Why Sharks Attack: Secrets of the Great White

Gr 5 Up—Great white sharks were once predators infrequently encountered by man. An increase in the great white shark population off Cape Cod and a spike in the number of fatal great white attacks off western Australia have scientists and conservationists involved in a race to understand the increase in attacks, in order to prevent them. Comments from seashore rangers in Cape Cod, victims of attacks, marine fisheries experts, conservationists, and university scientists are interspersed with wonderful scenes of the ocean, marine life, and boats and spotter planes tracking the sharks. Data analysis from tagged sharks has provided much information, but there is still much to learn. Other sharks that are known to attack humans are also mentioned—hammerhead, bull, bronze whaler, tiger—but the main focus is on the great white. Laboratory work, including dissection of specimens and analysis of data, and experiments with various types of deterrents (electrical, flashing lights, camouflage) conducted in (the appropriately named) Shark Bay, Australia, attest to the scope of the ongoing research. The basis in reality that is exaggerated in the movie Jaws is also discussed. Comments from Wendy Benchley, shark conservationist and wife of the late Jaws author Peter Benchley, are included. Useful for marine and general biology, ecology, and math/statistics classes, this film is a worthy addition to video collections.—Cynthia Ortiz, Hackensack High School, NJ