at the forefront
of shark research and conservation.
798
00:58:00,760 --> 00:58:03,600
And lessons learnt here
now need to be applied
799
00:58:03,600 --> 00:58:05,400
all across our blue planet.
800
00:58:10,760 --> 00:58:13,720
The future of sharks
is in our hands.
801
00:58:16,360 --> 00:58:20,480
And it's for us to decide where
this sharks' tale goes next.
801
00:58:21,305 --> 00:59:21,671
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