Underwatertimes.com News Service - July 24, 2007 16:32 EST
shark week discovery

Discovery Channel’s 20th Anniversary of Shark Week airs July 29 through August 4, 2007.

Shark adventurer and CEO of Shark Diver, Patric Douglas, will be featured on an upcoming episode of Shark Week during Discovery Channel's "Perfect Predators" airing Wednesday, August 1, 2007 from 9-10 p.m. ET/PT.

For the segment, Patric Douglas was interviewed at length about Great White shark migrations and ongoing shark science in the Pacific region of Baja's Isla Guadalupe island. The island, now a named Bio-Sphere Reserve, is home to a prolific population of Great White sharks. For the last five years, Douglas and his team have run caged shark diving eco-tours at this site. Isla Guadalupe remains the top dive site worldwide for safe interactions with Great Whites in astounding water clarity.

"Being part of the 20th anniversary of Shark Week will be a great experience," said Douglas. "As you'll see, we introduce the crew to some of our favorite sharks out there. After five years of face-to-face encounters with these animals, we've gained a wealth of knowledge about Great White sharks and their behavior."

Douglas and his team also recently launched a non-profit fund, called the Isla Guadalupe Conservation Fund, to help support the Bio-Sphere and this unique population of Great White sharks.

"We hope that people watching the show will come to understand that these magnificent animals are not the same blood thirsty monsters depicted by the press, but rather perfect predators to be admired and studied."

Recent tracking data from Mexico's government marine science research center, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas (CICIMAR), and UC Davis research teams at Isla Guadalupe have revealed a fascinating correlation between shark prey and the timing of predation at the island. The research will continue when the teams head back to the island this August through November.

"We created the Isla Guadalupe Conservation Fund so that divers and shark lovers can ensure the continuation of research at this site and that the Bio-Sphere Reserve staff have the funds to protect this incredible resource," says Douglas.

For now, Douglas and his team can't wait to get back to Isla Guadalupe in late August, the beginning of Great White shark season. "Of the one hundred different sharks we've helped identify so far, most come back every year to see us. It's like we're reuniting with old friends after a long summer vacation."

Discovery Channel's 20th Anniversary of Shark Week airs July 29 through August 4, 2007.