Shark Week is on the verge of returning to Discovery Channel within the 2023 TV schedule for its milestone thirty fifth yr with host Jason Momoa, and the annual celebration of sharks is exploring new depths, making new discoveries, and taking new dangers for the objective of studying extra in regards to the many species. The week will kick off with a particular referred to as “Stomach of the Beast: Feeding Frenzy,” which entails Dr. Austin Gallagher and his workforce attempting one thing that had by no means been accomplished earlier than with white sharks… and going through the issue of a pair of “serial killer” orcas.
I spoke with Dr. Austin Gallagher, who has appeared many occasions on Shark Week through the years (together with when Shaq confronted his fears), throughout a latest press day for the Discovery occasion, and I requested him what about “Stomach of the Beast: Feeding Frenzy” makes it a great way to begin out Shark Week on July 23. He shared:
‘Stomach of the Beast’ is an unbelievably thrilling journey. We acquired white sharks, we acquired South Africa. That is like a recipe for achievement proper there, however on this present, we took a brand new method. We used this whale carcass decoy to get nearer just about than ever earlier than to white sharks, which is simply wonderful. However what was actually cool was that we have been capable of make new observations and we noticed the biggest white shark most likely ever in South Africa, actually one of many largest white sharks ever for Shark Week. We have been capable of tag it, you understand, get extraordinarily near it. That motion, that journey, that science, and slightly little bit of enamel – it is like actually the proper recipe for opening Shark Week, and it is an enormous honor.
Longtime Shark Week viewers know that nice white motion is on the best way for any particular that visits South Africa, however “Stomach of the Beast” will not be one other installment of Air Jaws. As an alternative of a seal decoy, the workforce used a decoy whale carcass for the very first time to draw the sharks, and attempting one thing new clearly paid off! That is to not say that Dr. Gallagher and his workforce can have a simple time tagging one of many “largest white sharks ever for Shark Week,” and followers should tune in to Discovery on July 24 to see the entire story.
In fact, the Shark Week specials that visited South Africa in 2022 additionally explored the issue going through nice whites, which is that orcas have realized to focus on these sharks, kill them, and devour their livers, which has massively decreased their numbers within the space. Once I famous that state of affairs that was documented final yr, Dr. Gallagher shared whether or not viewers will see a unique facet in “Stomach of the Beast” in 2023:
This particular was actually pushed by that notion that the inhabitants of South African white sharks has modified due to the orcas and it is pressured us to take a brand new method to attempting to review and finally preserve these giant sharks. In order that’s actually the leaping off level. Port and Starboard, the 2 orcas which have been the type of virtually serial killers of those white sharks off South Africa, they do get a shout out within the present.
Tragically for nice white sharks, orcas have been residing as much as their well-liked identify of “killer whales” off of South Africa and turning into what Dr. Gallagher dubbed “virtually serial killers.” Port and Starboard could have cute names, however what they’re doing to nice whites within the space is not precisely lovely! The shark skilled continued:
However I believe what this present does is that it actually demonstrates how exhausting we’ve to work as researchers to get the information that we want, and even simply discover these animals for these reveals and that these populations of sharks are actually fragile. It is simply so particular, whenever you do get shut to those people. That actually comes throughout the ‘Stomach of the Beast,’ and I am so happy with that.
Orcas actually aren’t handled as a joke in Shark Week, however there have been loads of killer whale memes floating across the web in latest months as consciousness unfold about how clever the aquatic mammals actually are. Shark Week goes the additional mile yearly to remind viewers that sharks aren’t human-killing machines like on Jaws and different movies (which Steven Spielberg has stated he regrets). Will “Stomach of the Beast” give extra consciousness to the shark/orca state of affairs? I requested Dr. Austin Gallagher that very query, and he defined:
That is an incredible query. I believe it is enormous. It actually reveals that sharks are prime predators, however they’re additionally prey, and actually, the apex prime predator within the ocean is the orca, the killer whale. So this sort of reveals that, which is absolutely particular. Look, these sharks are usually not going away. It is simple to get actually depressed in regards to the state of sharks worldwide, together with with this orca factor off South Africa. It is modified the complete dynamic of companies and tourism for white sharks. However to have the ability to see one in every of these giant people come out of the shadows is a big piece of hope. It is a fairly cool perspective, I believe.
Luckily for followers, the watch for Shark Week is sort of over. The seven days of shark motion begins on Discovery with “Stomach of the Beast: Feeding Frenzy” on Sunday, July 23 at 8 p.m. ET. It will likely be adopted by “Jaws vs The Meg” at 9 p.m., “Serial Killer: Pink Sea Assaults” at 10 p.m., and “Shark Week: Off the Hook” at 11 p.m. That is solely the primary evening, so you may need to maintain tuning in for the total week! In case you’re not capable of watch on Discovery, Shark Week may even be obtainable streaming with a Max subscription.
