Ep 13. Blood In the Water 1
- October 11, 2009
Blood In the Water, Episode 1 of Shark Week season 2009, takes the viewers to the coast of South Africa to an area known as "Shark Alley." This is a place where humans and sharks meet, sometimes with deadly consequences. In recent years, there have been a string of shark attacks on humans in the area, and the locals are beginning to wonder why.
The episode begins with a reenactment of a true story of a group of friends who visited Shark Alley to dive with the great white sharks. They were in a small cage placed just below the water's surface, and the sharks were swimming around them. Suddenly, one of the sharks broke through the top of the cage and took one of the divers with him. The rest of the group watched in horror as the shark took the diver down to the depths.
The program then introduces Alison Kock, the lead researcher with the Save Our Seas Foundation, who is studying the great white sharks in Shark Alley. Kock has been tracking the sharks and tagging them with acoustic transmitters, in order to better understand their behavior. She believes that the recent increase in shark attacks may be due to a decline in the sharks' natural prey, which is causing them to become more aggressive.
The episode then takes the viewers on a journey to learn about the life of the great white shark. We see footage of the sharks hunting seals, their main source of food, and learn about their unique hunting strategies. We also hear from experts about the importance of these sharks to the ecosystem, and how their decline could have serious consequences.
As Kock continues her research, her team makes a remarkable discovery. They find that the great whites in Shark Alley are hunting in packs, attacking the seals in coordinated groups. This behavior has never been documented before and is a significant finding for shark researchers.
The episode also features interviews with survivors of shark attacks and their families, who share their stories and their thoughts on what is causing the increase in attacks.
The show explores the conflict between humans and sharks, and the efforts being made to find a solution. Local authorities explain how they are working on ways to keep the area safe for both humans and sharks, such as the use of shark nets and personal shark shields.
Overall, Blood In the Water is a fascinating and informative episode of Shark Week. It takes viewers on a journey to learn about the complex and misunderstood world of the great white shark, and the importance of these predators to the ocean's ecosystem. The program also provides an inside look at the people working to keep humans and sharks safe, and the challenges they face.
