NEW YORK — Imagine getting into a full-size whale carcass decoy and steering it into deep water. You’re looking for – yes, looking for – a group of hungry sharks to trigger a feeding frenzy. To attract them, you throw hundreds of gallons of synthetic blood and camaraderie. Then watch them lose it.
That’s what marine biologist Liv Dixon did Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week” one of several eye-popping moments during this year’s 21 hours of new programming, where scientists risk everything to better understand apex predators.
“Sharks take advantage of every opportunity,” says Dixon. “And I’m kind of the same. I will take advantage of every opportunity I get. You feel the adrenaline coursing through your veins as if your entire body is shaking.”
The week kicks off on Sunday with Dixon’s hour-long “Belly of the Beast: Bigger.” & Bloodier”, in which she and the “Shark Week” veteran biologist Dr.Austin Gallagher try to attract the so-called Queen Boss off the coast of New Zealand.
“We’re seeing these kind of subgroups or clans of white sharks and we think they might be dominated by a larger female that we call the Queen Boss, which I love – a big feminine energy coming in here,” says Dixon. “We really just want to explore the social dynamics of these sharks.”
Seven nights of new shows are presented by John Cena and include scientists traveling to Australia to see why there has been a rise in attacks near Sydney Harbour, and to Mexico to find out why there have been three fatal white shark incursions near a fishing village.
The “Big Shark Energy” program has researchers comparing the speed, hunting ability and fearlessness of some New Zealand sharks to determine who has the arrogance to swim with a female shark, while other scientists hope to spot the fattest great white shark – Is 6,000 pounds possible? – and look at their poop to find out what they’re eating.
“Shark Week” has become a key part of summer holiday television programming, a place where humans, safe on land, can watch ancient apex predators effortlessly and unnervingly appear in the dark and open their jaws.
“They still seem strangely like some kind of monster from the past,” says Howard Lee, president of Discovery Networks and TLC. “There is always something new to learn that has not yet been discovered. There are even breeds of sharks that we don’t always catch.”
“Shark Week” highlights also include a look at whether angel sharks remain in Japan’s waters — including notable footage of baby velvet shark sharks being born — and why a South Pacific resort became a shark attack spot with bull, tiger and great white sharks. getting closer and closer to the beaches.
As always, there’s a deep respect for the creatures and the strong science behind the fun titles, dramatic music, and cheeky titles like “The Real Sharkano” and “Monster Hammerheads: Species X.”
The great feminine energy that Dixon mentioned is also apparent out of the water. She and researchers like Zandi Ndhlovu, Christine de Silva and Kendyl Berna are front and center, challenging the waters dominated by male sharks.
“I hope, more than anything, that this can inspire other young women and girls to get involved,” says Dixon. “I am very proud to represent women in this space. I really think this is important for other women, and especially for the next generation of young entrepreneurs and scientists.”
Ndhlovu, a South African-based freediving instructor and founder of The Black Mermaid Foundation, first appeared on “Shark Week” in 2022 and returns for two episodes this season, paving the way in terms of representation.
“It’s incredible to work with sharks and show up in the world as a Black woman in a way that allows kids to see that the ocean belongs to them too – increasing representation around who explorers are and what science means.”
The week also marks an investigation into a huge mako nicknamed “Makozilla” accused of chomping on sea lions off the coast of California. Scientists use a sea lion bait and then throw in huge chunks of tuna to try to get bite marks that match sea lion scar attacks.
“I personally also do research on whales and I think, ‘I wish there was a ‘Whale Week,’ but no one would say, ‘Oh, wow, these humpback whales are really peaceful and beautiful,’” says Berna, an environmental scientist and wildlife filmmaker, who spent time in a shark cage attracting makos.
“My hope is that kids will like sharks too,” she adds. “And I hope that when my kids watch things like this, we are moving towards starting to create more protections for sharks, not just in the US, but globally.”
Discovery’s “Shark Week” has a rival – its schedule coincides with National Geographic’s “SharkFest” which also has hours of shark content, including Anthony Mackie’s exploration of the shark ecosystem in his hometown of New Orleans. There’s also an unplugged shark thriller in theaters called “The Last Breath.”
“Shark Week” – with an accompanying podcast this year – was born as a counterpoint for those who developed a fear of sharks after seeing “Jaws.” It emerged as a destination for scientists eager to protect an animal older than the trees.
“Isn’t that one of the things that makes the ocean so amazing? And isn’t that what makes life so amazing?” Ndhlovu asks. “We know a lot on land. We don’t know much about the ocean and there is still a lot to discover.”
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