All language subtitles for Shark.Gangs.2021.1080p.WEBRip.x264.AAC5.1-[YTS.MX]

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NARRATOR: The
great white shark,
iconic apex predator.

Official YIFY movies site:
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Long seen as the lone wolf
of the ocean, until now.

Sharks of all species
are being spotted in gangs

across the globe.

Leaving experts determined
to uncover what’s behind

this shark gang phenomenon.

CHRIS: We’re finding that
they’re far more social
than we’ve ever thought.

NARRATOR: Is it
for protection?

MATT: We have
twelve bull sharks,
circling around the cage

NARRATOR: Migration?

MATT: You can
start to really see the
hierarchy of these sharks

NARRATOR: Or even
to hunt in a pack?

YANNIS: If these
animals hunt in a group,

everybody’s success goes up.

NARRATOR: Are these
predators joining forces,

to dominate the deep?

NARRATOR: Off the
coast of North Carolina,

lies a treacherous
stretch of water with strong
currents and shifting sands.

With the remains of
up to 5,000 ships,

it’s known as the
graveyard of the Atlantic.

Hidden within this eerie
resting place for lost souls

are gangs of
sand tiger sharks.

Photographer and
conservationist,

Tanya Houppermans, has spent
over a decade documenting

the shark gang
phenomenon occurring here.

TANYA (off-screen): I
started diving around 2009.

Came down here to
North Carolina and that was

the first time that I
saw the sand tiger sharks.

It literally changed my life.

I walked into work and quit,

left the cooperate
world behind

and decided to devote my life
to spending time with sharks.

NARRATOR: Working
with Spot a Shark USA,

Tanya is studying the
thousands of sharks that have

made these
shipwrecks their home.

These rusting hulks provide
the perfect conditions for

marine life to grow, and
for predators to hunt.

But why sand tiger sharks
congregate here in such

large gangs is
still a mystery.

TANYA (off-screen):
There are times that we
could see 100 and maybe even

more sharks in an aggregation.

They really seem to
prefer to be around
other sand tiger sharks.

We're not quite sure why yet.

NARRATOR: Today, Tanya
and her husband Scott,

are looking for answers by
diving a wreck known for

large groups of
sand tiger sharks.

TANYA: Today we're heading out
to the wreck of the Carib Sea.

This is a freighter
that was sunk by a

U-boat during World War II.

Right now, she lives
about 90 feet underwater.

That's where
we tend to see

a lot of sand tiger sharks
hanging out.

NARRATOR: Tanya is
on the front line,

trying to discover the secret
that unites theses sharks.

She’s taking photographs,

so scientists can study
them for vital clues.

TANYA: Inside this housing
is the camera that I use to

photograph the
sharks and we have two
lasers here on each side.

When I take a
picture of a shark,

these two green dots will show
up on the side of the shark.

We can then actually calculate
the length of that shark,

just from the
photograph itself.

Then we can go in and identify
each individual shark based on

its unique spot patterns.

It’s like fingerprint
is to a person.

We can kind of give each
other’s gear a look over too.

Alright, looks good.

Every dive there’s the
possibility of learning

something new
about these animals.

There’s really hasn’t been a
lot of research done on them.

You know,
compared to a lot of other
species such as great whites.

So anytime we can get the
water with them and bring back

any information for the
researchers that I work with.

It's great day.

You good babe?

Alright. Let's go
find some sharks.

(oxygen tank hissing)

TANYA (over radio): We
have 100 feet of visibility;

clear blue water.

(oxygen tank hissing)

A lot of the wreck
is still intact.

You can see the
big bow structure.

It never gets old.

There are just
sharks as far as I
can see, all around me.

NARRATOR: These sharks
are named after tigers,

because of their
voracious appetite,

but to Tanya
they’re gentle giants.

TANYA (over radio): They
have these raggedy teeth

that makes them
look really fierce,

but these sharks are
full of personality.

Sand tiger sharks are probably
about six or seven feet.

With the females
being a little bit
bigger than the males.

NARRATOR: Surrounded
by a swarm of sharks,

Tanya begins her
search for evidence,

as to why so many are here.

(oxygen tank hissing)

TANYA (over radio): There
are a lot of females.

Every so often
you see a few males,
but it’s mostly females.

Why is that?

NARRATOR: With her laser
guided camera Tanya captures

her first clue to
solving this mystery.

TANYA (over radio):
Some of the females do
have scars from mating.

When the sharks mate, the
male actually holds onto

the female with his teeth.

If we see fresh mating scars
that female may be pregnant.

We’re finding
several pregnant females.

Why are they
grouping together?

NARRATOR: After
photographing the girl gang.

TANYA: That was amazing.
There was a lot of sharks.

NARRATOR: Tanya tries
to make sense of this
incredible spectacle.

TANYA: So what we're
seeing is a big gang of

sand tiger sharks,
um, mostly females.

We have so many
unanswered questions,

but what we’re thinking is
that maybe these females are

aggregating
together during pregnancy,

so that the males don’t
try to mate with them again.

TANYA (off-screen): It could
be possible that the females
are kind of banding together,

as kind of a support network.

They are choosing to
group together like this.

And so not all sharks
are just solo predators,

sharks could have a
social life just like humans.

NARRATOR: Tanya’s observation
that female sand tiger sharks

could form gangs for
protection from males,

is one explanation.

But is this the case,
for all species of shark?

Just off the coast of
California’s busiest beaches,

(yelling)

gangs of great whites
lurk in the shallows.

Increasing numbers of wounded
seals are washing ashore.

And the news
unsettles the locals.

REPORT (over TV):
A pilot reported
seeing the adult sharks.

All three, 10-12 feet
long about 150 feet
away from the surf zone.

MAN: If I go out and see a
swarm then I’m right back out.

NARRATOR: Shark
expert Dr. Chris Lowe,

and his team from the
world-famous Shark Lab,

are here to get to the bottom
of this escalating situation.

CHRIS (off-screen): When we
talk to a lot of the locals,

many of them are shocked
to find out that there are

so many great whites
off their beaches.

When these sharks first
started showing up the

lifeguards would go
out with jet skis and

try to drive
them off the beach.

And it was actually
comical to watch,

because the sharks
were completely unfazed.

Now what that tells me,
as a scientist is,

they really like this habitat.

NARRATOR: To
ease local tensions,

Chris and his team are
determined to find out why

these great whites
are forming gangs here.

CHRIS (off-screen): Our main
goal is to try to figure out

why they picked this beach?

And why are they together?

Most people consider
sharks this individual,
solitary predator, right?

Always by itself
looking for its prey.

That isn’t what we’re
finding to be the case.

NARRATOR: Today the Shark Lab
team is on a mission to

tag great whites in the area.

CHRIS: We’ve got
tagging stuff for tagging?

JAMES: Yep.
I think we’re all good.

NARRATOR: They use tags to
monitor the number of sharks

and their
position off the beach.

The team hopes the data will
provide clues as to why these

great whites are here
in such large groups.

CHRIS: We can
go out each year,
during shark season,

which is that time between
April and about October,

and then try to locate
sharks and tag them.

By tagging them and
tracking them we know what

they are doing all the time.

CHRIS (over radio):
Beach team, Beach team.

This is the whaler,
do you copy?

JACK (over radio):
Yes go ahead.

CHRIS (over radio):
Put the bird in the sky.

See what you can see.

CHRIS (off-screen): Five ago,
we wouldn’t be able to do
what we are doing now.

Technology has completely
changed how we study
group behavior in sharks.

We use the drones
to spot for us.

They give us a bird’s eye view
of what animals are doing,

when they don’t
know we’re watching.

It’s the ultimate
spy technology.

JACK: I’ve got eyes on it

CHRIS (over radio): Alright
I’m headed to your location.

JACK: It’s 7 o’clock, about
50 meters. I’ll try to get
eyes on the shark again

EMILY: Oh there they are!

JACK: You’re right on it.

It’s right on the drone.

CHRIS: The drones tell us
where the shark is and then if

we are very stealthy we
can dart the transmitter

into the shark’s’ back.

JAMES: I’m going
to rig up a tag.

Uh, okay, the
ID number is 4342.

CHRIS: The tags they’re
communicating with acoustic
receivers all along the shore.

So, every time one of those
tagged sharks gets within

about 300 yards, the
receiver logs the time,

the date and the
ID number of that shark.

NARRATOR: These harmless
tags drop off after two years,

but attaching them
to a great white
is the tricky part.

CHRIS: We’re going
to attempt to tag now.

JACK (over radio): Copy.

CHRIS: Alright James,
here’s your weapon.

NARRATOR: Not only are
great whites the largest
predatory shark on earth,

weighing up to 5,000 pounds.

JAMES: Alright Emily,
let’s go for the approach.

NARRATOR: These torpedo
shaped predators are
also lightening quick.

EMILY: Oh God.
Yeah, it’s, it's there.

JACK: Alright it’s
going to be at your 1:00,

about 400 meters.

It’s heading North.

CHRIS: Coming,
coming around the back.

JAMES: I see it, I see it.
Coming across the bow.

EMILY: Oh, it’s spooked.
It’s coming around this way.

Okay, 12:00.
Like 15 feet in front.

CHRIS: Getting a
good position on the
shark is really critical.

EMILY: Just there.
Coming around. Just there.

JAMES: Tag away!

Got it!

NARRATOR: With
another great white tagged,

the team is one step closer
to tracking the movements of

the whole shark gang.

But to monitor how many
sharks congregate here,

Marine biology student,
Emily Spurgeon,

performs a job
that’s not for everyone.

CHRIS: Okay and
you two are diving.

EMILY: Yep.
CHRIS: Alright.

Watch your back.

NARRATOR: She must dive into
these shark filled waters to

collect a
receiver that’s tracking
great whites in the area.

Low water visibility makes
this dive riskier than usual,

as Emily will be unable
to spot the predators

until they’re up close.

EMILY: There are sharks
in this area and that is

something we have to be
mindful of when we dive.

If I did run into a
shark while we were diving,

James and I we would
probably go back-to-back,

so we could keep
eyes on all sides.

If the shark knows
we’re watching it,

it might swim off.

JAMES: Alright. On three.

EMILY: Yeah.
JAMES: One. Two. Three.

(oxygen tank hissing)

EMILY (off-screen): The
visibility is not great,

it’s half a foot to a foot.

There could be sharks
10 feet away from us
we just don’t see them.

What was that?

♪ ♪

(rapid heartbeats)

NARRATOR: Marine Biologist,
Emily Spurgeon,

is diving in low visibility
water to swap out a receiver,

which monitors great whites
off the coast of California.

But she’s not alone.

EMILY (over radio):
There could be sharks
10 feet away from us

we just don’t see them.

(oxygen tank hissing)

What was that?

I can’t get it.

I got it.

EMILY: Got it.

NARRATOR: Dr. Chris Lowe
immediately hooks up

the receiver to his laptop.

CHRIS: Okay the
light is flashing,
it should be connecting.

NARRATOR: He’s hoping the data
from the tags reveals exactly

how many sharks are
infiltrating these

coastal waters and
more importantly, why?

CHRIS: Alright,
let’s see what we’ve got.

EMILY: Just in
the last two weeks,

we’ve had over
14,000 detections.

CHRIS: Nice!

EMILY: And the
most recent detection.

10:36, that’s when
we were in the water.

CHRIS: And a shark just
has to be within 400 yards.

EMILY: Yeah.
CHRIS: To get a detection.

CHRIS: Very cool.
EMILY: Yeah.

CHRIS: Alright, so
let’s see how many sharks.

EMILY: Let’s see, one,
two, three, four, five.

13 sharks just
at this station.

CHRIS: Wow, Okay!
EMILY: Yeah.

NARRATOR: Excited by the
size of this shark gang,

Chris now tries to solve the
mystery of why they’re here.

CHRIS: Some of
these individuals
have been residing here,

for long periods of time.

These animals are
showing fidelity to this area.

CHRIS (off-screen):
Maybe its food abundance.

The sand is covered
with sting rays here.

These are the
number one thing that these
young sharks like to eat.

But what’s the advantage
of being in a group?

We don’t know yet.

NARRATOR: As Chris’ team
investigates whether food is

the reason that
sharks form gangs,

other scientists explore
the idea that sharks

enjoy hanging out, as friends.

A collection of
700 islands and keys,

the Bahamas is not
only paradise but the
shark capital of the world.

This marine habitat is
a protected sanctuary,

for over 40 species of sharks.

In the secluded
mangroves of North Bimini.

Marine biologist,
Dr. Félice Dhellemmes

and researcher Chessie Mason,

of the Bimini Shark Lab,

are tracking down a missing
school of sharks that are

vital to their research into
the shark gang phenomenon.

FÉLICIE: So were you
here during the hurricane?

CHESSIE: Yeah, I was and it
was actually kind of crazy.

All of this sand bank
was completely exposed and

since it’s completely changed.

NARRATOR: In 2019
Hurricane Dorian swept through

the Bahamas with
intense ferocity.

(whirling wind)

Devastating it’s mangroves and
displacing gangs of sharks.

CHESSIE: I’m kind of
worried if we’re gonna even
find juvenile lemon sharks.

FÉLICIE: If the
water was gone,

they probably had
to go somewhere else.

CHESSIE: Yeah,
maybe deeper water.

FÉLICIE: I’m hoping that they
manage to find their way back

to the safety of the mangrove.

Lemon sharks are being
threatened worldwide,

because the mangrove habitats,

in which they
are born and grow,
are being destroyed.

So, I’m going to pull
into those mangroves.

CHESSIE: I can go
up to the front and

see if I can see anything.

Fel, I think I’ve got a lemon.

FÉLICIE: You
sure it’s a lemon?

CHESSIE: Yeah, I think so.
FÉLICIE: Oh my God, yes!

I can see it to.

NARRATOR: Female lemon sharks
come to these mangroves each

year to give birth,
often to as many as
17 pups in one litter.

Left to fend for themselves,
the babies group together for

protection in the dense
roots and shallow waters.

Giving them extra cover
from predators and

even cannibal lemon sharks.

It’s a tough start in life,

when your own species
is out to get you!

CHESSIE: Lemon Sharks
are called lemon sharks,

because they have this
yellowish coloration.

They’re quite small
when they’re juveniles,

but they’re incredibly agile
and they are actually able

to turn almost
360 degrees on the spot.

NARRATOR: Félicie
and Chessie must enter
the mangroves on foot.

CHESSIE: Let’s get in!

NARRATOR: To investigate
whether or not this is a

lone lemon shark,
or a member of gang.

CHESSIE: Can
you see something?

FÉLICIE: Could
they be in there?

CHESSIE: They
just move so quickly.

NARRATOR: Lemon sharks’ yellow
skin provides the perfect
camouflage in sandy water,

so spotting them
is never easy.

FÉLICIE: I’m really hoping
we can find a group today.

Lemon sharks are absolutely
perfect for research,

because they hang out in
such big groups normally.

I’m interested in
whether or not sharks
are always social or not.

If some of them are
more social than others.

See this might
be a good place.

That looks very
similar to every other
hang out spot I’ve ever seen.

Oh, I think I see one!

CHESSIE: Oh wait
straight ahead there?

I think you’re right!

FÉLICIE: It’s a lemon!
It’s a lemon! Oh my God.

Here they are.

NARRATOR: In the Bahamas,
marine biologist

Dr. Félicie Dhellemmes and

researcher Chessie Mason
have found a missing
gang of lemon sharks.

FÉLICIE: Oh my God.
Here they are.

NARRATOR: Displaced
by a recent hurricane.

FÉLICIE: Oh, what a relief,

because we didn’t
think we’d find one.

It’s really, really great news
that at least one group is

healthy and is using
the mangroves again.

Oh, here is a baby!

CHESSIE: Oh!

FÉLICIE: Oh my God,
it’s so cute!

Lemon sharks when they
are this age are just the

most adorable
thing in the world.

Their little fins
are just perfect.

They are kind of
funny the way they swim.

I love them.

CHESSIE: How
many can you count.

FÉLICIE: I think
there’s a least five here.

NARRATOR: Like their
great white cousins,

lemon sharks form gangs
from birth for protection,

but that’s not
the only reason.

These sharks seem to
enjoy each other’s company.

CHESSIE: You see those two?

FÉLICIE: Yeah, they
keep on coming together.

CHESSIE: Yeah, really cool.

FÉLICIE: They’re
almost holding fins.

Sharks are social and we’ve
found them to stick together

and to really
have favorite buddies,
at least at this age.

Ah look at him! Hi!

Hi, what’s up my man.

During my research
I’ve seen lemon sharks
be social in captivity,

but it’s really cool to see
that happening in the wild.

CHESSIE: It’s
honestly amazing.

FÉLICIE: I think when most
people think about sharks they

are thinking about
a mindless killer,

but those sharks
have personalities and

even have a social structure
that’s quite complex.

NARRATOR: Though Félicie’s
research suggests that
lemon sharks form friendships,

the Bimini Shark Lab
team is unsure whether

these social bonds exist
amongst bigger predators.

Each winter, great hammerheads
migrate to Bimini,

to prey on
bountiful fish and rays.

These imposing giants can
grow up to 20 feet long.

The head of Bimini Shark Lab,
Matt Smukall and his team,

has been studying the
social dynamics of these

great hammerheads
for almost a decade.

MATT (off-screen): Great
hammerheads can cover
thousands of miles each year

and we're right
along one of their
known migration routes.

It's such a special
opportunity to spend time in

the water with the same
individuals year after year,

and you can almost get to know
their different personalities.

NARRATOR: Today, Matt and
his team prepare to dive with

these giants of the ocean,
to learn if they form gangs,

and how they get along.

MATT: So, we're out
at the, uh, hammerhead site.

Since these are
fairly elusive and

critically endangered sharks,

we're gonna use the
bait to keep them around and

actually observe some of
the different behaviors.

FÉLICIE: I'm gonna get that
tube of bait in the water.

That will start
attracting some hammerheads.

There's already quite a
few nurse sharks here.

MATT: Obviously, when we
have bait in the water,

it's not just hammerheads
that might show up.

At this dive
site we have a lot of
nurse sharks, bull sharks.

So, you always just have
to be paying attention to

the number of sharks you have.

Checking around us,
watch our back.

We’ll have comms down there,

if you want to
relay anything to us.

And then, we’ll also let you
know how things are going.

FÉLICIE: Alright, sounds good.

There’s a hammerhead
right here, we've got
our first one guys!

CHESSIE: Oh, nice.

NARRATOR:
Great hammerheads are
supersized hunting machines,

so getting in the
water with them takes courage.

MATT: The great hammerheads
are one of the biggest sharks

we have in Bimini,
they’re really what you would

classify as an apex predator.

They're designed
to hunt down prey.

They’re just extremely
powerful and can potentially
weigh close to a 1,000 pounds.

That's just pure muscle.

NARRATOR: Hammerheads are
not only big and strong,

they can swim
four times faster
than an Olympic swimmer.

MATT (off-screen): When these
hammerheads want to move,

even though they look big,
they’re super agile.

They are just extremely quick,

they can potentially move
up to 20 miles an hour.

The positioning of those
eyes on the outside of that

big head gives them a
better field of view.

So, they are the ones that are
going to be able to chase down

sting rays, eagle rays,
even smaller sharks.

NARRATOR: Surrounded
by predators eager
for a free meal.

FÉLICIE: You should get ready.
CHESSIE: Yeah, on it.

NARRATOR: The team put
on their scuba gear,

throw in the bait box
and brave the water.

FÉLICIE: Alright guys,
Good luck. All clear.

And they’re off!

MATT: This is
amazing down here.
We have great visibility

CHESSIE: We’re
surrounded by three
different species of shark

FÉLICIE: There’s
those nurse sharks,
there’s bull sharks.

Those great hammerheads.

It's kind of like you're
in an underwater Safari.

CHESSIE: Matt, I think that I
can ID the great hammerhead

I think it’s Scylla. You
can tell from her dorsal fin

FÉLICIE (off-screen): We’ve
been studying those great
hammerheads for many years.

And we needed to be
able to identify them
and recognize them,

so we’ve started
naming them after

Greek Goddess and Gods.

MATT: Now it
looks like we have a
second one coming in

This looks a
little bit bigger

Yeah, I think
that’s Amphitrite

FÉLICIE: There she is!
That’s my girl Amphitrite.

Behaviorally you
can tell that’s her,

because she’s just
up in your face.

She’s the leader out there.

She’s going to
get the food reward.

NARRATOR: Now that Matt
is center of attention,

he can study how these sharks
interact with each other.

MATT: When we're
feeding the hammerheads,

we have to pay attention
to those sharp teeth

That's ultimately what's
probably going to injure you

They're just so big,
so powerful

In most places
around the world

you're lucky to
maybe see one or two
great hammerheads on a dive

We have Amphitrite here

Scylla

Tethys

and I think Gaia just
passed by in the back

FÉLICIE: The whole
gang has turned up now.

FÉLICIE: I'm going
to gear up and get
into the water now

MATT: Yeah, I think it’s kind
of unfair, you know, we’re
down here having all the fun

NARRATOR: During feeding time,
Matt discovers a pecking order

between the species of shark.

MATT: Having all these
different species in the water

you can start to really see
the hierarchy of these sharks

The nurse sharks are
just lying on the bottom
looking for the scraps

Bull sharks are just hanging
around on the perimeter

Big, powerful hammerheads
are kind of the ones
dominating the dive site

CHESSIE: Hammerhead
just came in

MATT: I've never seen
her in Bimini before

Look how enormous
she is. Just the girth

She has to be
around 13 to 14 feet

FÉLICIE: Oh my God.
This must be the biggest
hammerhead I've ever seen.

NARRATOR: In the Bahamas,
the Shark Lab team is

diving deep on
the ocean floor.

To observe the
social interactions of
migrating hammerheads.

MATT: Just have
a new hammerhead

NARRATOR: Out of the blue,
a new gang member appears.

FÉLICIE: Oh my God.
This must be the biggest
hammerhead I've ever seen

There she comes again, guys

For a shark that size,
we're going to have to
give her a really good name

We should call this one Maia,
for the Goddess of mountains

MATT: She’s huge,
but she’s a bit shy

FÉLICIE: Yeah, she hasn't
been very close to us

She seems like she's not
really familiar with the
setup, she's figuring it out

MATT: Yeah, the other
sharks are a lot more bold
and they know what's going on

FÉLICIE: She
disappeared into the blue

MATT: It was an awesome dive.
Let’s head to the surface

CHESSIE: That was awesome.

There’s nothing like
being in the water

with great hammerhead sharks.

NARRATOR:
Onboard, the team discuss
their latest discovery,

that these
hammerheads may be far
more social than expected.

MATT: As the behavior expert,

what did you
think of down there?

FÉLICIE: Oh, I
thought that was
really, really fascinating.

There is obviously a
hierarchy between the
different groups of sharks.

And the difference between
those great hammerheads

is really stunning.

Really, there's some,
they're super bold about it,

and others that
are a bit more shy.

MATT: Being able to spend
multiple years in a row with

the same individuals is where
you really start to get to

understand their
individual personality and

start to respect the
fact that within that group

there might be a hierarchy.

NARRATOR: Scientists
previously thought
that social hierarchy

amongst sharks
was strictly based on size,

but the behavior
of this gigantic,

14-foot hammerhead, now
challenges this theory.

MATT (off-screen): She's
the biggest hammerhead that
we've had in Bimini to date.

But even though she's massive,
she's actually a bit timid.

She's not just
throwing her weight around.

She's coming in
trying to figure out

her positioning in this group.

It really makes you
understand that it's not

always the size
of the shark in the fight,

but really a lot
of times the size of
the fight in that shark.

How bold they are and how much
they're driven to want to be

the leader of that group.

NARRATOR: The Shark Lab’s
pioneering research suggests

that sharks are
far more social
than previously thought.

But here, in Florida, there
are scientists who believe

that sharks form gangs for
more than just friendship.

Shark behavioral expert,
Dr. Yannis Papastamatiou,

is at one of the world’s most
spectacular natural events,

the Mullet Run.

Searching for evidence
that sharks form gangs to

strengthen their
hunting skills.

YANNIS: Seasonally we have
very large numbers of mullet

forming these huge groups.

This attracts a
lot of predators,

including sharks, but the main
species you’re probably going

to see are some
of the black tips.

NARRATOR: Black tips are
extremely agile sharks.

They strike schools of fish
with such velocity and force,

they fly clean
out of the water.

And where better to show
off these deadly skills

than during the mullet run.

YANNIS (off-screen):
They perform seasonal
migrations and they come down

here in such vast numbers,

up to 10,000 along
the beaches here.

They are mostly eating fish,
but they are probably

responsible for a fair number
of accidental bites on humans.

NARRATOR: Florida is
infamous for shark attacks.

In 2020, there were
16 unprovoked shark
bites in this state,

nearly half of all
attacks in the country.

Local boat captain Greg Bogdan
knows first-hand that these

attacks often
involve black tips,

and oblivious tourists caught
in the mullet run mayhem.

GREG: So as the fish are
coming down the beach,

the big predators are
pushing them closer and

closer to the beach.

And you get these people that
have no idea and they swim out

and there’s sharks
just crashing everywhere.

And there’s people out there,

literally in the middle of
a monster feeding frenzy.

YANNIS: So, they’re
hunting right next to shore?

GREG: Oh, yeah.
There’s a whole series of reef
that runs along the beach here

and kind of bottle
necks all the bait.

YANNIS: So, the mullet
can’t get any deeper.

They’re right on the beach.

The reef is really
helping the predators out.

NARRATOR: Today, Yannis
wants to witness the
mullet run for himself,

and observe whether
these black tips are

deliberately forming
gangs to optimize these
perfect hunting conditions.

YANNIS: I’m really interested
in whether these animals are

actually hunting together.

True cooperation is where
everybody has a specific job

and works together.

Orcas for example will
create a barrel wave

to knock seals off the ice.

It’s much more
cryptic with sharks.

It could just be that you
have this big lump of food and

everybody just turns up.

It doesn’t mean
they’re hunting together.

NARRATOR: Conditions are
far too dangerous to enter

the water during
the feeding frenzy.

So Yannis sends up a drone,
to get a bird’s eye view of

whether these black tips
are working together to hunt.

YANNIS: We have a pretty
nice school of mullet here.

You can see how
many sharks there
are off shore, hundreds.

The fish don’t
really have the option
of going to deeper water,

they’ve been boxed in.

NARRATOR: Now that the mullet
are cornered the hunt begins.

YANNIS: That sharks just
accelerated into the group.

From here it looks like
it could be a black tip.

You can see that halo around
the sharks as they move along,

so the fish are
getting out of their way.

NARRATOR: But this stealthy
black tip is not alone,

his friends are
along for the kill.

YANNIS (off-screen): Now we’ve
got more sharks coming in,

got one, two, four, five, six.

There, now they’re getting it!

NARRATOR: Off the coast
of Florida, near Miami,

Dr. Yannis Papastamatiou
is watching a swarm of

black tip sharks feeding on
thousands of migrating fish.

YANNIS (off-screen): Now
we’ve got more sharks coming,

got one, two, four, five, six.

NARRATOR: He’s
trying to work out if these
predators are working alone,

or if they are deliberately
forming gangs and

cooperating to
hunt their prey.

YANNIS (off-screen): There,
now they’re getting hit!

♪ ♪

GREG: Some of them are
using the waves to kind of

group the mullet.

YANNIS: Yeah. Yeah.

♪ ♪

NARRATOR: Although dozens of
black tips are attacking the

mullet in the waves, Yannis
isn’t convinced that the

sharks are deliberately
hunting together

in a coordinated way.

YANNIS (off-screen):
A lot of it could be
simple social foraging.

Social foraging is simply
when individuals hunt

in a group together.

It does not mean that they’re
cooperating with each other.

It could be much
simpler than that.

It could just be,
I chase some fish,

the fish escapes from me,

but swims straight
into somebody else.

Who then gets it.

Now overtime that
should benefit everybody.

If these
animals hunt in a group
everybody’s success goes up.

NARRATOR: Scientists are
convinced sharks form gangs

for a variety of reasons.

Protection, friendship and to
boost their hunting success.

But in the Indian Ocean, could
there be evidence that sharks

are working together
to co-ordinate their
attacks, on humans.

With a staggering 23 attacks
and ten fatalities since 2011.

Reunion Island, off
the coast of Madagascar,

is known as the,
"Shark Bite Capital,"

of the world.

The species responsible for
many of these human attacks

is the bull shark.

Earning an
infamous reputation as an
aggressive, deadly shark.

Now a sinister incident is
striking fear into beachgoers

across the Indian Ocean.

Eyewitnesses report,
a man being attacked.

MAN (over radio): Oh my God!

NARRATOR: By more than
one bull shark at a time.

Could one of the ocean’s
deadliest predators be

working together
to hunt in a pack?

In the Bahamas,
Bull Shark expert

Matt Smukall,
examines this hypothesis.

And believes there could be
an alternative explanation.

MATT: Because
there’s going to be

multiple bull sharks
in the same area,

sometimes people assume that
they are hunting in a pack.

I personally think each
individual is listening for

these cues in the environment,

like a smacking of a fish
carcass on the surface,

because it means it's
a food source for them.

And what's good for
one is probably good for

the three or
four other sharks.

NARRATOR: Today, Matt and
researcher Chessie Mason,

target a bull shark hotspot,
to test Matt’s theory that

bull sharks are not
hunting in packs but
are feeding individually.

MATT (off-screen):
All right, Chessie.

Let's just keep an eye out
for any bull sharks and

start getting some
of our gear ready.

CHESSIE: We're at a
place where bull sharks
tend to congregate.

They've got very used to
associating fish carcasses

that have fallen into
the marina from fishermen

with an easy meal.

MATT: You’re going to be,

kind of the eyes up
here at the surface.

So just really pay attention
to what’s going on and where

the sharks are coming from.

We're going to start throwing
small pieces of fish into

the water and see if
the bull sharks will be

drawn in and how they respond.

Do multiple
bull sharks respond to
that one piece of bait?

Is there a pack mentality?

NARRATOR: Acting
alone or in a pack,

the bull shark is considered

the world’s most
dangerous shark.

As they’ve adapted to swim in
shallow waters near humans.

MATT (off-screen):
It's never recommended to
swim in a place that sharks

have started to
associate with free food.

The safest way to be
able to observe these
sharks is to get in a cage,

so we don’t have to worry
about watching our back.

All right, Chessie.

Let's start throwing
some bait in the water.

MATT (off-screen):
Bull sharks, when you
see them in the water,

you know exactly why
they got that name.

They're huge, their powerful,
they’re just full of muscle.

NARRATOR: Bull sharks
charge their prey with
their giant-sized heads,

but they’ve got an
even more lethal weapon.

MATT (off-screen):
Bull sharks have one of
the more powerful bites

in the shark world.

They have these big rows of
teeth designed to grab and

eat fish whole.

CHESSIE: This is
pretty incredible.

We've actually
got 12 different
bull sharks here, maybe more.

MATT: I think
this is our chance.

You keep an eye from up here.

♪ ♪

NARRATOR: In the Bahamas,
marine biologist Matt Smukall

and researcher Chessie Mason,

entice bull sharks into
a marina using bait.

To observe whether or
not they work together

and hunt in a gang.

Now Matt enters the
water during feeding time.

(oxygen tank hissing)

MATT: It’s just an amazing
opportunity to be down here

We’ve have twelve bull sharks,
circling around the cage

Nice, big mature sharks,
probably 8 to 9 feet

They don’t even notice
I’m in the water with them

I can actually understand
what they’re doing naturally

and how they behave
with each other

The two sharks come in
for that same piece of bait

They sense each other.
One will turn away

while the other takes
that piece of bait

CHESSIE: One of the
sharks got the piece of food,

and the others kind
of recognized that and

they all kind of dispersed.

These sharks are
incredibly intelligent,

when I throw a piece
of bait in you can see

them react instantly.

MATT: As those sharks
are splashing at the surface,

that’s more noise
and more excitement

that’s slowly
drawing a couple more
bull sharks into this area

NARRATOR: As the sharks
pick off the pieces of bait,

Matt observes that
unlike the hammerheads,

the hierarchy of
these bull sharks is
based mainly on size.

MATT: Some of the
bigger sharks are hanging
up towards the surface

and a couple of
the smaller bulls

are kind of hanging
out on the perimeter,
looking for their opportunity

It's more of maybe a
size dominance thing

where a couple of
these big females

are the ones that
these smaller sharks
are trying to avoid

NARRATOR: In the bull shark
pecking order size counts,

but Matt isn’t
convinced they’re
cooperating with each other.

MATT: So it doesn’t seem like
there’s one particular shark
that’s controlling everything

They’re not hunting in a pack

They’re individuals
looking for that piece
of bait on its own

It’s actually what we thought

CHESSIE: How was it?
MATT: It’s amazing.

Such a nice spot
to be able to observe
their natural behavior

and how they’re
interacting with each other.

NARRATOR: Matt’s dive
reveals that bull sharks
feed independently.

He also believes
they’re unlikely to form
gangs to attack people.

MATT(off-screen):
Bull sharks have this
unfair reputation as a

mindless predator and
that's completely not true.

CHESSIE: They were all pretty
chilled with each other.

MATT: Because of the
habitat that they're in,

they have a high chance of
overlapping with humans.

They go into murky water,
they go in near shore.

While there are unfortunately
attacks in those areas,

most likely it's
mistaken identity.

And when there's a report
of multiple sharks involved.

It's probably, because they're
actually competing for food

rather than working together.

NARRATOR: Experts
believe sharks form gangs for

protection and friendship, but
they’re yet to be convinced

that these
predators work together
to coordinate attacks.

But in California could the
ocean’s most feared predator

be hunting in gangs?

EMILY: Oh, there they are!

CHRIS: Yamilla is
deploying what we call a BRUV,

which is a baited, remote,
underwater video survey.

Five years ago, we wouldn’t be
able to do what we are doing

now and for the first time
we’ve made great strides.

NARRATOR: Using cutting
edge underwater surveillance,

the Shark Lab team is now
building a clearer picture of

why gangs of
great white sharks are

attracted to these
Californian waters.

CHRIS: So originally,
we were using it as a
tool to identify individuals.

But we can also use
them to measure how many
prey we see in that area.

NARRATOR: Using the cameras,
Chris discovers that this area

is a perfect hunting ground
for juvenile white sharks

of different ages.

CHRIS: We have newborns,
we have one-year old’s,

two-year-old’s,
three-year-old’s,
four-year-old’s,

probably up to six years old
all hanging out here.

We have really young ones
here with more mature ones,

who are learning the ropes.

And it’s very possible that
they are watching other sharks

successfully dig out
and locate sting rays and

then are mimicking
that behavior.

NARRATOR: So, could this
be the major breakthrough?

Are these gangs of
great whites learning
to hunt from each other?

CHRIS: What we know
is certain individuals
will hang out together

and tend mimic each other.

And that’s the first
indication that we have that

there’s a communication.

It is very possible
that these sharks are
hanging out together

and creating
some sort of bond.

We’re finding that
they are far more social
than we’ve ever thought.

NARRATOR: If sharks
are communicating,

learning from one another,
maybe even hunting together.

Then perhaps the ocean’s
most feared predators,

could be combining forces,
in a bid to rule the deep.

Captioned by
Cotter Media Group.