Shark Week: Swimming with the Great White

This transcript is automatically generated

It is shark weekend joining us right now from the Discovery Channel we have Jeff Kerr who is the producer and the boy is this I mean it's it's so popular.

So tell us what's.

What's involved here.

And let's talk about the minutia real sharks actually a -- of concern in Washington kind this year.

My particular program great white invasion which kicks off -- -- at 9 o'clock and Sunday night focuses on.

The occurrence of great white sharks and shallow waters off -- is like in Malibu California and also.

It happens in the East Coast it happens.

In south Australia and South Africa and we're seeing more more great whites appearing off peaches and you might think that's a good.

Dangerous thing for people but it's actually.

There's no really rise in attacks in -- things just.

The sharks that are being protected.

Are coming back -- population is increasing so there's more -- -- now fur -- And it's it's not a bad thing for people such a good thing because it means the oceans are are becoming healthier because.

Their population is.

-- interesting but I mean you we have seen shark attacks.

What accounts for those and how can you if you see a shark.

Avoid becoming a victim confusing -- -- that shark.

Well you should watch shark week because -- can educate yourself about sharks yeah that's really the most important thing is to understand that when you go in the ocean you're not going into the swimming pool you're going into.

The wilderness area.

And even in places like Malibu California.

You can go into the water there.

And you might encounter great white shark but are they gonna attack you -- you very likely they want.

And you can see by this footage here this is the host of my show Chris -- -- paddle boarding with the great white fourteen foot great white right off of the beach.

And the shark is very curious it circling him it's eyeballing him but did it attack -- no I mean.

The whole purpose of this is to show people that.

Great whites really are targeting us when they come close to beaches and they're they're for other reasons like please -- nursery ground they have baby sharks -- -- off the shelves that's for the girl I.

They come in they feed on fish and things like that -- What about if He was bleeding we keep hearing if you believed it attracts the sharks and makes them -- -- feed.

Well that's never a good thing because -- definitely attracted to blood -- also attracted to strange noises.

If you're in the water with a shark.

Let's say you're splashing around a lot that might be something that would attract sharks field.

And then as it gets closer it smells blood or something like that that's too bad things against you right there Brian let's.

Lashing around you know I think if I -- swimming and I saw a shark nearby a that's exactly what I would do I would start.

Kind of freaking out a little bit and splashing a lot trying to get away so I've just kind of stay calm and don't move too much and yeah I find that with.

Diving with great white sharks we sometimes we do without a cage.

I find it if you actually make eye contact with them and let the shark know that you see them coming.

They won't attack you -- because they know at the jig is up I can't -- this guy.

I can't sneak up on an attack is that -- sharks normally do when the attacks seals and things like that they -- an ambush.

So if they can't and the issue they are curious -- circle around but I I.

It's hard for me -- thousand.

That a shark would come in just grab a person without some sort of Q the person gave -- from.

And what about this whole low self defense that we hear about that you should hit -- -- between the -- like great great -- between the eyes and should say.

Well -- comes to that point it's probably too late.

You definitely the shark comes to close I use the camera sometimes to bump them away because they are curious they don't have hands they can't reach out and touch us and I'm sure they wonder what we are so a lot of times they might be might try to -- -- -- because that's how they figure out -- thing we know what things are.

And if it's something that's actually good to eat right so He.

You can also let's talk about some my shark facts and trends and -- -- with a neck flattening of the net.

Well I think that.

I -- sort of in great whites -- my favorite shark I just because of the size the beauty of these animals and they've been portrayed in the past especially in films like jaws as these mindless eating machines.

-- bent on revenge but I find them to be very intelligent creatures.

Very smart creatures that actually learn so consider their prey which is a seal extremely intelligent animals smarter than a dog and in -- case I'm sure.

But a white -- able to outsmart -- ceiling and capture that so that's pretty impressive and they actually learn how to become better -- with age as they age.

They are more successful in their hunts and how long they live.

You know I've heard.

Estimates of fifty to sixty years and they just keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger so when you see a really big -- you know he's been around a long time out battle scarred.

-- really impressive how did you get involved with us.

You know I grew up.

In an -- when the Jacques Cousteau specials were in prime time they were big deal her body the mind and as a kid I remember thinking how cool would it be to not make your living filming your wild animals and it just happened for me was very lucky I'm very blessed to be able to do this -- my office is like right there.

It's in the water with sharks and beautiful places.

I couldn't ask for better job.

Wow well it certainly sounds exciting.

I can't -- would be for me.

Not there's certainly -- -- you know you mentioned Joseph was how much damage -- that John series done enough for people's perception of sharks.

Well.

A -- affect me personally Ellis.

Very young.

When it came out and I remember I was afraid to go in the water is pretty going swimming pools lakes after seeing that and I think because of shark week people are becoming more educated about sharks and we see this with the younger generation like I.

Six year old twins and they are -- fanatics.

And they've been out of some shoots in and they they -- sharks I think the new generation that's coming up.

It wasn't exposed to jobs as we really young so now they're learning their sharks and shark week I think that's really positive great thing.

Watch Live

Shark Week: Swimming with the Great White

Details

Clips

Editor's Picks

Documentary challenges cause of TWA Flight 800 crash

US, Russia stumbling toward second Cold War?

Sen. Mike Lee's beef with Chief Justice John Roberts

Tea Party Patriots to protest inaction in IRS scandal

Obama family vacation draws criticism for high price tag

Mike Rowe wants Washington to help close America's labor gap

Interning 101: Mistakes to avoid at your internship

Prescription for savings: Stop overpaying for medication

Invoking race in the abortion debate

Future of national security, foreign policy uncertain

G-8 summit ends with stalemate over Syria

NSA director makes case for data collection

Transcript

Recommended