Camo Sharks (2022) Movie Script
NARRATOR: The great white shark,
fearsome and fascinating.
But is there more to these apex predators
than first meets the eye?
Two scientists...
Sheesh!
NARRATOR:
with a groundbreaking theory...
This should give us some really good data.
RYAN: I've got a shark.
NARRATOR: will launch
an unprecedented investigation...
to find out
if these explosive hunters...
Oh, my gosh! Yes!
NARRATOR: can camouflage their skin,
making them the ultimate predator.
Armed with over 300 gnashing teeth,
growing up to 20 feet
and weighing 5,000 pounds,
and capable of speeds
of over 20 miles per hour,
the great white shark has been
the perfect predator for 12 million years.
In Mossel Bay, South Africa,
there is a great white shark hot spot.
On any given day,
we can have probably upwards
of 50 different great white sharks
that are swimming in this bay.
My name's Ryan Johnson,
I'm a shark biologist,
based here in southern Africa.
Two sharks here, Gibbs.
I'm Gibbs Kuguru. I'm a shark geneticist.
I'm based in the Netherlands.
NARRATOR:
Together, these scientists have developed
a potentially game-changing theory
about the ocean's most infamous predator.
RYAN: I think myself and a lot
of scientists have always been wrapped up
in the speed, the power, the size,
the strength of great white sharks.
But as you look at them, you realize maybe
there's something very subtle going on.
And that's when we caught on
to the idea that,
"Are these sharks actually
manipulating their color
to become almost camo sharks?"
NARRATOR: Camouflage is common
among marine creatures.
Octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish are
capable of lightning-fast color shifts,
and blending into an environment
can be an advantage
to both prey and predators.
RYAN: All these other animals
use camouflage
and sophisticated techniques
to blend into the environment.
But sharks, that's a different story.
NARRATOR: Great whites are
varying shades of gray
on the dorsal side of their bodies
with a white belly underneath.
This countershading helps sharks blend in,
whether seen from above or below.
But the ability of sharks to actively
camouflage would be a revelation.
The theory that great white sharks
can change
and modulate their color
is the first of its kind.
There has been some research done
on smaller species of shark,
but never in anything
the size of a great white shark,
never on a predator as famous and renowned
as a great white shark.
Now, proving it is gonna be
massively challenging.
NARRATOR: To put their theory to the test,
Ryan and Gibbs are launching
a one-of-a-kind investigation.
GIBBS: We heard just about
every fisherman's tale
about these sharks
spontaneously changing color.
But then you look at the literature,
and you find actually there's little clues
that might show
that this really is happening.
NARRATOR: Great whites can be found
in cool coastal waters around the world.
And in South Africa,
they are well documented.
So I got these photos
from my research buddy, Dylan.
This is a massive database all through
the entire South African country.
He's matched up all these
fin photos from the years.
NARRATOR: The collection is comprised
of thousands of sharks.
Nostalgic, looking back
at these old photos.
- Yeah. You took a couple of these.
- Yeah.
NARRATOR: Key identifiers like scars
and unique dorsal fins
mean scientists can track and compare
the color of individual sharks.
RYAN: See, this one here is
massively lighter than the other one.
- This one's dark, this one's light.
- NARRATOR: But the evidence is flawed.
RYAN: Yup. This is all the same shark.
The problem we had in trying to look at
whether sharks are modulating their color
is the databases in the past
didn't have a frame of reference
for us to be able to tell
if this shark was actually
darker or lighter.
NARRATOR: Lighting conditions, weather,
and even camera settings
can completely change
a shark's appearance.
RYAN: If we're gonna prove that
this type of color change
is actually the shark changing color,
we need some type of control.
And that's when I came up
with the color board.
NARRATOR: The grayscale
color board will be the key
to collecting visual evidence
of color change
through a range of experiments.
RYAN: It's impossible for us
to accurately measure
the color of a shark in the wild.
That's the beauty of the color board.
As long as I can get photographs
of the color board
and the sharks together,
take it back to the computer,
correct the colors,
then I can find out
the exact color of that shark.
NARRATOR: These experiments
should also provide clues
to the factors that motivate camouflage.
RYAN: There has been a few studies
on captive species
to show that sharks can change color,
and that it is hormonally controlled.
What I'm hoping to do
is prove conclusively
that great white sharks can change color
and that it is related
to certain behaviors.
When I look at it, it's so simple,
but it's actually a stroke of genius
how this really solves
the problem of, you know,
getting this, you know,
color change in view.
I think that's the first time
I've ever been called a genius.
I'll take it because it is rare.
(laughing)
The next step is, how am I gonna
get this color board
next to the shark
in these different situations?
And that just takes
a little bit of creativity.
- So, you got that, mate?
- Alright, cool, yeah. Let's get going.
RYAN: Careful, careful, careful, careful.
Keep the tension.
GIBBS: There we go.
It's gonna be exciting stuff.
RYAN: One of the most important tests
that we're gonna do is the breaching test.
GIBBS: Breaching is sort of
this ambush attack.
You know, they need speed, power, stealth.
RYAN: This is when we're gonna be able
to measure the color
of a great white shark
in its ultimate hunting mode.
NARRATOR: In the middle
of Mossel Bay sits Seal Island.
RYAN: This island is the epicenter
for great white sharks in South Africa.
NARRATOR: Every day, hundreds of fur seals
swim for their lives...
through a gauntlet of great whites.
RYAN: The great white shark's success rate
in hunting Cape fur seals
is almost 50 percent,
and that's really high for any predator.
With these sharks,
they've got very specific areas
where they want to hunt and patrol,
and it's usually right
underneath the natural routes
that the seals are exiting
and entering the islands.
NARRATOR: Ryan and Gibbs
are towing a decoy seal
in the hopes of encouraging
sharks to breach.
RYAN: It's about trying
to capture the breaching shark
alongside a color board and being able to
measure the color of that breaching shark.
NARRATOR: It's a quiet morning,
but Seal Island rarely disappoints.
Oh, there's a predation!
Natural predation right over there!
Oh, still going for it.
Oh, oh!
- GIBBS: Ho, ho!
- This is hot... Oh!
RYAN: This, this seal is in trouble.
GIBBS: Yeah.
He's using the boat for cover.
And even though the shark missed
on that first breach,
it scared that seal so much
that it's now hiding around
the boat, using it for cover.
NARRATOR: The seal leads
the shark right to the decoy.
- RYAN: Woo!
- GIBBS: Oh, yes!
- Got it! Got it!
- Nice one, man.
NARRATOR: The shark and the color board
are clearly in frame.
It's the first successful breach
of the experiment.
It sends goosebumps
down my spine every time.
I mean, you just can't...
you can't help but feel emotional
every time you see it.
NARRATOR: Sharks are here in numbers.
GIBBS: Oh, ho!
- RYAN: There we go!
- GIBBS: There we go.
NARRATOR: Stalking seals...
all...
day...
- long.
- GIBBS: It's having a go at it.
Woo!
NARRATOR: As the sun sets
after a day of data collection,
the team hopes for one last breach.
RYAN: Hit that spot. Hit that spot.
Oh, ho!
Alright, we've lost the color board,
we've lost the decoy.
GIBBS: Dang it!
RYAN: Because it's so dark, the shark
couldn't even see which way to go.
He's going for it again!
NARRATOR: Sharks often hunt at twilight,
but in the darkness, even a great white
can miscalculate.
- RYAN: Oh, oh, oh.
- GIBBS: Dang it.
RYAN: This is gonna be
an issue floating again.
NARRATOR: They'll have to rebuild
before getting back on the water.
But building their database
of evidence is underway.
RYAN: Just looking at that
and comparing that to the color board.
Right up there, isn't it? Dark.
Science is not fast, it takes a long time,
it takes a lot of data.
- Nice.
- Ooh.
RYAN: Particularly when you're trying
to rewrite a whole idea
on a sort of scientific paradigm.
This is money in the bank,
each one of these.
NARRATOR: But there's more
to this study than meets the eye.
RYAN: The behavior is only
one side of the study.
The cellular work is the other side,
and it's equally as important.
Yeah, it's a male. Definitely a juvenile.
NARRATOR: Ryan and Gibbs have a rare
opportunity with their investigation.
So that's a juvenile.
RYAN: A chance to get to work
with a great white like this
comes around, you know, once or twice
in a career, for, for at least me.
First time.
NARRATOR: When sharks are
tragically caught in fishing nets...
RYAN: Okay, that's good.
NARRATOR: scientists like
Dr. Matt Dicken ensure it isn't in vain.
MATT DICKEN: One of the things
we do at the Sharks Board
is collect as many samples as possible.
And that really improves our knowledge
and science of this incredible species.
NARRATOR: Dissection will let
the team search for vital clues
to their color change theory,
hidden in the stomach of the shark.
The diets of great whites are seasonal
and change as they grow larger
and more powerful.
So what and where sharks eat
could tell us something
about their need for camouflage.
RYAN: It's quite tough, eh?
I want this definitive proof
that these great whites
do, in fact, feed at the surface,
feed mid-water, feed at the bottom.
And this is sort of
the detective work you have to play
to actually identify
what the animals are eating.
- MATT: You know what that is?
- GIBBS: No. What is it?
- Stingray barb.
- No way!
So again, I'm thinking that actually
could be the real evidence you need
that these white sharks
are feeding on the bottom.
GIBBS: Right on.
- Outstanding.
- RYAN: Dang.
NARRATOR:
This small find proves a big point.
The ability to adapt camouflage
could be a huge advantage
to the vastly different hunting strategies
at the bright surface
and the dark sea floor.
RYAN: Great success
with the stomach contents.
You know, finding that evidence
of the stingray
and that the sharks do have this varied
hunting behavior that we wanted.
GIBBS: And there's
a whole bunch of them, too.
NARRATOR: But the key
to proving color change
is scientifically possible
goes beyond skin deep.
My research is based on the skin of sharks
and the different adaptations they have
that cause their skin to work
in different ways.
One of these adaptations
that we think they may have
is this ability to change color.
We wanted to design an experiment
that would sort of tell us
if this is even possible.
NARRATOR: The secret to color change
may be hidden at the molecular level,
with a little-known cell
called a melanocyte.
GIBBS: A melanocyte is the tissue that
sort of gives rise to pigment in animals.
It acts kind of like a circuit board
underneath the skin
where it sort of flexes and contracts
based on what the animal needs.
So let's say you have
a stimulus from the sun,
the circuit board tells
your skin to go a bit darker.
And, you know, vice versa,
if you haven't seen enough sun,
it'll cause your pigment to sort of
shrink in, i.e., it goes paler.
NARRATOR: To understand
if melanocytes are present
and capable of changing
a shark's skin color,
the team has devised a series of tests.
GIBBS: We're gonna try and take
some tissue samples
of the skin of the shark
and then expose it to some hormones
to see if this actually does induce
a color change response.
And we're hoping that as each of these
hormones interacts with the tissue,
it actually causes them
to go lighter or darker.
NARRATOR: The hormones replicate those
that are believed to flow
through a live shark
during behavior like hunting or resting.
GIBBS: We do have some hypotheses
for what these hormones will do.
The first one, MSH,
is actually a hormone that stimulates
the expansion of the melanocytes
in just about every species
that has melanin.
We have the adrenaline
which has triggered a paling response
in some sharks and has also created
a darkening response in some fish.
And then the last hormone
is the melatonin.
And we think this is definitely going
to give it a paling response.
NARRATOR: If the test works,
it should change the color of the skin.
This feels like a real moment of truth,
seeing how these sharks actually
will respond to these hormones.
- RYAN: Ready?
- GIBBS: Yup.
NARRATOR: But the samples
don't appear to be changing.
I actually don't think that
the skin is really reacting. It's...
Looks more or less the same.
The dead shark skin doesn't seem
like it's going to work.
I think that's just because the tissue
of the shark is physiologically dead.
So all the little biochemical pathways
are totally shut down.
This is a new experiment.
And I think this is typical of science,
that it doesn't work the first time.
Yeah, I think Ryan and I are gonna have
to tweak our methodology.
NARRATOR: Most sharks are shades
of gray or brown.
Some, like the tiger or zebra, have
distinct patterns that set them apart.
In False Bay, South Africa,
Ryan and Gibbs are looking
for a species with an adaptation
as incredible... as color change.
GIBBS: Puffadder sharks are probably
one of the most docile sharks.
You'll oftentimes see them
sort of nestled between two rocks
or snuggling around a piece of kelp.
So they're cute.
They're not like a great white,
that's for certain.
But puffadder shyshark recently has been
discovered to exhibit biofluorescence.
And that means essentially
it's a glow-in-the-dark type shark.
NARRATOR: Why a shark would evolve
to glow is a mystery.
RYAN: They're incredibly camouflaged
to the reefs that we'd find them on.
And I always wondered why would an animal
that's so focused on camouflage
then start glowing?
NARRATOR: Ryan designed
a specialized camera
outfitted with UV lights
to observe glowing puffadders.
RYAN: Ready, buddy?
NARRATOR: Documenting them firsthand will
require diving this shark-filled bay...
at night.
RYAN: Night diving is an acquired taste.
And tonight, all we're gonna have
is this UV light,
which is essentially invisible to us.
The rest of it's gonna be black.
NARRATOR: In the deep,
dark oceans around the world,
some species of marine life have evolved
not to camouflage, but to glow.
These abilities are called bioluminescence
and biofluorescence.
Bioluminescence is a chemical process
in which an organism generates light.
Like a lantern shark that glows
to avoid predators,
or plankton glowing
at the ocean's surface.
Biofluorescence... is a different
and more mysterious process.
GIBBS: Biofluorescence is the ability
for an organism
to take in a certain wavelength of light
and re-emit a different wavelength.
RYAN: As you go deeper, all the light
disappears except for blue light.
And what these puffadders seem to do
is take in that blue light,
then emit out this yellow-green light
that sort of gives them this
glow-in-the-dark appearance.
GIBBS: The key here is to figure out
how sharks are using light
and color to be better adapted
to their environment.
So we're here to explore what this does
for them and their survival.
NARRATOR: Many corals,
over 180 species of fish,
and even some crabs display neon colors
when exposed to UV light.
Swell sharks in California also glow green
under light that mimics
how they see one another.
Why is not exactly known,
but many scientists believe
it comes down to enabling communication
while still retaining camouflage
from predators.
RYAN: And what we think
is happening is that
the shark's eyes evolved
to see this yellow-green
sort of spectrum of the light.
GIBBS: This is an adaptation
so they can essentially,
at night, navigate these waters undetected
from other organisms
but still be able to see each other.
NARRATOR: Even as they glow
to one another,
camouflage remains key to their survival,
as it may be for the great white.
Biology is inherently a comparative art.
We understand more about one species
by understanding how other species do it.
NARRATOR: Whether camouflaging
or communicating,
the puffadder's appearance seems
to be connected to its behavior.
RYAN: So there's two parts
of the color theory.
One is that individual sharks
can manipulate their color
and two, that their color is determined
by different activities.
NARRATOR: With the color board repaired,
the team sets out in search
of more great whites
to document for their database.
I know this is a resting area
for great white sharks.
So the idea is to try
to get this color board
next to what I think is a resting shark.
And if it is that this color is controlled
by the hormone levels,
you could find that a resting shark
hanging out is a very different color
to one that's motivated
by hunting or scavenging.
NARRATOR: While Ryan operates a drone,
Gibbs captains a remote-controlled boat.
(propeller whirring)
RYAN: Hey, I got a shark.
Gibbs, I got a shark, buddy!
- GIBBS: You got one?
- RYAN: I'm on a shark. (laughs)
GIBBS: Alright.
Let's throw this RC boat in.
Okay, let go, let go.
- You got it.
- RYAN: Go, you got to go hard, buddy.
Go hard, go fast.
- Can you see me?
- RYAN: Not yet. Not yet.
GIBBS: Uh, going forward still.
- RYAN: Gotcha.
- GIBBS: Yeah, I think that's it.
RYAN: I gotcha, buddy. You got it?
- (laughs)
- Nice.
- RYAN: I'm just gonna bring it around.
- GIBBS: Yeah.
You got me there?
RYAN: Yeah, I'm gonna bring it down lower,
just so I can get the color...
There we go. So we get the color board.
- GIBBS: Nice.
- RYAN: Okay, that's good.
There she is, she's up at the surface now.
- Yeah. Outstanding.
- Yeah, man.
NARRATOR: A resting shark
and color board are in shot.
It could provide very different data
to the great white mid-hunt.
This is just one piece
of a far larger experiment.
NARRATOR: To contrast with images
of resting at the surface
and hunting above it, the team also needs
to capture color data at depth
when sharks are scavenging.
RYAN: Color changes very quickly
as you go deeper into the water column.
The reason why I'm so interested
in doing the experiments down deep
is because how a shark
would camouflage itself
at the surface is very different
to how it would camouflage
itself at the bottom.
NARRATOR: Ryan will be lowered
over 30 feet in his custom dive cage.
Come on out,
and let's get this cage down there.
We lost the GoPro zoom.
It's gonna be in the cage.
Oh, she's gonna go right for the cage.
Nice.
The purpose of this whole, you know,
attracting sharks to the boat
was to get them close to the color board.
Another shark.
Drew, look at her diving down there.
RYAN: When you are down deep there,
you don't know if what you're seeing
is actually accurate
because the light has degraded so much,
and the visibility is so bad.
So that's why it's really essential
that we have that color board,
and we can capture the shark
and the color board together.
'Cause then I can
take it back, correct it,
and work out truthfully
what the color of that shark is.
Now she dives down.
These sharks are giving us plenty of data.
NARRATOR: It's a rare glimpse
into the great white's deep-water world,
where they scavenge
for rays and other prey.
RYAN: The whole setup worked well.
What was striking me was the camouflage.
It is the camouflage that makes
these sharks successful.
That ability to blend
into the environment,
and that environment down there,
it's, it's monochrome.
- Hey, you work for it. You work for it.
- Yeah, sure.
NARRATOR: With their database nearly
complete, Ryan and Gibbs are finally able
to turn their research further afield
to reports from a remote part of the world
and another unique shark skin adaptation.
GIBBS: As part of our investigation
on sharks and color,
we're looking for another species of shark
that may actually be able to change
their color for the sake of camouflage.
NARRATOR: Species like
the wobbegong and angel shark
use unique skin patterns
evolved over millions of years
to camouflage into their surroundings.
But sharks
with changing skin patterns are rare.
A study in the Maldives investigates
whether a genetic condition
is causing one species
to exhibit this uncommon adaptation.
GIBBS: We are here
in the beautiful, sunny Maldives
in a place called Baa Atoll
looking for a very rare type
of blacktip reef shark.
NARRATOR: Tropical reefs are hot spots
of life and adaptation.
While some creatures try to stand out,
others do all they can to blend in.
Could this unique case provide clues
to how great white skin might change?
My perspective
on what brings great whites close
to these blacktip reef sharks
is down at the molecular level.
This report came out a couple years ago,
and it had these images of these sharks
that had developed
this weird spotted pattern.
And I think this might be caused
by a genetic disorder called leucism.
Leucism is a genetic trait that's caused
by the malfunction of the melanocytes.
So when it stops working properly,
we start to see this patchy distribution
where melanin pigment
in the shark is lost.
NARRATOR: Gibbs is using methods
both old and new...
seeking photographic evidence
and genetic samples of leucistic sharks.
But is this condition an unfortunate
aberration or possibly rapid adaptation?
This genetic disorder of leucism
is like a freak accident.
It might have the exact key
these sharks need
to be camouflaged better
in their environment.
If these blacktip reef sharks
are actually able to camouflage,
it really means that these sharks have
somehow or another
found a way to actually live around
the human impacts of climate change.
And I say this because the Maldives
has actually experienced
quite a bit of negative impacts
from climate change.
Sea surface temperatures
have been above 30 degrees,
and that's caused the corals to bleach.
So when you see the coral reef,
there's a whole bunch of dead corals
mixed in with the living corals,
and that makes the environment have
this random scattered pattern.
And I think these sharks might
actually be blending in better
in their environment than the other sharks
that haven't developed
this genetic disorder.
From the report,
we found that these sharks
that have the leucism are all juveniles,
which makes me think that
either these sharks are surviving
and growing out of this skin pattern,
or maybe this genetic disorder is lethal.
But all we would need is proof
of just one subadult animal
with this trait to say that actually
there is a chance that they are surviving.
The Maldives is a perfect place
to find these blacktip reef sharks.
Unfortunately, they are very skittish.
- Hey, Ryan, how's it going?
- RYAN (over video): I'm doing well, man.
I'm curious, very curious
how it's going in Maldives.
Have you managed to be able
to catch the sharks,
do the genetic samples,
anything like that yet?
I haven't been able
to get my hands on these sharks.
Unfortunately, it's, it's a bit
more challenging than I expected.
But we did manage to get one leucistic
blacktip reef shark in plain view.
So that's, that's something.
Do they actually blend in?
GIBBS: I would definitely say
that their random pattern is matching
that random pattern of the coral reefs.
And unlike the smaller ones,
leucism is actually presenting itself
a little bit less.
It's almost like these larger ones
are growing out of it.
RYAN: Wow.
The zebra shark does exactly that:
as they grow up,
then they change their color.
NARRATOR: Like the zebra shark,
this group of blacktips
could be morphing their skin pattern
as they grow and become less vulnerable.
And while any heightened camouflage
seems to be connected
to melanocytes in the skin,
leucism appears very different
to any rapid hormonal change
affecting the skin of great whites.
Whilst we are seeing
some color aberrations,
I don't think this is exactly what I was
looking for when I came out here.
RYAN: Now, I've been thinking more
about the great white
and the skin sample test
and the hormone test.
We didn't get the response.
I want to know more about this
and whether we got a solution.
Clearly, the dead cells didn't work.
So I would suggest
that we get back out there
and collect some of this live tissue
from the great whites
so that we can actually get these cells
to change in real time.
NARRATOR: While the team prepares for
a final attempt to collect live samples,
Ryan begins to crunch the numbers
on his color board database
for the first time.
We've put the color board
alongside the cage diving boat
where we can see a shark
that's in a scavenging mode.
We've also taken the color board down
to the bottom of the ocean.
And then we've also looked
for resting sharks.
The most exciting experiment,
but the most challenging,
was getting the color board next
to breaching, hunting great white sharks.
In this type of behavior mode,
these sharks need to maximize
their camouflage.
If we can match up the sharks
in different experiments,
we can see whether those sharks, in fact,
do change color, and then secondly,
how that color relates
to the different activities.
NARRATOR: The first step is to identify
images of an individual shark
that were captured in various experiments.
RYAN: The idea is that we sort of build up
the identification of the shark
over different images,
over different situations.
And now I've got one shark, this shark
with a very distinct abscess
on a jaw that we've been able
to see in multiple locations.
NARRATOR: Ryan carefully
adjusts the images
so the grayscale color boards
are matching in every shot.
RYAN: The goal is adjust
the square here to get true white.
We can adjust this square here
to get true black.
Once we've done that,
we know that every pixel in that frame
is exactly correct.
NARRATOR: Once calibrated,
Ryan can then isolate and analyze
the color of the shark
in different states of activity,
assigning their skin shade
a numeric value.
RYAN: One being very dark, almost black,
100 being very white, almost pure white.
We can't always get
the entire shark's body into frame,
but we can work with certain parts
of the shark's body.
So we've got it here.
We've got the breaching, hunting shark
scoring a score of around 22,
which is a very dark color
versus here, the same shark is
around the boat,
and it's scoring around 54, 53.
So, clearly, light coloration,
dark coloration.
Is it at the stage where we can make
big conclusions? No.
But what it has proven is that
this individual shark
has the ability to change color.
And over time, we're gonna be able
to build up this database
and work out how individual sharks
can change their color
and whether the color
that they adopt at any given time
is related to what activity
they are involved with.
NARRATOR: It's a satisfying result
after months of field work.
But the next stage
of the investigation will be crucial
to proving that great whites
really are camo sharks.
RYAN: Second, we're gonna switch
to the molecular level.
And that is getting live samples
from the great whites,
getting them down to the laboratory
and analyzing them under the microscope.
We're gonna be able to answer
once and for all
whether these great whites can,
in fact, change their color.
(birds squawking)
NARRATOR: Gibbs and Ryan
have an ambitious plan
for one final molecular test.
The behavior is only
one side of the study.
The cellular work is the other side,
and it's equally as important.
NARRATOR: But this time, they'll need a
skin sample from a live great white shark.
GIBBS: The reason we go out
to collect fresh tissue samples
is because the shark skin is still alive,
and thus, theoretically, it should respond
to the hormonal treatments we give it.
That's why we're taking these extra steps,
so we can make sure the experiment works.
We are bringing the lab into the field.
I've got my sampling probes
which I'll attach to the dart gun.
You can see I've got three solutions
that give that life-giving fluid
so the tissue stays alive long enough
for us to get to the lab.
If we can get live tissue to the lab,
apply the hormones,
and witness under the microscope
the pigment dispersing and aggregating,
we're getting somewhere.
If it dies, it's all wasted.
NARRATOR: A successful experiment
could provide definitive evidence
for their color change theory.
But first, they need a sample.
GIBBS: To be in the cage
at the shark's level
is probably the best vantage point
we're going to get to sample them.
I would lie if I said
I wasn't a little bit nervous.
There is an element of danger
with dealing with these animals.
RYAN: I'm gonna try to get
the bait down past you.
GIBBS: Mm-hmm.
RYAN: And then I'm gonna try
to get the shark to follow
and come close to you as possible.
And that's when you want to go for it.
- We got this.
- We got this.
I think that's... Oh, bait! Oh!
That's gone, that's gone,
that's gone, that's gone, that's gone.
Come on, Gibbsy,
the sharks are working, buddy!
GIBBS: The margin of error is quite small.
So I can sample them in the right spot,
so that I can get the right tissue
- and also not harm the sharks.
- RYAN: Here he comes.
Woo!
- They're fast!
- Yeah.
Dang!
MAN: Good eyes.
(camera shutter clicking)
RYAN: No, no, no.
He speared it! He speared it!
Nice! It was actually a good placement.
Nice work, Gibbs!
Perfect.
Woo! How did that look?
GIBBS: It worked out perfectly.
RYAN: Nice, man. (laughs)
Okay, let me process this.
That's the key part
we're looking for, the skin.
NARRATOR: With the first sample on deck,
they only have an hour
to collect the remaining samples.
We have to make sure
that tissue stays alive
- long enough for us to get to the lab.
- Look at that.
- Aggressing a lot.
- MAN: Here comes the shark again.
And grayer in color.
- Did you see that?
- Yeah. Yeah. I did see that.
RYAN: Got it! Got it! Yeah!
NARRATOR: Two down.
RYAN: Perfect shot. My boy has got it.
Gibbs is shooting well.
That's where the tissue is thickest.
You're gonna stay far away
from any of the vital organs
if you hit just at the base
of the dorsal fin like that.
Perfect little skin tag.
- Got it.
- MAN: Got it.
RYAN: You know, I know that,
I know he's been stressing a lot
about his aim with that,
so to actually see it placed
so beautifully just at the base
of the dorsal fin...
- It's perfect.
- It makes me really happy for him.
Sheesh.
Out of the blue, eh?
It is a new shark. Yup.
He was so shy just now, man.
Just suddenly...
Torpedo. Shows you what these things got
in them when they want to get.
Oh, there he is again.
Bring the one that we have.
We have to look on this side of her,
this side of her.
See if that... 'cause he did hit one low.
Problem is if we sampled
the same shark twice.
No, no.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
Look at that dorsal fin,
it's very distinct.
This guy is a player.
- MAN: I think I got it.
- It's got that hurt dorsal fin.
Come on, Gibbs, hit the shot,
hit the shot.
This could be it, this could be
our third successful sample,
as long as Gibbs knows
it's one that we can sample.
Here he comes. Here he comes.
- This could be it.
- MAN: Turning, turning.
RYAN: This could be it. This could be it.
I'm just gonna bring him straight in.
- Oh.
- MAN: Oh.
RYAN: Oh, geez!
RYAN: No, come on, Gibbs! You've got this.
You got this, buddy.
NARRATOR: Ryan and Gibbs
are running out of time.
I think he's a bit shaken
from when the shark hit the cage.
Gibbs has had two perfect shots here,
but he's not firing.
NARRATOR: Shark's skin begins
to die the minute it's sampled.
They need the final skin tag now
if they're going to make it
to Cape Town with living tissue.
MAN: Yeah, right in front of him.
- Yeah, he got it.
- RYAN: Oh, he got it. Bang on, bang on.
(laughs) Nice.
Yeah, that was pretty good.
This should give us some really good data.
Woo!
It's on you, man. Well done!
- Thanks. Alright. Let's get out.
- RYAN: Get changed, we're pulling anchor.
RYAN: So we've got about four hours,
five hours max to get to Cape Town.
So let's move, come on!
NARRATOR: Ryan and Gibbs rush
the samples to a lab in Cape Town.
They're seeking the expertise
of cellular biologist
and imaging specialist Dr. Dirk Lang.
DR. DIRK LANG: I mean, you guys must have
had an incredibly full schedule today.
RYAN: Well, we realized when we got out
there, we had about two hours to collect,
and I wanted at least
three samples for us.
DR. LANG: Okay.
RYAN: If we can prove that great white
shark skin is controlled by hormones,
that's over half of our whole mission
answered right then and there.
NARRATOR: While Gibbs prepares
hormonal solutions,
Dirk prepares the shark skin samples
to ensure they stay alive during testing.
- Hey, guys.
- How's it going, Gibbs?
GIBBS: You know, it's my first time
going straight from the sea to the lab.
This isn't right for me.
NARRATOR: The shark skin reactions
to these hormonal tests
will be documented
using a confocal microscope.
RYAN: If we can see microscopically
these pigment cells aggregating
and dispersing,
there'll be no doubt that
there is color change in these sharks.
NARRATOR: The powerful microscope
will allow them
to actually see melanocytes in the skin
and determine whether they react
to hormonal stimulus.
GIBBS: So we're gonna see a time lapse,
and that might actually help us figure out
how this color change mechanism
really works.
NARRATOR: The first test is with
the melanocyte-stimulating hormone.
If their theory is correct, this should
cause a dispersal of melanocytes
and a darkening of the pigment.
The second hormone is adrenaline,
which they believe would be present
during behavior like hunting.
Third is melatonin,
a hormone associated with resting.
This could emulate a shark
in a relaxed state.
So this is,
this is hormones that the sharks
would be producing themselves
in different environments.
Now we're flushing the skin with it,
trying to replicate the response.
GIBBS: Most people think
the most exciting part of my job
is out in the field,
but the excitement that I'm getting
from the lab is, is on a different level.
NARRATOR: As the time lapses come in,
it's clear the hormones are affecting
the skin samples.
In the sample treated with
the melanocyte-stimulating hormone,
the melanocytes have dispersed,
making the skin appear darker.
This sample is on a living
great white shark, not...
- This morning.
- five hours ago.
That is just so amazing.
NARRATOR: Contrary to their prediction,
the shark skin flushed with adrenaline
shows the melanocyte cells contracting
and appearing lighter.
This would cause a paling effect.
Huh.
NARRATOR: Then there is the melatonin.
GIBBS: We're seeing a mix
of light and dark.
RYAN:
(laughs) And we're making history.
We're seeing the changes,
and you picture this in your head,
that moment when you actually,
wow, these cells are responding
to the different hormones.
It, it blows your mind.
It's... it's incredible, it's awesome.
- Color change in great white sharks.
- GIBBS: This is exciting stuff.
NARRATOR:
Though the results are preliminary
and more research is needed
to understand the connection
between shark hormones and behavior,
the reaction of these microscopic
melanocytes tells a very big story.
RYAN: So what this means is
that great whites can control their color
and that the color
that they choose to adopt
is controlled by the hormones
that they release into their blood system.
I never thought I'd get moved
in a scientific laboratory scene.
You know, I'm used to seeing
breaching sharks and all that excitement.
But to come here
to this sort of cellular level
and see this incredible thing happening
and knowing that this actually
means something to science
is, it's special, it is really special.
NARRATOR: It's an incredible discovery
that could totally change
what we know about the great white.
GIBBS: I really don't know what to say.
I'm at a loss for words right now,
because this is super cool.
And I don't think I'm gonna have
another moment like this
in my science career for a long time.
NARRATOR: With photographic
and cellular evidence
suggesting this species is capable
of subtly changing its color,
this is just the beginning
of understanding
the great white as a camo shark.
fearsome and fascinating.
But is there more to these apex predators
than first meets the eye?
Two scientists...
Sheesh!
NARRATOR:
with a groundbreaking theory...
This should give us some really good data.
RYAN: I've got a shark.
NARRATOR: will launch
an unprecedented investigation...
to find out
if these explosive hunters...
Oh, my gosh! Yes!
NARRATOR: can camouflage their skin,
making them the ultimate predator.
Armed with over 300 gnashing teeth,
growing up to 20 feet
and weighing 5,000 pounds,
and capable of speeds
of over 20 miles per hour,
the great white shark has been
the perfect predator for 12 million years.
In Mossel Bay, South Africa,
there is a great white shark hot spot.
On any given day,
we can have probably upwards
of 50 different great white sharks
that are swimming in this bay.
My name's Ryan Johnson,
I'm a shark biologist,
based here in southern Africa.
Two sharks here, Gibbs.
I'm Gibbs Kuguru. I'm a shark geneticist.
I'm based in the Netherlands.
NARRATOR:
Together, these scientists have developed
a potentially game-changing theory
about the ocean's most infamous predator.
RYAN: I think myself and a lot
of scientists have always been wrapped up
in the speed, the power, the size,
the strength of great white sharks.
But as you look at them, you realize maybe
there's something very subtle going on.
And that's when we caught on
to the idea that,
"Are these sharks actually
manipulating their color
to become almost camo sharks?"
NARRATOR: Camouflage is common
among marine creatures.
Octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish are
capable of lightning-fast color shifts,
and blending into an environment
can be an advantage
to both prey and predators.
RYAN: All these other animals
use camouflage
and sophisticated techniques
to blend into the environment.
But sharks, that's a different story.
NARRATOR: Great whites are
varying shades of gray
on the dorsal side of their bodies
with a white belly underneath.
This countershading helps sharks blend in,
whether seen from above or below.
But the ability of sharks to actively
camouflage would be a revelation.
The theory that great white sharks
can change
and modulate their color
is the first of its kind.
There has been some research done
on smaller species of shark,
but never in anything
the size of a great white shark,
never on a predator as famous and renowned
as a great white shark.
Now, proving it is gonna be
massively challenging.
NARRATOR: To put their theory to the test,
Ryan and Gibbs are launching
a one-of-a-kind investigation.
GIBBS: We heard just about
every fisherman's tale
about these sharks
spontaneously changing color.
But then you look at the literature,
and you find actually there's little clues
that might show
that this really is happening.
NARRATOR: Great whites can be found
in cool coastal waters around the world.
And in South Africa,
they are well documented.
So I got these photos
from my research buddy, Dylan.
This is a massive database all through
the entire South African country.
He's matched up all these
fin photos from the years.
NARRATOR: The collection is comprised
of thousands of sharks.
Nostalgic, looking back
at these old photos.
- Yeah. You took a couple of these.
- Yeah.
NARRATOR: Key identifiers like scars
and unique dorsal fins
mean scientists can track and compare
the color of individual sharks.
RYAN: See, this one here is
massively lighter than the other one.
- This one's dark, this one's light.
- NARRATOR: But the evidence is flawed.
RYAN: Yup. This is all the same shark.
The problem we had in trying to look at
whether sharks are modulating their color
is the databases in the past
didn't have a frame of reference
for us to be able to tell
if this shark was actually
darker or lighter.
NARRATOR: Lighting conditions, weather,
and even camera settings
can completely change
a shark's appearance.
RYAN: If we're gonna prove that
this type of color change
is actually the shark changing color,
we need some type of control.
And that's when I came up
with the color board.
NARRATOR: The grayscale
color board will be the key
to collecting visual evidence
of color change
through a range of experiments.
RYAN: It's impossible for us
to accurately measure
the color of a shark in the wild.
That's the beauty of the color board.
As long as I can get photographs
of the color board
and the sharks together,
take it back to the computer,
correct the colors,
then I can find out
the exact color of that shark.
NARRATOR: These experiments
should also provide clues
to the factors that motivate camouflage.
RYAN: There has been a few studies
on captive species
to show that sharks can change color,
and that it is hormonally controlled.
What I'm hoping to do
is prove conclusively
that great white sharks can change color
and that it is related
to certain behaviors.
When I look at it, it's so simple,
but it's actually a stroke of genius
how this really solves
the problem of, you know,
getting this, you know,
color change in view.
I think that's the first time
I've ever been called a genius.
I'll take it because it is rare.
(laughing)
The next step is, how am I gonna
get this color board
next to the shark
in these different situations?
And that just takes
a little bit of creativity.
- So, you got that, mate?
- Alright, cool, yeah. Let's get going.
RYAN: Careful, careful, careful, careful.
Keep the tension.
GIBBS: There we go.
It's gonna be exciting stuff.
RYAN: One of the most important tests
that we're gonna do is the breaching test.
GIBBS: Breaching is sort of
this ambush attack.
You know, they need speed, power, stealth.
RYAN: This is when we're gonna be able
to measure the color
of a great white shark
in its ultimate hunting mode.
NARRATOR: In the middle
of Mossel Bay sits Seal Island.
RYAN: This island is the epicenter
for great white sharks in South Africa.
NARRATOR: Every day, hundreds of fur seals
swim for their lives...
through a gauntlet of great whites.
RYAN: The great white shark's success rate
in hunting Cape fur seals
is almost 50 percent,
and that's really high for any predator.
With these sharks,
they've got very specific areas
where they want to hunt and patrol,
and it's usually right
underneath the natural routes
that the seals are exiting
and entering the islands.
NARRATOR: Ryan and Gibbs
are towing a decoy seal
in the hopes of encouraging
sharks to breach.
RYAN: It's about trying
to capture the breaching shark
alongside a color board and being able to
measure the color of that breaching shark.
NARRATOR: It's a quiet morning,
but Seal Island rarely disappoints.
Oh, there's a predation!
Natural predation right over there!
Oh, still going for it.
Oh, oh!
- GIBBS: Ho, ho!
- This is hot... Oh!
RYAN: This, this seal is in trouble.
GIBBS: Yeah.
He's using the boat for cover.
And even though the shark missed
on that first breach,
it scared that seal so much
that it's now hiding around
the boat, using it for cover.
NARRATOR: The seal leads
the shark right to the decoy.
- RYAN: Woo!
- GIBBS: Oh, yes!
- Got it! Got it!
- Nice one, man.
NARRATOR: The shark and the color board
are clearly in frame.
It's the first successful breach
of the experiment.
It sends goosebumps
down my spine every time.
I mean, you just can't...
you can't help but feel emotional
every time you see it.
NARRATOR: Sharks are here in numbers.
GIBBS: Oh, ho!
- RYAN: There we go!
- GIBBS: There we go.
NARRATOR: Stalking seals...
all...
day...
- long.
- GIBBS: It's having a go at it.
Woo!
NARRATOR: As the sun sets
after a day of data collection,
the team hopes for one last breach.
RYAN: Hit that spot. Hit that spot.
Oh, ho!
Alright, we've lost the color board,
we've lost the decoy.
GIBBS: Dang it!
RYAN: Because it's so dark, the shark
couldn't even see which way to go.
He's going for it again!
NARRATOR: Sharks often hunt at twilight,
but in the darkness, even a great white
can miscalculate.
- RYAN: Oh, oh, oh.
- GIBBS: Dang it.
RYAN: This is gonna be
an issue floating again.
NARRATOR: They'll have to rebuild
before getting back on the water.
But building their database
of evidence is underway.
RYAN: Just looking at that
and comparing that to the color board.
Right up there, isn't it? Dark.
Science is not fast, it takes a long time,
it takes a lot of data.
- Nice.
- Ooh.
RYAN: Particularly when you're trying
to rewrite a whole idea
on a sort of scientific paradigm.
This is money in the bank,
each one of these.
NARRATOR: But there's more
to this study than meets the eye.
RYAN: The behavior is only
one side of the study.
The cellular work is the other side,
and it's equally as important.
Yeah, it's a male. Definitely a juvenile.
NARRATOR: Ryan and Gibbs have a rare
opportunity with their investigation.
So that's a juvenile.
RYAN: A chance to get to work
with a great white like this
comes around, you know, once or twice
in a career, for, for at least me.
First time.
NARRATOR: When sharks are
tragically caught in fishing nets...
RYAN: Okay, that's good.
NARRATOR: scientists like
Dr. Matt Dicken ensure it isn't in vain.
MATT DICKEN: One of the things
we do at the Sharks Board
is collect as many samples as possible.
And that really improves our knowledge
and science of this incredible species.
NARRATOR: Dissection will let
the team search for vital clues
to their color change theory,
hidden in the stomach of the shark.
The diets of great whites are seasonal
and change as they grow larger
and more powerful.
So what and where sharks eat
could tell us something
about their need for camouflage.
RYAN: It's quite tough, eh?
I want this definitive proof
that these great whites
do, in fact, feed at the surface,
feed mid-water, feed at the bottom.
And this is sort of
the detective work you have to play
to actually identify
what the animals are eating.
- MATT: You know what that is?
- GIBBS: No. What is it?
- Stingray barb.
- No way!
So again, I'm thinking that actually
could be the real evidence you need
that these white sharks
are feeding on the bottom.
GIBBS: Right on.
- Outstanding.
- RYAN: Dang.
NARRATOR:
This small find proves a big point.
The ability to adapt camouflage
could be a huge advantage
to the vastly different hunting strategies
at the bright surface
and the dark sea floor.
RYAN: Great success
with the stomach contents.
You know, finding that evidence
of the stingray
and that the sharks do have this varied
hunting behavior that we wanted.
GIBBS: And there's
a whole bunch of them, too.
NARRATOR: But the key
to proving color change
is scientifically possible
goes beyond skin deep.
My research is based on the skin of sharks
and the different adaptations they have
that cause their skin to work
in different ways.
One of these adaptations
that we think they may have
is this ability to change color.
We wanted to design an experiment
that would sort of tell us
if this is even possible.
NARRATOR: The secret to color change
may be hidden at the molecular level,
with a little-known cell
called a melanocyte.
GIBBS: A melanocyte is the tissue that
sort of gives rise to pigment in animals.
It acts kind of like a circuit board
underneath the skin
where it sort of flexes and contracts
based on what the animal needs.
So let's say you have
a stimulus from the sun,
the circuit board tells
your skin to go a bit darker.
And, you know, vice versa,
if you haven't seen enough sun,
it'll cause your pigment to sort of
shrink in, i.e., it goes paler.
NARRATOR: To understand
if melanocytes are present
and capable of changing
a shark's skin color,
the team has devised a series of tests.
GIBBS: We're gonna try and take
some tissue samples
of the skin of the shark
and then expose it to some hormones
to see if this actually does induce
a color change response.
And we're hoping that as each of these
hormones interacts with the tissue,
it actually causes them
to go lighter or darker.
NARRATOR: The hormones replicate those
that are believed to flow
through a live shark
during behavior like hunting or resting.
GIBBS: We do have some hypotheses
for what these hormones will do.
The first one, MSH,
is actually a hormone that stimulates
the expansion of the melanocytes
in just about every species
that has melanin.
We have the adrenaline
which has triggered a paling response
in some sharks and has also created
a darkening response in some fish.
And then the last hormone
is the melatonin.
And we think this is definitely going
to give it a paling response.
NARRATOR: If the test works,
it should change the color of the skin.
This feels like a real moment of truth,
seeing how these sharks actually
will respond to these hormones.
- RYAN: Ready?
- GIBBS: Yup.
NARRATOR: But the samples
don't appear to be changing.
I actually don't think that
the skin is really reacting. It's...
Looks more or less the same.
The dead shark skin doesn't seem
like it's going to work.
I think that's just because the tissue
of the shark is physiologically dead.
So all the little biochemical pathways
are totally shut down.
This is a new experiment.
And I think this is typical of science,
that it doesn't work the first time.
Yeah, I think Ryan and I are gonna have
to tweak our methodology.
NARRATOR: Most sharks are shades
of gray or brown.
Some, like the tiger or zebra, have
distinct patterns that set them apart.
In False Bay, South Africa,
Ryan and Gibbs are looking
for a species with an adaptation
as incredible... as color change.
GIBBS: Puffadder sharks are probably
one of the most docile sharks.
You'll oftentimes see them
sort of nestled between two rocks
or snuggling around a piece of kelp.
So they're cute.
They're not like a great white,
that's for certain.
But puffadder shyshark recently has been
discovered to exhibit biofluorescence.
And that means essentially
it's a glow-in-the-dark type shark.
NARRATOR: Why a shark would evolve
to glow is a mystery.
RYAN: They're incredibly camouflaged
to the reefs that we'd find them on.
And I always wondered why would an animal
that's so focused on camouflage
then start glowing?
NARRATOR: Ryan designed
a specialized camera
outfitted with UV lights
to observe glowing puffadders.
RYAN: Ready, buddy?
NARRATOR: Documenting them firsthand will
require diving this shark-filled bay...
at night.
RYAN: Night diving is an acquired taste.
And tonight, all we're gonna have
is this UV light,
which is essentially invisible to us.
The rest of it's gonna be black.
NARRATOR: In the deep,
dark oceans around the world,
some species of marine life have evolved
not to camouflage, but to glow.
These abilities are called bioluminescence
and biofluorescence.
Bioluminescence is a chemical process
in which an organism generates light.
Like a lantern shark that glows
to avoid predators,
or plankton glowing
at the ocean's surface.
Biofluorescence... is a different
and more mysterious process.
GIBBS: Biofluorescence is the ability
for an organism
to take in a certain wavelength of light
and re-emit a different wavelength.
RYAN: As you go deeper, all the light
disappears except for blue light.
And what these puffadders seem to do
is take in that blue light,
then emit out this yellow-green light
that sort of gives them this
glow-in-the-dark appearance.
GIBBS: The key here is to figure out
how sharks are using light
and color to be better adapted
to their environment.
So we're here to explore what this does
for them and their survival.
NARRATOR: Many corals,
over 180 species of fish,
and even some crabs display neon colors
when exposed to UV light.
Swell sharks in California also glow green
under light that mimics
how they see one another.
Why is not exactly known,
but many scientists believe
it comes down to enabling communication
while still retaining camouflage
from predators.
RYAN: And what we think
is happening is that
the shark's eyes evolved
to see this yellow-green
sort of spectrum of the light.
GIBBS: This is an adaptation
so they can essentially,
at night, navigate these waters undetected
from other organisms
but still be able to see each other.
NARRATOR: Even as they glow
to one another,
camouflage remains key to their survival,
as it may be for the great white.
Biology is inherently a comparative art.
We understand more about one species
by understanding how other species do it.
NARRATOR: Whether camouflaging
or communicating,
the puffadder's appearance seems
to be connected to its behavior.
RYAN: So there's two parts
of the color theory.
One is that individual sharks
can manipulate their color
and two, that their color is determined
by different activities.
NARRATOR: With the color board repaired,
the team sets out in search
of more great whites
to document for their database.
I know this is a resting area
for great white sharks.
So the idea is to try
to get this color board
next to what I think is a resting shark.
And if it is that this color is controlled
by the hormone levels,
you could find that a resting shark
hanging out is a very different color
to one that's motivated
by hunting or scavenging.
NARRATOR: While Ryan operates a drone,
Gibbs captains a remote-controlled boat.
(propeller whirring)
RYAN: Hey, I got a shark.
Gibbs, I got a shark, buddy!
- GIBBS: You got one?
- RYAN: I'm on a shark. (laughs)
GIBBS: Alright.
Let's throw this RC boat in.
Okay, let go, let go.
- You got it.
- RYAN: Go, you got to go hard, buddy.
Go hard, go fast.
- Can you see me?
- RYAN: Not yet. Not yet.
GIBBS: Uh, going forward still.
- RYAN: Gotcha.
- GIBBS: Yeah, I think that's it.
RYAN: I gotcha, buddy. You got it?
- (laughs)
- Nice.
- RYAN: I'm just gonna bring it around.
- GIBBS: Yeah.
You got me there?
RYAN: Yeah, I'm gonna bring it down lower,
just so I can get the color...
There we go. So we get the color board.
- GIBBS: Nice.
- RYAN: Okay, that's good.
There she is, she's up at the surface now.
- Yeah. Outstanding.
- Yeah, man.
NARRATOR: A resting shark
and color board are in shot.
It could provide very different data
to the great white mid-hunt.
This is just one piece
of a far larger experiment.
NARRATOR: To contrast with images
of resting at the surface
and hunting above it, the team also needs
to capture color data at depth
when sharks are scavenging.
RYAN: Color changes very quickly
as you go deeper into the water column.
The reason why I'm so interested
in doing the experiments down deep
is because how a shark
would camouflage itself
at the surface is very different
to how it would camouflage
itself at the bottom.
NARRATOR: Ryan will be lowered
over 30 feet in his custom dive cage.
Come on out,
and let's get this cage down there.
We lost the GoPro zoom.
It's gonna be in the cage.
Oh, she's gonna go right for the cage.
Nice.
The purpose of this whole, you know,
attracting sharks to the boat
was to get them close to the color board.
Another shark.
Drew, look at her diving down there.
RYAN: When you are down deep there,
you don't know if what you're seeing
is actually accurate
because the light has degraded so much,
and the visibility is so bad.
So that's why it's really essential
that we have that color board,
and we can capture the shark
and the color board together.
'Cause then I can
take it back, correct it,
and work out truthfully
what the color of that shark is.
Now she dives down.
These sharks are giving us plenty of data.
NARRATOR: It's a rare glimpse
into the great white's deep-water world,
where they scavenge
for rays and other prey.
RYAN: The whole setup worked well.
What was striking me was the camouflage.
It is the camouflage that makes
these sharks successful.
That ability to blend
into the environment,
and that environment down there,
it's, it's monochrome.
- Hey, you work for it. You work for it.
- Yeah, sure.
NARRATOR: With their database nearly
complete, Ryan and Gibbs are finally able
to turn their research further afield
to reports from a remote part of the world
and another unique shark skin adaptation.
GIBBS: As part of our investigation
on sharks and color,
we're looking for another species of shark
that may actually be able to change
their color for the sake of camouflage.
NARRATOR: Species like
the wobbegong and angel shark
use unique skin patterns
evolved over millions of years
to camouflage into their surroundings.
But sharks
with changing skin patterns are rare.
A study in the Maldives investigates
whether a genetic condition
is causing one species
to exhibit this uncommon adaptation.
GIBBS: We are here
in the beautiful, sunny Maldives
in a place called Baa Atoll
looking for a very rare type
of blacktip reef shark.
NARRATOR: Tropical reefs are hot spots
of life and adaptation.
While some creatures try to stand out,
others do all they can to blend in.
Could this unique case provide clues
to how great white skin might change?
My perspective
on what brings great whites close
to these blacktip reef sharks
is down at the molecular level.
This report came out a couple years ago,
and it had these images of these sharks
that had developed
this weird spotted pattern.
And I think this might be caused
by a genetic disorder called leucism.
Leucism is a genetic trait that's caused
by the malfunction of the melanocytes.
So when it stops working properly,
we start to see this patchy distribution
where melanin pigment
in the shark is lost.
NARRATOR: Gibbs is using methods
both old and new...
seeking photographic evidence
and genetic samples of leucistic sharks.
But is this condition an unfortunate
aberration or possibly rapid adaptation?
This genetic disorder of leucism
is like a freak accident.
It might have the exact key
these sharks need
to be camouflaged better
in their environment.
If these blacktip reef sharks
are actually able to camouflage,
it really means that these sharks have
somehow or another
found a way to actually live around
the human impacts of climate change.
And I say this because the Maldives
has actually experienced
quite a bit of negative impacts
from climate change.
Sea surface temperatures
have been above 30 degrees,
and that's caused the corals to bleach.
So when you see the coral reef,
there's a whole bunch of dead corals
mixed in with the living corals,
and that makes the environment have
this random scattered pattern.
And I think these sharks might
actually be blending in better
in their environment than the other sharks
that haven't developed
this genetic disorder.
From the report,
we found that these sharks
that have the leucism are all juveniles,
which makes me think that
either these sharks are surviving
and growing out of this skin pattern,
or maybe this genetic disorder is lethal.
But all we would need is proof
of just one subadult animal
with this trait to say that actually
there is a chance that they are surviving.
The Maldives is a perfect place
to find these blacktip reef sharks.
Unfortunately, they are very skittish.
- Hey, Ryan, how's it going?
- RYAN (over video): I'm doing well, man.
I'm curious, very curious
how it's going in Maldives.
Have you managed to be able
to catch the sharks,
do the genetic samples,
anything like that yet?
I haven't been able
to get my hands on these sharks.
Unfortunately, it's, it's a bit
more challenging than I expected.
But we did manage to get one leucistic
blacktip reef shark in plain view.
So that's, that's something.
Do they actually blend in?
GIBBS: I would definitely say
that their random pattern is matching
that random pattern of the coral reefs.
And unlike the smaller ones,
leucism is actually presenting itself
a little bit less.
It's almost like these larger ones
are growing out of it.
RYAN: Wow.
The zebra shark does exactly that:
as they grow up,
then they change their color.
NARRATOR: Like the zebra shark,
this group of blacktips
could be morphing their skin pattern
as they grow and become less vulnerable.
And while any heightened camouflage
seems to be connected
to melanocytes in the skin,
leucism appears very different
to any rapid hormonal change
affecting the skin of great whites.
Whilst we are seeing
some color aberrations,
I don't think this is exactly what I was
looking for when I came out here.
RYAN: Now, I've been thinking more
about the great white
and the skin sample test
and the hormone test.
We didn't get the response.
I want to know more about this
and whether we got a solution.
Clearly, the dead cells didn't work.
So I would suggest
that we get back out there
and collect some of this live tissue
from the great whites
so that we can actually get these cells
to change in real time.
NARRATOR: While the team prepares for
a final attempt to collect live samples,
Ryan begins to crunch the numbers
on his color board database
for the first time.
We've put the color board
alongside the cage diving boat
where we can see a shark
that's in a scavenging mode.
We've also taken the color board down
to the bottom of the ocean.
And then we've also looked
for resting sharks.
The most exciting experiment,
but the most challenging,
was getting the color board next
to breaching, hunting great white sharks.
In this type of behavior mode,
these sharks need to maximize
their camouflage.
If we can match up the sharks
in different experiments,
we can see whether those sharks, in fact,
do change color, and then secondly,
how that color relates
to the different activities.
NARRATOR: The first step is to identify
images of an individual shark
that were captured in various experiments.
RYAN: The idea is that we sort of build up
the identification of the shark
over different images,
over different situations.
And now I've got one shark, this shark
with a very distinct abscess
on a jaw that we've been able
to see in multiple locations.
NARRATOR: Ryan carefully
adjusts the images
so the grayscale color boards
are matching in every shot.
RYAN: The goal is adjust
the square here to get true white.
We can adjust this square here
to get true black.
Once we've done that,
we know that every pixel in that frame
is exactly correct.
NARRATOR: Once calibrated,
Ryan can then isolate and analyze
the color of the shark
in different states of activity,
assigning their skin shade
a numeric value.
RYAN: One being very dark, almost black,
100 being very white, almost pure white.
We can't always get
the entire shark's body into frame,
but we can work with certain parts
of the shark's body.
So we've got it here.
We've got the breaching, hunting shark
scoring a score of around 22,
which is a very dark color
versus here, the same shark is
around the boat,
and it's scoring around 54, 53.
So, clearly, light coloration,
dark coloration.
Is it at the stage where we can make
big conclusions? No.
But what it has proven is that
this individual shark
has the ability to change color.
And over time, we're gonna be able
to build up this database
and work out how individual sharks
can change their color
and whether the color
that they adopt at any given time
is related to what activity
they are involved with.
NARRATOR: It's a satisfying result
after months of field work.
But the next stage
of the investigation will be crucial
to proving that great whites
really are camo sharks.
RYAN: Second, we're gonna switch
to the molecular level.
And that is getting live samples
from the great whites,
getting them down to the laboratory
and analyzing them under the microscope.
We're gonna be able to answer
once and for all
whether these great whites can,
in fact, change their color.
(birds squawking)
NARRATOR: Gibbs and Ryan
have an ambitious plan
for one final molecular test.
The behavior is only
one side of the study.
The cellular work is the other side,
and it's equally as important.
NARRATOR: But this time, they'll need a
skin sample from a live great white shark.
GIBBS: The reason we go out
to collect fresh tissue samples
is because the shark skin is still alive,
and thus, theoretically, it should respond
to the hormonal treatments we give it.
That's why we're taking these extra steps,
so we can make sure the experiment works.
We are bringing the lab into the field.
I've got my sampling probes
which I'll attach to the dart gun.
You can see I've got three solutions
that give that life-giving fluid
so the tissue stays alive long enough
for us to get to the lab.
If we can get live tissue to the lab,
apply the hormones,
and witness under the microscope
the pigment dispersing and aggregating,
we're getting somewhere.
If it dies, it's all wasted.
NARRATOR: A successful experiment
could provide definitive evidence
for their color change theory.
But first, they need a sample.
GIBBS: To be in the cage
at the shark's level
is probably the best vantage point
we're going to get to sample them.
I would lie if I said
I wasn't a little bit nervous.
There is an element of danger
with dealing with these animals.
RYAN: I'm gonna try to get
the bait down past you.
GIBBS: Mm-hmm.
RYAN: And then I'm gonna try
to get the shark to follow
and come close to you as possible.
And that's when you want to go for it.
- We got this.
- We got this.
I think that's... Oh, bait! Oh!
That's gone, that's gone,
that's gone, that's gone, that's gone.
Come on, Gibbsy,
the sharks are working, buddy!
GIBBS: The margin of error is quite small.
So I can sample them in the right spot,
so that I can get the right tissue
- and also not harm the sharks.
- RYAN: Here he comes.
Woo!
- They're fast!
- Yeah.
Dang!
MAN: Good eyes.
(camera shutter clicking)
RYAN: No, no, no.
He speared it! He speared it!
Nice! It was actually a good placement.
Nice work, Gibbs!
Perfect.
Woo! How did that look?
GIBBS: It worked out perfectly.
RYAN: Nice, man. (laughs)
Okay, let me process this.
That's the key part
we're looking for, the skin.
NARRATOR: With the first sample on deck,
they only have an hour
to collect the remaining samples.
We have to make sure
that tissue stays alive
- long enough for us to get to the lab.
- Look at that.
- Aggressing a lot.
- MAN: Here comes the shark again.
And grayer in color.
- Did you see that?
- Yeah. Yeah. I did see that.
RYAN: Got it! Got it! Yeah!
NARRATOR: Two down.
RYAN: Perfect shot. My boy has got it.
Gibbs is shooting well.
That's where the tissue is thickest.
You're gonna stay far away
from any of the vital organs
if you hit just at the base
of the dorsal fin like that.
Perfect little skin tag.
- Got it.
- MAN: Got it.
RYAN: You know, I know that,
I know he's been stressing a lot
about his aim with that,
so to actually see it placed
so beautifully just at the base
of the dorsal fin...
- It's perfect.
- It makes me really happy for him.
Sheesh.
Out of the blue, eh?
It is a new shark. Yup.
He was so shy just now, man.
Just suddenly...
Torpedo. Shows you what these things got
in them when they want to get.
Oh, there he is again.
Bring the one that we have.
We have to look on this side of her,
this side of her.
See if that... 'cause he did hit one low.
Problem is if we sampled
the same shark twice.
No, no.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
Look at that dorsal fin,
it's very distinct.
This guy is a player.
- MAN: I think I got it.
- It's got that hurt dorsal fin.
Come on, Gibbs, hit the shot,
hit the shot.
This could be it, this could be
our third successful sample,
as long as Gibbs knows
it's one that we can sample.
Here he comes. Here he comes.
- This could be it.
- MAN: Turning, turning.
RYAN: This could be it. This could be it.
I'm just gonna bring him straight in.
- Oh.
- MAN: Oh.
RYAN: Oh, geez!
RYAN: No, come on, Gibbs! You've got this.
You got this, buddy.
NARRATOR: Ryan and Gibbs
are running out of time.
I think he's a bit shaken
from when the shark hit the cage.
Gibbs has had two perfect shots here,
but he's not firing.
NARRATOR: Shark's skin begins
to die the minute it's sampled.
They need the final skin tag now
if they're going to make it
to Cape Town with living tissue.
MAN: Yeah, right in front of him.
- Yeah, he got it.
- RYAN: Oh, he got it. Bang on, bang on.
(laughs) Nice.
Yeah, that was pretty good.
This should give us some really good data.
Woo!
It's on you, man. Well done!
- Thanks. Alright. Let's get out.
- RYAN: Get changed, we're pulling anchor.
RYAN: So we've got about four hours,
five hours max to get to Cape Town.
So let's move, come on!
NARRATOR: Ryan and Gibbs rush
the samples to a lab in Cape Town.
They're seeking the expertise
of cellular biologist
and imaging specialist Dr. Dirk Lang.
DR. DIRK LANG: I mean, you guys must have
had an incredibly full schedule today.
RYAN: Well, we realized when we got out
there, we had about two hours to collect,
and I wanted at least
three samples for us.
DR. LANG: Okay.
RYAN: If we can prove that great white
shark skin is controlled by hormones,
that's over half of our whole mission
answered right then and there.
NARRATOR: While Gibbs prepares
hormonal solutions,
Dirk prepares the shark skin samples
to ensure they stay alive during testing.
- Hey, guys.
- How's it going, Gibbs?
GIBBS: You know, it's my first time
going straight from the sea to the lab.
This isn't right for me.
NARRATOR: The shark skin reactions
to these hormonal tests
will be documented
using a confocal microscope.
RYAN: If we can see microscopically
these pigment cells aggregating
and dispersing,
there'll be no doubt that
there is color change in these sharks.
NARRATOR: The powerful microscope
will allow them
to actually see melanocytes in the skin
and determine whether they react
to hormonal stimulus.
GIBBS: So we're gonna see a time lapse,
and that might actually help us figure out
how this color change mechanism
really works.
NARRATOR: The first test is with
the melanocyte-stimulating hormone.
If their theory is correct, this should
cause a dispersal of melanocytes
and a darkening of the pigment.
The second hormone is adrenaline,
which they believe would be present
during behavior like hunting.
Third is melatonin,
a hormone associated with resting.
This could emulate a shark
in a relaxed state.
So this is,
this is hormones that the sharks
would be producing themselves
in different environments.
Now we're flushing the skin with it,
trying to replicate the response.
GIBBS: Most people think
the most exciting part of my job
is out in the field,
but the excitement that I'm getting
from the lab is, is on a different level.
NARRATOR: As the time lapses come in,
it's clear the hormones are affecting
the skin samples.
In the sample treated with
the melanocyte-stimulating hormone,
the melanocytes have dispersed,
making the skin appear darker.
This sample is on a living
great white shark, not...
- This morning.
- five hours ago.
That is just so amazing.
NARRATOR: Contrary to their prediction,
the shark skin flushed with adrenaline
shows the melanocyte cells contracting
and appearing lighter.
This would cause a paling effect.
Huh.
NARRATOR: Then there is the melatonin.
GIBBS: We're seeing a mix
of light and dark.
RYAN:
(laughs) And we're making history.
We're seeing the changes,
and you picture this in your head,
that moment when you actually,
wow, these cells are responding
to the different hormones.
It, it blows your mind.
It's... it's incredible, it's awesome.
- Color change in great white sharks.
- GIBBS: This is exciting stuff.
NARRATOR:
Though the results are preliminary
and more research is needed
to understand the connection
between shark hormones and behavior,
the reaction of these microscopic
melanocytes tells a very big story.
RYAN: So what this means is
that great whites can control their color
and that the color
that they choose to adopt
is controlled by the hormones
that they release into their blood system.
I never thought I'd get moved
in a scientific laboratory scene.
You know, I'm used to seeing
breaching sharks and all that excitement.
But to come here
to this sort of cellular level
and see this incredible thing happening
and knowing that this actually
means something to science
is, it's special, it is really special.
NARRATOR: It's an incredible discovery
that could totally change
what we know about the great white.
GIBBS: I really don't know what to say.
I'm at a loss for words right now,
because this is super cool.
And I don't think I'm gonna have
another moment like this
in my science career for a long time.
NARRATOR: With photographic
and cellular evidence
suggesting this species is capable
of subtly changing its color,
this is just the beginning
of understanding
the great white as a camo shark.