Game of Sharks (2022) Movie Script
NARRATOR: When it comes
to competing at the top of the food chain,
not all champions
are created equal.
Sharks have existed
for over 400 million years
giving them plenty of time
to adapt, react and compete.
With more than 500 species,
all of these apex predators
have evolved to win.
Welcome to The Game of Sharks.
(theme music playing).
NARRATOR: We've gathered
contenders from around the globe
to face off against one another
in a ten category competition
to crown once and for all
our All-Star ocean predator.
Whether it's for speed,
distance or bite force,
the top winners in
each category earn points.
And when it's all over,
the highest score takes all.
Will it be the fan
favorite the Great White?
Or will a unlikely
Cinderella story slip in and
steal all of the thunder?
Now, let the shark games begin!
First up, the Ultra Marathon.
Or in the watery world,
it's the Ultra Migration.
Like many animals,
shark migrations are often
triggered by seasonal change.
For some, it's a signal to go in
search of a mate and reproduce.
For others, it's
all about chasing prey.
They'll follow an
all you can eat buffet
just about anywhere.
The Salmon Shark prefers to
hunt the Northwest Pacific,
feasting its way
through the Sea of Japan,
hooking around to Alaska and
down to Baja California, Mexico.
Their wide, double keeled tails
act as a powerful propellor.
With a migration of
as many as 11,700 miles,
the Salmon Shark is nipping
at the heels of this guy.
They may look alike,
but make no mistake.
The Great White is
a much bigger shark.
And with all that heft,
comes a mighty appetite.
They are known to
swim amazing distances
around their territories.
Following currents
or food sources,
like seals and
large schools of fish,
it's basically the
sushi conveyor belt of the sea.
In 2004, a shark
nicknamed Nicole was tagged off
the coast of South Africa.
She made her way to
Australia and back again
in just nine months.
An epic trip that lands her species
a spot on the score board.
Food, while a great motivator,
wasn't the reason Nicole
competed in this Ultra Marathon.
She undertook this
race in search of a mate.
With an overall mileage
count of around 12,400 miles,
the Great White takes the lead.
For now.
Meet the Whale Shark.
This whopper of a
fish may look slow moving,
but don't be fooled.
What Whale Sharks lack in speed,
they make up for in endurance.
Survival depends entirely
on filtering tiny dishes
like Zooplankton.
These floating organisms
drift with the currents.
And since the
currents never stop,
neither does the Whale Shark.
In 2011,
researchers tagged
a shark near Coiba Island,
then she swam 12,516 miles
across the Pacific,
from the Galpagos Islands
to the Philippines.
This grazer may be a lot
slower than her competitors,
but when it comes to the
underwater Ultra Marathon,
distance trumps.
She gulps her way into
the lead by about 100 miles.
But there's still
another waiting in the wings.
The Tiger Shark easily swims
its way into the competition.
As a predominantly
coastal species,
Tiger Sharks in the Atlantic
usually stick to a loop from
the warm Caribbean reefs up to
the North Atlantic
and back again.
In 2012,
scientists tracked a male as
he left the waters of Bermuda
to set out on an incredible
27,000 mile trek.
Easily lapping the competition
with miles to spare.
That dominant performance
puts the Tiger in the lead
with three points.
The Whale Shark floats
into second and
the Great White scores only
one measly point.
After all that
long distance swimming,
it's no surprise sharks
can work up a huge appetite.
They eat up to 10% of
their body weight each week,
usually in only
one or two meals.
Not known for their
particularly discerning pallet,
sharks often confuse human garbage
for exotic delicacies.
Once a full suit
of armor was found in
the gut of a Tiger Shark.
While others have been
caught with a license plate and
even a fur coat
in their stomachs.
And in 1942,
a French fishing crew found
a bottle of Madeira wine
in a six foot long Blue Shark
with particularly refined taste.
But this isn't the
Iron Stomach Category.
It's all about gluttony.
And here comes our heavy weight
with dinner in sight.
Great Whites expend
a ton of energy chasing prey,
and to keep up their
speed and acrobatics,
they need to consume the
equivalent of a seal pup
every three days.
Bloody consumption on this scale
puts the Great White in position
to take the lead in
this eating competition.
But it's not over yet.
Tiger Sharks are equally
efficient scavengers making it
their business to eat
just about everything that
crosses their path.
Starting when they're young,
little Tigers feast on small animals
including young birds.
Eventually moving
on to larger prey like
sea turtles and bigger birds,
or easy meals
like a whale carcass.
In the end, it all adds
up to an impressive effort.
But can they
beat this thick fish?
What Whale Sharks
lack in variety,
they more than make up
for it with sheer volume.
Spending over
seven hours a day feeding,
Whale Sharks eat up 46 pounds
of plankton and shrimp a day.
The gentle giant knocks two of
the ocean's most feared hunters
into second and third place.
The Great White will need to
come up with a better strategy
to recover from
back to back losses.
In the oceans, it's
either eat, or be eaten.
So the better your sight, the
more likely you are to succeed.
The Sharpshooter Competition
pits the precision
of each sharks senses
against another.
Because, you never know
what could be hot on your tail
especially in the murky gloom.
Sharks can see ten times better
than humans in dark water.
They're also stacked
with two more senses,
a lateral line system
and electroreception.
Seven total senses, all the
better to hunt their prey with.
A shark's lateral line system
covers its entire body,
under the skin,
allowing it to
feel pressure changes.
This helps them sense the
movement of prey in the water.
And as if that's not enough,
sharks also have an organ called
the ampullae of Lorenzini.
These allow them to sense
the electric field produced by their prey:
A technique
called electroreception.
It works especially well
when they're up close or
trying to find
something buried in the sand.
While all sharks
have a killer arsenal
at their disposal,
only one can win the
title of sharpshooter.
NARRATOR: Vying for a win,
the Blacktip Shark
enters the ring.
They can be found
patrolling tropical waters
all around the world.
Like their competitors,
Blacktips are armed with
highly adapted vision, a
strong lateral line system,
and powerful electroreception.
But they have a
unique advantage.
Their nose.
It is so strong that it
can smell one part fish flesh
diluted in ten billion
parts of seawater.
Nothing to sniff at.
But that alone doesn't
guarantee them a win.
The Blacktip's sense of
smell may be up to snuff,
but evolution has given
the Great White an edge.
18% of their brain
is dedicated to smell.
When out hunting,
that helps them pick up
their prey from a distance.
As it moves in on its target
it hears it, then it sees it.
Then when it is on top of it,
it uses
electroreception to strike.
That superpower could finally give
the Great White a win.
Or maybe not.
Here come the Hammerheads.
There are ten species
of Hammerhead Sharks
around the coasts.
Each one guided by
eyes spaced so far apart,
they have a 360 degree radius.
And their
overlapping fields of vision
gives them a 3D advantage.
And that's not all the
hammer shape is good for.
It supersizes their
electroreception bandwidth.
Handy when it comes to hunting
their favorite food, rays.
So when it comes to
the super senses needed
to win at sharpshooting,
the Hammerhead takes all.
Even apex predators sometimes
have to lean on their team mates
to get the job done.
Some, like the Lemon Shark,
have evolved to
perfect the art of the relay.
When they're pups, they form
their own little leagues in
the shallow, coastal
waters they're born in.
As they grow and mature,
they stay social and
start to hunt in packs.
Together, they drive
schools of fish, like sardines,
into shallow waters
where they can feast on them,
or go sand fishing by
making the water murky so
the fish can't see them hunting.
This ambush technique works.
But it's not good enough
to beat team Sand Tiger.
Swimming in large packs
that can number 100 or more,
Sand Tiger's
hunt schools of fish,
that can't escape.
Earning them a
point towards a win.
But that isn't enough
against the Whitetips
coordinated offensive effort.
They rummage and dig,
forcing their prey out
and into their open jaws.
A technique
worthy of two points.
But pretty soon, their
teamwork falls apart and
along with it
goes their defense.
An opportunistic Grey Reef Shark
sees the opening and
swoops in to get a taste.
Other Grey Reef Sharks
circle in anticipation.
Making their move,
they score a hefty catch.
It's a clever technique
that pushes them into
the top spot for
winning relay team.
With four events down,
an unlikely leader has emerged.
Closing in on halftime,
the Whale and Tiger Shark
hold a narrow lead
over the fan favorite,
the Great White.
But, things are
about to speed up.
Blue Sharks are found in
temperate and tropical waters
around the world.
Up to 13 feet long and
weighing in at over 450 pounds.
In the cool,
deep waters of the ocean,
this predator spends its
time chasing after prey.
Their sleek blue bodies give
them a powerful propulsion
through the ocean's waters.
They've been documented reaching
speeds of 43 miles per hour.
But the Blue Shark
can't take a victory lap yet,
there's a challenger
coming up on their tail,
looking to score its first win.
NARRATOR: The Great White
cruises into position for
the speed category.
This phenom has a reputation as
one of the best in
the game for a reason.
They've spent more
than four million years
chasing their prey.
Dining on everything from
sea birds to fellow sharks,
to larger sea mammals motivated
to make a quick getaway.
Some at up to 25 miles per hour.
Catching dinner on the run
like that may finally give
the Great White
a much-needed win.
But there are no
guarantees in this game.
Next up, is the
Shortfin Mako Shark.
Makos look remarkably
similar to the Great White.
They spend their lives
circling the globe in
tropical and
temperate waters,
growing to nearly 15 feet long and
weighing more than 1,000 pounds.
Named for the
Maori word for, "Shark,"
Shortfin Makos are
evolved for speed.
Their short fins don't cause
drag along their sleek bodies,
allowing them to catch
the fast food of the sea:
Tuna, mackerel, swordfish.
Reaching speeds up
to 45 miles per hour,
the Shortfin Mako
edges out the Blue Shark.
Leaving the Great White,
with a good showing of
up to 35 miles per hour,
still in a disappointing
third place.
But the Mako's victory may be
fleeting as things are about to
get rough in the second half.
While some sharks aren't
built for the great game,
they're so cool we
had to have a half time show.
The Epaulette Shark
is the reigning,
"Speed walking," champion.
These tiny sharks walk
through tidal pools and
on reef beds to find lunch, by
moving their paddle-like pelvic
and pectoral fins.
Is this the same type of
movement the first vertebrates
to walk on land used?
It's old-school, but it
just might be the case.
Walking is only half the fight,
these incredible competitors put
the competition to shame
by actually walking on land!
Epaulette Sharks can survive for
short periods of time out of the sea by
selectively routing
their blood flow to the places
that need it most.
A dazzling technique
that takes center stage.
Whereas these sneaky predators
prefer to swim under the radar.
If the category is best in
camouflage the Wobbegong Sharks
are top contenders
for the prize.
These nine types of,
"Carpet Shark,"
with blotchy coloring
blend into the ocean floor,
making them the
ultimate ambush predator.
They can park and wait
until just the right moment,
and bam!
It's game over
for you, little fishy.
From the tasseled Wobbegong
to the ornate Wobbegong,
this family of sharks
are true showstoppers.
And then, there's
this strange little shark.
The Cookiecutter Shark
is so elusive, it's almost
never seen alive.
But it's circular bite marks
can be found on all
sorts of creatures.
At less than two feet long,
these cigar shaped predators
take a bite out
of life, literally.
They lure in prey with glowing
photophores on their bellies
then attach themselves to
their meals with their teeth,
cutting out a perfect,
"Cookie-cutter," circle
of flesh to gnaw on.
The Cookiecutter Shark
gives a whole new meaning to
"Take-out."
And now back to the competition!
Meant to be lethal,
the jaws of a shark
are intimidating.
Predatory sharks, unlike
their filter feeding cousins,
can have up to
300 teeth in their mouths.
If there was a
tooth fairy for fish,
they'd be bankrupt
by these behemoths.
Their triangle shaped daggers
have evolved over
hundreds of millions of years
into feeding tools.
Designed to grip and cut,
these razor sharp pinnacles
pack some serious
punch behind them.
To stay in the game,
you need the gear to match.
Great Whites meanwhile have
a formidable crushing force of
up to 1.8 tons.
Going after their prey,
they use their jaws to
crush and quickly immobilize.
A twist on the
dine and dash...
The slash and dash.
This predator needs to
quickly stop their prey from
swimming away
before they eat 'em.
The Bull Shark takes
a different strategy to
put points on the board.
Smaller than most Great Whites,
Bull Sharks take a
gripping bite and hold on.
Feeding on smaller fish
and smaller sharks,
the Bull Shark needs that
strong grip to snag their prey.
Another repeat contender,
the Shortfin Mako.
We already know
they have the speed,
but that's just one part of
their prize-winning attack.
Their, "Best Bite," game plan?
Get in quickly, incapacitate
by removing the prey's tail,
then ferociously
defend their meal.
Three different tactic and
three different challengers
who could take home the win.
The average Bull Shark
comes in third,
with their dogged grip.
Our Great White gains two points
with their crushing tactics.
And the Shortfin Mako
claims the category
with incapacitation.
With four rounds remaining,
the challengers must hold on.
And the competition is fierce.
NARRATOR: 20 million years ago
the Megalodon ruled
the Earth's oceans.
Growing to over 50 feet,
with a mouth filled with
seven inch razor sharp teeth,
this OG would
crush our next category if
they were still around.
The Megalodon's smaller
cousins now dominate the oceans.
And it's time for a
competition of the biggest.
Great Whites can grow up
to a massive 20 feet long,
but the average size for
this predator is just 15 feet.
Way off the Megalodon's 50 feet.
Being at the top
of the food chain,
does helps the
Great White measure up
against the competition.
But that doesn't mean
it can stretch to a win.
Even Jaws knows
when he is out matched.
Passive giants in their
underwater territories,
Basking Sharks have less of a
reputation than Great Whites.
But what the Basking Shark
lacks in fear factor,
it makes up for in sheer size.
Weighing in at
over five tons and
mind boggling lengths
of up to 40 feet.
This filter feeder is unique
among sharks in that it doesn't
actively suck in water to feed,
but instead
creates a constant flow,
straining up to
2,000 tons of water an hour.
Impressive, but there's
still a third contender.
The Whale Shark.
Not only can
they grow 50% longer,
he's in a
weight class all of his own.
Once again,
it's the grazer who comes in
from behind to
win biggest shark.
Weighing in at 15 tons,
the weight of two elephants.
This big 'ol filter feeder is
fast becoming the darling of
warm waters around the world.
Now, the high jump.
Whipping out of the water,
sharks can launch themselves
into the air for
brief flights of fancy.
Defying their
watery worlds and gravity.
Trim and sleek sharks that reach
for a high vertical clearance
all have a burst of speed
and are shaped like torpedos.
Well almost all.
The Basking Shark,
the second largest
shark in the oceans,
has been recorded launching
itself out of the water with
a less graceful form than some.
Understandable, given that they
can weigh up to 10,000 pounds.
Some scientists
speculate that they do it to
rid themselves of
external parasites.
But as you can imagine
getting nearly four feet
out of the water does not
land them in the top three.
NARRATOR: To win the high jump
our competitors must
have maximum vertical effort.
Spinner Sharks propel themselves
through bait balls of fish,
like sardines or herring,
spinning as they launch
themselves out of the water
biting away at their food.
And reaching
heights of up to 20 feet.
These migratory sharks live in
subtropical waters
around the world,
chasing schools of fish
up and down coast lines.
This jumper is a Shortfin Mako.
They may not spin, but
when it's time to get some air,
boy do they ever.
They'll do it to clear
themselves of being hooked on
fishing lines
and to ambush prey.
Either way, these fish
know how to put on a show,
whipping their
bodies from side to side,
the highest jump recorded
for a Mako is more than
double its length at 30 feet.
But not to be shown up, the
Thresher Shark thrashes its way
into the competition.
These sharks grow
up to 20 feet long,
and almost half of that
can be their unique tail fin.
They use it to smack
and stun their prey.
It's been said that they
can jump up to 20 feet and
when they do,
the Thresher's
technique is flawless.
And yet, when it comes to
style their sleek outline has
nothing on this camera darling.
Once again,
the Great White Shark
makes a splash.
The Great White's go to
maneuver is all about stealth.
They detect surface prey
from the safety of the depth.
And then, they
kick it into gear.
Rocketing upwards at
up to 40 miles per hour.
Bulls eye.
Current world record?
An estimated 15 feet.
But again, it isn't enough.
So when it comes
to the high jump,
here's how it stacks up.
Vaulting themselves up to
30 feet out of the water,
the Shortfin Mako jumps fins and
tails to their third victory.
In this category, sharks
compete on the senior tour,
where it pays to be old.
Recently crowned largest fish,
the Whale Shark is
easily identifiable by
the unique patterns
across their back.
In Madagascar, Whale Sharks
are called Marokintana,
which means, "Many stars."
Scientists have used
radiocarbon dating to estimate
just how old some of them are.
Then there's this prehistoric
looking shark which hails from
a species as
ancient as it looks.
One way to tell a
Greenland Shark's age is by
examining the
isotopes in their eyes.
A Greenland Shark tagged
and measured back in 1936,
was measured again in 1952.
Its slow growth
suggested that they only grow
less than half an inch a year.
Impressive for a shark that
can grow more than 13 feet long,
which can add up
to over 300 years.
That's ten feet longer than
their other spotted competitor,
the Spiny Dogfish.
Named for the way
they hunt in packs,
and the venomous, defensive
spines on their dorsal fins.
The Pacific Spiny Dogfish
can live more than 80 years.
These tiny but mighty sharks
need all the help and longevity
they can get to land a
win against the Great White.
NARRATOR: All right, so we're
this deep into the competition
and the Great White has yet
to secure the number one spot
on the leaderboard.
Born after a 14 month
gestation period,
they grow up to
nine inches a year.
Their age is known by counting
rings on their vertebrae.
Great Whites have
nearly human lifespans.
The infamous Deep Blue is
estimated to be 50 years old.
Some Great White Sharks
have been dated to being
73 years old,
making them among
the oldest living fish.
But that still isn't old enough
to land a spot in the top three.
It's estimated Whale Sharks
live to around 100 years.
And radiocarbon dating
of Greenland Sharks place
the oldest of the species
at more than 500 years old,
making it the oldest known
competitor in the game.
Take that, Tom Brady.
Just one category remains
and the Great White
is swimming in third.
It will need true brawn
to muscle out a win
against the Whale Shark
and Shortfin Mako.
And now, it's time
for the final round,
where sharks face off once again
in a category
measuring their appetite.
Only this time, they're scored
on their frenzied technique.
In order to sneak
up on their prey,
sharks rely on strong senses,
adaptive coloring
and predatory instincts.
Sharks that
trigger feeding frenzies,
A.K.A. all you can eat buffets,
often consume their
food in a trance like state.
The frenzies of Whitetip Sharks
are seen as opportunistic.
Sometimes following
fishing boats,
these sharks can get aggressive
with one another as they compete
for the trapped fish
and an easy meal.
But these feedings are nothing
compared the Copper Sharks off
the coast of South Africa.
In June and July, millions
of sardines move up around
the eastern coast
towards a seasonal cold spot.
These shimmery schools are
targets for deep sea predators,
including the Copper Shark.
Also known as Bronze Whalers,
these sharks can grow up to about
nine and a half feet in length.
A cousin to our high jumper,
the Spinner Shark,
the Copper Shark is
named for its coloring.
As they bob and weave through
the silver balls of sardines,
they voraciously feed, consuming
as much of the fish as possible
before moving on.
As the Copper and Whitetips
work for their small prey,
others scout out the
occasional binge worthy bounty.
When whales die,
they become large feeding
opportunities for shrewd sharks.
And Great Whites
are especially shrewd.
Just like the old saying goes,
one whale's carcass is
another shark's treasure.
Tracking whale carcasses,
scientists are able to observe
as the same sharks come
back again and again and
gorge themselves on
the fatty whale flesh,
often eating themselves into
a seemingly intoxicated state.
It's those big bites and
never ending appetites
that finally pushes
the Great White over the top.
Snatching a win from the jaws
of defeat at the buzzer,
the Great White swims ahead
of the Whale Shark and
the Shortfin Mako to
a definitive victory.
These sharks came to compete.
There can only be one top shark!
And the Great White
showed the competition
why it deserves to
be ranked number one.
to competing at the top of the food chain,
not all champions
are created equal.
Sharks have existed
for over 400 million years
giving them plenty of time
to adapt, react and compete.
With more than 500 species,
all of these apex predators
have evolved to win.
Welcome to The Game of Sharks.
(theme music playing).
NARRATOR: We've gathered
contenders from around the globe
to face off against one another
in a ten category competition
to crown once and for all
our All-Star ocean predator.
Whether it's for speed,
distance or bite force,
the top winners in
each category earn points.
And when it's all over,
the highest score takes all.
Will it be the fan
favorite the Great White?
Or will a unlikely
Cinderella story slip in and
steal all of the thunder?
Now, let the shark games begin!
First up, the Ultra Marathon.
Or in the watery world,
it's the Ultra Migration.
Like many animals,
shark migrations are often
triggered by seasonal change.
For some, it's a signal to go in
search of a mate and reproduce.
For others, it's
all about chasing prey.
They'll follow an
all you can eat buffet
just about anywhere.
The Salmon Shark prefers to
hunt the Northwest Pacific,
feasting its way
through the Sea of Japan,
hooking around to Alaska and
down to Baja California, Mexico.
Their wide, double keeled tails
act as a powerful propellor.
With a migration of
as many as 11,700 miles,
the Salmon Shark is nipping
at the heels of this guy.
They may look alike,
but make no mistake.
The Great White is
a much bigger shark.
And with all that heft,
comes a mighty appetite.
They are known to
swim amazing distances
around their territories.
Following currents
or food sources,
like seals and
large schools of fish,
it's basically the
sushi conveyor belt of the sea.
In 2004, a shark
nicknamed Nicole was tagged off
the coast of South Africa.
She made her way to
Australia and back again
in just nine months.
An epic trip that lands her species
a spot on the score board.
Food, while a great motivator,
wasn't the reason Nicole
competed in this Ultra Marathon.
She undertook this
race in search of a mate.
With an overall mileage
count of around 12,400 miles,
the Great White takes the lead.
For now.
Meet the Whale Shark.
This whopper of a
fish may look slow moving,
but don't be fooled.
What Whale Sharks lack in speed,
they make up for in endurance.
Survival depends entirely
on filtering tiny dishes
like Zooplankton.
These floating organisms
drift with the currents.
And since the
currents never stop,
neither does the Whale Shark.
In 2011,
researchers tagged
a shark near Coiba Island,
then she swam 12,516 miles
across the Pacific,
from the Galpagos Islands
to the Philippines.
This grazer may be a lot
slower than her competitors,
but when it comes to the
underwater Ultra Marathon,
distance trumps.
She gulps her way into
the lead by about 100 miles.
But there's still
another waiting in the wings.
The Tiger Shark easily swims
its way into the competition.
As a predominantly
coastal species,
Tiger Sharks in the Atlantic
usually stick to a loop from
the warm Caribbean reefs up to
the North Atlantic
and back again.
In 2012,
scientists tracked a male as
he left the waters of Bermuda
to set out on an incredible
27,000 mile trek.
Easily lapping the competition
with miles to spare.
That dominant performance
puts the Tiger in the lead
with three points.
The Whale Shark floats
into second and
the Great White scores only
one measly point.
After all that
long distance swimming,
it's no surprise sharks
can work up a huge appetite.
They eat up to 10% of
their body weight each week,
usually in only
one or two meals.
Not known for their
particularly discerning pallet,
sharks often confuse human garbage
for exotic delicacies.
Once a full suit
of armor was found in
the gut of a Tiger Shark.
While others have been
caught with a license plate and
even a fur coat
in their stomachs.
And in 1942,
a French fishing crew found
a bottle of Madeira wine
in a six foot long Blue Shark
with particularly refined taste.
But this isn't the
Iron Stomach Category.
It's all about gluttony.
And here comes our heavy weight
with dinner in sight.
Great Whites expend
a ton of energy chasing prey,
and to keep up their
speed and acrobatics,
they need to consume the
equivalent of a seal pup
every three days.
Bloody consumption on this scale
puts the Great White in position
to take the lead in
this eating competition.
But it's not over yet.
Tiger Sharks are equally
efficient scavengers making it
their business to eat
just about everything that
crosses their path.
Starting when they're young,
little Tigers feast on small animals
including young birds.
Eventually moving
on to larger prey like
sea turtles and bigger birds,
or easy meals
like a whale carcass.
In the end, it all adds
up to an impressive effort.
But can they
beat this thick fish?
What Whale Sharks
lack in variety,
they more than make up
for it with sheer volume.
Spending over
seven hours a day feeding,
Whale Sharks eat up 46 pounds
of plankton and shrimp a day.
The gentle giant knocks two of
the ocean's most feared hunters
into second and third place.
The Great White will need to
come up with a better strategy
to recover from
back to back losses.
In the oceans, it's
either eat, or be eaten.
So the better your sight, the
more likely you are to succeed.
The Sharpshooter Competition
pits the precision
of each sharks senses
against another.
Because, you never know
what could be hot on your tail
especially in the murky gloom.
Sharks can see ten times better
than humans in dark water.
They're also stacked
with two more senses,
a lateral line system
and electroreception.
Seven total senses, all the
better to hunt their prey with.
A shark's lateral line system
covers its entire body,
under the skin,
allowing it to
feel pressure changes.
This helps them sense the
movement of prey in the water.
And as if that's not enough,
sharks also have an organ called
the ampullae of Lorenzini.
These allow them to sense
the electric field produced by their prey:
A technique
called electroreception.
It works especially well
when they're up close or
trying to find
something buried in the sand.
While all sharks
have a killer arsenal
at their disposal,
only one can win the
title of sharpshooter.
NARRATOR: Vying for a win,
the Blacktip Shark
enters the ring.
They can be found
patrolling tropical waters
all around the world.
Like their competitors,
Blacktips are armed with
highly adapted vision, a
strong lateral line system,
and powerful electroreception.
But they have a
unique advantage.
Their nose.
It is so strong that it
can smell one part fish flesh
diluted in ten billion
parts of seawater.
Nothing to sniff at.
But that alone doesn't
guarantee them a win.
The Blacktip's sense of
smell may be up to snuff,
but evolution has given
the Great White an edge.
18% of their brain
is dedicated to smell.
When out hunting,
that helps them pick up
their prey from a distance.
As it moves in on its target
it hears it, then it sees it.
Then when it is on top of it,
it uses
electroreception to strike.
That superpower could finally give
the Great White a win.
Or maybe not.
Here come the Hammerheads.
There are ten species
of Hammerhead Sharks
around the coasts.
Each one guided by
eyes spaced so far apart,
they have a 360 degree radius.
And their
overlapping fields of vision
gives them a 3D advantage.
And that's not all the
hammer shape is good for.
It supersizes their
electroreception bandwidth.
Handy when it comes to hunting
their favorite food, rays.
So when it comes to
the super senses needed
to win at sharpshooting,
the Hammerhead takes all.
Even apex predators sometimes
have to lean on their team mates
to get the job done.
Some, like the Lemon Shark,
have evolved to
perfect the art of the relay.
When they're pups, they form
their own little leagues in
the shallow, coastal
waters they're born in.
As they grow and mature,
they stay social and
start to hunt in packs.
Together, they drive
schools of fish, like sardines,
into shallow waters
where they can feast on them,
or go sand fishing by
making the water murky so
the fish can't see them hunting.
This ambush technique works.
But it's not good enough
to beat team Sand Tiger.
Swimming in large packs
that can number 100 or more,
Sand Tiger's
hunt schools of fish,
that can't escape.
Earning them a
point towards a win.
But that isn't enough
against the Whitetips
coordinated offensive effort.
They rummage and dig,
forcing their prey out
and into their open jaws.
A technique
worthy of two points.
But pretty soon, their
teamwork falls apart and
along with it
goes their defense.
An opportunistic Grey Reef Shark
sees the opening and
swoops in to get a taste.
Other Grey Reef Sharks
circle in anticipation.
Making their move,
they score a hefty catch.
It's a clever technique
that pushes them into
the top spot for
winning relay team.
With four events down,
an unlikely leader has emerged.
Closing in on halftime,
the Whale and Tiger Shark
hold a narrow lead
over the fan favorite,
the Great White.
But, things are
about to speed up.
Blue Sharks are found in
temperate and tropical waters
around the world.
Up to 13 feet long and
weighing in at over 450 pounds.
In the cool,
deep waters of the ocean,
this predator spends its
time chasing after prey.
Their sleek blue bodies give
them a powerful propulsion
through the ocean's waters.
They've been documented reaching
speeds of 43 miles per hour.
But the Blue Shark
can't take a victory lap yet,
there's a challenger
coming up on their tail,
looking to score its first win.
NARRATOR: The Great White
cruises into position for
the speed category.
This phenom has a reputation as
one of the best in
the game for a reason.
They've spent more
than four million years
chasing their prey.
Dining on everything from
sea birds to fellow sharks,
to larger sea mammals motivated
to make a quick getaway.
Some at up to 25 miles per hour.
Catching dinner on the run
like that may finally give
the Great White
a much-needed win.
But there are no
guarantees in this game.
Next up, is the
Shortfin Mako Shark.
Makos look remarkably
similar to the Great White.
They spend their lives
circling the globe in
tropical and
temperate waters,
growing to nearly 15 feet long and
weighing more than 1,000 pounds.
Named for the
Maori word for, "Shark,"
Shortfin Makos are
evolved for speed.
Their short fins don't cause
drag along their sleek bodies,
allowing them to catch
the fast food of the sea:
Tuna, mackerel, swordfish.
Reaching speeds up
to 45 miles per hour,
the Shortfin Mako
edges out the Blue Shark.
Leaving the Great White,
with a good showing of
up to 35 miles per hour,
still in a disappointing
third place.
But the Mako's victory may be
fleeting as things are about to
get rough in the second half.
While some sharks aren't
built for the great game,
they're so cool we
had to have a half time show.
The Epaulette Shark
is the reigning,
"Speed walking," champion.
These tiny sharks walk
through tidal pools and
on reef beds to find lunch, by
moving their paddle-like pelvic
and pectoral fins.
Is this the same type of
movement the first vertebrates
to walk on land used?
It's old-school, but it
just might be the case.
Walking is only half the fight,
these incredible competitors put
the competition to shame
by actually walking on land!
Epaulette Sharks can survive for
short periods of time out of the sea by
selectively routing
their blood flow to the places
that need it most.
A dazzling technique
that takes center stage.
Whereas these sneaky predators
prefer to swim under the radar.
If the category is best in
camouflage the Wobbegong Sharks
are top contenders
for the prize.
These nine types of,
"Carpet Shark,"
with blotchy coloring
blend into the ocean floor,
making them the
ultimate ambush predator.
They can park and wait
until just the right moment,
and bam!
It's game over
for you, little fishy.
From the tasseled Wobbegong
to the ornate Wobbegong,
this family of sharks
are true showstoppers.
And then, there's
this strange little shark.
The Cookiecutter Shark
is so elusive, it's almost
never seen alive.
But it's circular bite marks
can be found on all
sorts of creatures.
At less than two feet long,
these cigar shaped predators
take a bite out
of life, literally.
They lure in prey with glowing
photophores on their bellies
then attach themselves to
their meals with their teeth,
cutting out a perfect,
"Cookie-cutter," circle
of flesh to gnaw on.
The Cookiecutter Shark
gives a whole new meaning to
"Take-out."
And now back to the competition!
Meant to be lethal,
the jaws of a shark
are intimidating.
Predatory sharks, unlike
their filter feeding cousins,
can have up to
300 teeth in their mouths.
If there was a
tooth fairy for fish,
they'd be bankrupt
by these behemoths.
Their triangle shaped daggers
have evolved over
hundreds of millions of years
into feeding tools.
Designed to grip and cut,
these razor sharp pinnacles
pack some serious
punch behind them.
To stay in the game,
you need the gear to match.
Great Whites meanwhile have
a formidable crushing force of
up to 1.8 tons.
Going after their prey,
they use their jaws to
crush and quickly immobilize.
A twist on the
dine and dash...
The slash and dash.
This predator needs to
quickly stop their prey from
swimming away
before they eat 'em.
The Bull Shark takes
a different strategy to
put points on the board.
Smaller than most Great Whites,
Bull Sharks take a
gripping bite and hold on.
Feeding on smaller fish
and smaller sharks,
the Bull Shark needs that
strong grip to snag their prey.
Another repeat contender,
the Shortfin Mako.
We already know
they have the speed,
but that's just one part of
their prize-winning attack.
Their, "Best Bite," game plan?
Get in quickly, incapacitate
by removing the prey's tail,
then ferociously
defend their meal.
Three different tactic and
three different challengers
who could take home the win.
The average Bull Shark
comes in third,
with their dogged grip.
Our Great White gains two points
with their crushing tactics.
And the Shortfin Mako
claims the category
with incapacitation.
With four rounds remaining,
the challengers must hold on.
And the competition is fierce.
NARRATOR: 20 million years ago
the Megalodon ruled
the Earth's oceans.
Growing to over 50 feet,
with a mouth filled with
seven inch razor sharp teeth,
this OG would
crush our next category if
they were still around.
The Megalodon's smaller
cousins now dominate the oceans.
And it's time for a
competition of the biggest.
Great Whites can grow up
to a massive 20 feet long,
but the average size for
this predator is just 15 feet.
Way off the Megalodon's 50 feet.
Being at the top
of the food chain,
does helps the
Great White measure up
against the competition.
But that doesn't mean
it can stretch to a win.
Even Jaws knows
when he is out matched.
Passive giants in their
underwater territories,
Basking Sharks have less of a
reputation than Great Whites.
But what the Basking Shark
lacks in fear factor,
it makes up for in sheer size.
Weighing in at
over five tons and
mind boggling lengths
of up to 40 feet.
This filter feeder is unique
among sharks in that it doesn't
actively suck in water to feed,
but instead
creates a constant flow,
straining up to
2,000 tons of water an hour.
Impressive, but there's
still a third contender.
The Whale Shark.
Not only can
they grow 50% longer,
he's in a
weight class all of his own.
Once again,
it's the grazer who comes in
from behind to
win biggest shark.
Weighing in at 15 tons,
the weight of two elephants.
This big 'ol filter feeder is
fast becoming the darling of
warm waters around the world.
Now, the high jump.
Whipping out of the water,
sharks can launch themselves
into the air for
brief flights of fancy.
Defying their
watery worlds and gravity.
Trim and sleek sharks that reach
for a high vertical clearance
all have a burst of speed
and are shaped like torpedos.
Well almost all.
The Basking Shark,
the second largest
shark in the oceans,
has been recorded launching
itself out of the water with
a less graceful form than some.
Understandable, given that they
can weigh up to 10,000 pounds.
Some scientists
speculate that they do it to
rid themselves of
external parasites.
But as you can imagine
getting nearly four feet
out of the water does not
land them in the top three.
NARRATOR: To win the high jump
our competitors must
have maximum vertical effort.
Spinner Sharks propel themselves
through bait balls of fish,
like sardines or herring,
spinning as they launch
themselves out of the water
biting away at their food.
And reaching
heights of up to 20 feet.
These migratory sharks live in
subtropical waters
around the world,
chasing schools of fish
up and down coast lines.
This jumper is a Shortfin Mako.
They may not spin, but
when it's time to get some air,
boy do they ever.
They'll do it to clear
themselves of being hooked on
fishing lines
and to ambush prey.
Either way, these fish
know how to put on a show,
whipping their
bodies from side to side,
the highest jump recorded
for a Mako is more than
double its length at 30 feet.
But not to be shown up, the
Thresher Shark thrashes its way
into the competition.
These sharks grow
up to 20 feet long,
and almost half of that
can be their unique tail fin.
They use it to smack
and stun their prey.
It's been said that they
can jump up to 20 feet and
when they do,
the Thresher's
technique is flawless.
And yet, when it comes to
style their sleek outline has
nothing on this camera darling.
Once again,
the Great White Shark
makes a splash.
The Great White's go to
maneuver is all about stealth.
They detect surface prey
from the safety of the depth.
And then, they
kick it into gear.
Rocketing upwards at
up to 40 miles per hour.
Bulls eye.
Current world record?
An estimated 15 feet.
But again, it isn't enough.
So when it comes
to the high jump,
here's how it stacks up.
Vaulting themselves up to
30 feet out of the water,
the Shortfin Mako jumps fins and
tails to their third victory.
In this category, sharks
compete on the senior tour,
where it pays to be old.
Recently crowned largest fish,
the Whale Shark is
easily identifiable by
the unique patterns
across their back.
In Madagascar, Whale Sharks
are called Marokintana,
which means, "Many stars."
Scientists have used
radiocarbon dating to estimate
just how old some of them are.
Then there's this prehistoric
looking shark which hails from
a species as
ancient as it looks.
One way to tell a
Greenland Shark's age is by
examining the
isotopes in their eyes.
A Greenland Shark tagged
and measured back in 1936,
was measured again in 1952.
Its slow growth
suggested that they only grow
less than half an inch a year.
Impressive for a shark that
can grow more than 13 feet long,
which can add up
to over 300 years.
That's ten feet longer than
their other spotted competitor,
the Spiny Dogfish.
Named for the way
they hunt in packs,
and the venomous, defensive
spines on their dorsal fins.
The Pacific Spiny Dogfish
can live more than 80 years.
These tiny but mighty sharks
need all the help and longevity
they can get to land a
win against the Great White.
NARRATOR: All right, so we're
this deep into the competition
and the Great White has yet
to secure the number one spot
on the leaderboard.
Born after a 14 month
gestation period,
they grow up to
nine inches a year.
Their age is known by counting
rings on their vertebrae.
Great Whites have
nearly human lifespans.
The infamous Deep Blue is
estimated to be 50 years old.
Some Great White Sharks
have been dated to being
73 years old,
making them among
the oldest living fish.
But that still isn't old enough
to land a spot in the top three.
It's estimated Whale Sharks
live to around 100 years.
And radiocarbon dating
of Greenland Sharks place
the oldest of the species
at more than 500 years old,
making it the oldest known
competitor in the game.
Take that, Tom Brady.
Just one category remains
and the Great White
is swimming in third.
It will need true brawn
to muscle out a win
against the Whale Shark
and Shortfin Mako.
And now, it's time
for the final round,
where sharks face off once again
in a category
measuring their appetite.
Only this time, they're scored
on their frenzied technique.
In order to sneak
up on their prey,
sharks rely on strong senses,
adaptive coloring
and predatory instincts.
Sharks that
trigger feeding frenzies,
A.K.A. all you can eat buffets,
often consume their
food in a trance like state.
The frenzies of Whitetip Sharks
are seen as opportunistic.
Sometimes following
fishing boats,
these sharks can get aggressive
with one another as they compete
for the trapped fish
and an easy meal.
But these feedings are nothing
compared the Copper Sharks off
the coast of South Africa.
In June and July, millions
of sardines move up around
the eastern coast
towards a seasonal cold spot.
These shimmery schools are
targets for deep sea predators,
including the Copper Shark.
Also known as Bronze Whalers,
these sharks can grow up to about
nine and a half feet in length.
A cousin to our high jumper,
the Spinner Shark,
the Copper Shark is
named for its coloring.
As they bob and weave through
the silver balls of sardines,
they voraciously feed, consuming
as much of the fish as possible
before moving on.
As the Copper and Whitetips
work for their small prey,
others scout out the
occasional binge worthy bounty.
When whales die,
they become large feeding
opportunities for shrewd sharks.
And Great Whites
are especially shrewd.
Just like the old saying goes,
one whale's carcass is
another shark's treasure.
Tracking whale carcasses,
scientists are able to observe
as the same sharks come
back again and again and
gorge themselves on
the fatty whale flesh,
often eating themselves into
a seemingly intoxicated state.
It's those big bites and
never ending appetites
that finally pushes
the Great White over the top.
Snatching a win from the jaws
of defeat at the buzzer,
the Great White swims ahead
of the Whale Shark and
the Shortfin Mako to
a definitive victory.
These sharks came to compete.
There can only be one top shark!
And the Great White
showed the competition
why it deserves to
be ranked number one.