World's Biggest Tiger Shark Full Episode | @natgeokids

Key Concepts:

• Tiger shark conservation in French Polynesia
• Apex predators and ecosystem health
• Kamakai: A potentially record-breaking tiger shark
• Dorsal fin identification
• Free diving and underwater observation
• Night dives with underwater drones
• Tiger shark mating grounds
• Juvenile tiger shark behavior
• Fin cam technology
• Pack hunting in tiger sharks
• Tiger shark life cycle

1. Tiger Shark Conservation and Population Growth

• In 2006, French Polynesia banned shark fishing in 2 million square miles of the South Pacific, leading to a resurgence of shark populations.
• More than 20 shark species thrive in these waters, with tiger sharks as apex predators.
• Marine biologist Cory Garza believes marine protection is causing the tiger shark population to thrive.
• The presence of apex predators like tiger sharks indicates a healthy ecosystem.

2. Kamakai: The Mega Tiger Shark

• Cory Garza filmed a large female tiger shark nine months prior and named her Kamakai.
• Kamakai is estimated to be over 16 feet long, potentially reaching 18 feet, which would be a new record.
• Her girth is particularly notable, making her exceptionally wide.
• Cory theorizes that the Pacific Islands environment contributes to tiger sharks growing to enormous sizes.

3. Search for Kamakai and Dorsal Fin Identification

• Cory enlists Andy Casagrande, a cameraman and shark conservationist, to help find Kamakai.
• The team plans to photograph dorsal fins to identify individual sharks, as each fin is unique like a fingerprint.
• They dive near Tahiti, a hotspot known for its high density of tiger sharks.

4. Free Diving and Underwater Observation Techniques

• Scuba gear is noisy, so Cory and Andy switch to free diving with snorkels for quieter observation.
• Cory is a skilled free diver, capable of diving 60 feet deep and holding her breath for up to 4 minutes.
• Andy uses Cory as a size comparison when observing sharks underwater.

5. Night Dives with Underwater Drones

• To observe sharks at night, Andy uses a tethered underwater drone called the Gladius Mini.
• The drone allows them to explore the ocean floor without getting wet, which is safer due to increased shark activity at night.
• The drone captures dorsal ID shots and provides footage of nighttime shark behavior.
• A tiger shark attacks the drone, damaging its lights, but the GoPro camera captures valuable footage.

6. Shark Identification and Mating Ground Discovery

• The team visits shark scientist Nicholas Bur in Papatoy, who maintains a photo archive of Tahitian tiger sharks.
• Nicholas identifies sharks by their stripe patterns and dorsal fin characteristics.
• The team discovers that the new sharks are females, many with mating scars, indicating a potential mating ground.
• Female tiger sharks have thick skin due to bites from males during mating.

7. New Hotspot and Juvenile Tiger Shark Lagoon

• A fisherman leads Cory and Andy to a remote atoll 220 miles north, reporting a large influx of tiger sharks.
• The atoll is the largest in the Polynesian group, forming a lagoon 50 km long and 20 km wide.
• The lagoon is teeming with juvenile and subadult tiger sharks, a different population than the large females at Tahiti.

8. Fin Cam Technology and Juvenile Behavior

• Andy uses fin cams, spring-loaded camera systems attached to the base of the dorsal fin, to track shark behavior.
• The fin cams provide insights into the sharks' movements, habitat, and interactions.
• The footage reveals that the young sharks segregate themselves from adults, possibly for safety.
• The lagoon acts as a safe zone for young sharks, providing food, safety, and protection from larger predators like hammerheads.

9. Pack Hunting Behavior

• Fin cam footage and direct observation suggest that young tiger sharks may hunt in packs.
• Cory volunteers to be bait to film a coordinated group attack with a 360 camera.
• The 360 camera captures the sharks circling and moving in unison, indicating a hunting strategy.
• The sharks regroup and attack as a single force, demonstrating coordinated behavior.

10. Synthesis/Conclusion

• The search for Kamakai leads to significant discoveries about tiger shark behavior and life cycle in French Polynesia.
• The team identifies a potential mating ground for large female tiger sharks near Tahiti.
• They discover a lagoon serving as a training ground for juvenile tiger sharks, where they learn to hunt and cooperate.
• The 360 camera footage provides evidence of pack hunting behavior in young tiger sharks, a previously undocumented phenomenon.
• The findings suggest that French Polynesia's marine protection efforts have created a safe haven for tiger sharks, allowing them to thrive and grow to exceptional sizes.