|
WORLD: Journey Inside the Great White Shark |
| January 13, 2005 |
By Jennifer Jacquet, AquaNews Correspondent
 | Fabien Cousteau prepares to pilot his 14-foot 'Trojan Sub,' a life-size mechanical replica of a great white shark.
Photo: © Richard Wollocombe |
Researchers off the coast of California and Mexico recently got an up-close look at great white sharks – from the inside out. A team of scientists built a life-size great white shark submarine that looks and swims like the real thing, and a camera crew recorded its encounters with live sharks for an upcoming film.
The 14-foot 'Trojan Sub,' as he likes to call it, was the brainchild of Fabien Cousteau, the grandson of underwater legend Jacques Cousteau. Aside from his famous lineage, Cousteau brought his personal ideals to the film.
"Instead of telling the same old tired story, we're trying to shed some new light on sharks and trying to demystify them a bit," Cousteau told AquaNews, referring to the jaw-chomping scenes in many shark-attack movies. Cousteau’s team wanted to make a film that differed from those that perpetuate the aggression of sharks.
Using cameras to spy on live sharks from inside the life-like mechanical one, Cousteau was able to get a more natural look at these powerful, intelligent, and largely misunderstood animals than if he had been in a cage. "I didn’t just see their instinct, but (also) their cognitive abilities," said an enthusiastic Cousteau. "They’re very cautious animals. They don’t just come in, guns blazing, like 99% of films show."
The film comes at an opportune time. Overfishing has depleted great white sharks globally; they are slow growing and produce few young, which makes them particularly vulnerable to fishing pressure. Late last year, international trade in great white sharks was regulated under an international treaty called CITES. Before that time, trade in their jaws, teeth, and fins went unrecorded and uncontrolled. The film’s controversial title, "The Mind of the Demon," actually refers to the destruction of shark populations by human activities.
This summer, Cousteau hopes to sell the film to a network for broadcast later this year. Undoubtedly, there will be a disclaimer advising viewers not to try this at home.
Click Images to Enlarge: |
 |
 |
Fabien Cousteau prepares for a dive inside the 'Trojan Sub.' Photo: © Richard Wollocombe |
A cross-section of the shark sub showing the diver inside. Image: © 2003 E.P. Industries | This 'still' from Cousteau's movie shows the Shark Sub in action. Photo: © Fabien Cousteau |
 |
Jennifer Jacquet is a freelance writer and environmental economist.
Her work focuses on open-access resources, particularly the dilemmas facing the marine environment.
|
Source: Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre
|
