Filming great white sharks and fur seals
Planet Earth III returned to Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ one and iPlayer this October. The first episode, Coasts, opens with a remarkable sequence from the Coast of South Africa where great white sharks gather in number to prey upon Cape fur seals. Here, we speak to Marine Biologist and crew member Justin Blake, who explains why the experience of filming with the team changed his view on the oceans forever.
I became increasingly concerned, anxious even, about the state of our life-giving oceans
My name is Justin Blake. I’m a marine biologist from South Africa, and I’ve been fascinated with the ocean, and its animal inhabitants since I can remember. Perhaps sparked by my father’s tales of his navy diving days, I developed a fascination and passion that lead to an undergraduate degree in Ichthyology (the study of fish) and a Masters degree in marine biology.
I was part of the Planet Earth III crew for one of its first shoots, to film interactions between great white sharks and Cape fur seals. Before joining the team, I’d spent nearly 15 years diving with, and observing big sharks, but I had only ever encountered great white sharks underwater ‘by mistake’. I must have spent at least a month building the mental courage and fortitude in the lead up to the first shoot. So, I’ll admit… it was an anti-climax when I didn’t even see the shark on our first dive!
During filming, my role was to be the camera operator’s shadow. Whilst the cameraman was focused on filming, I had to watch for other sharks or dangers such as boats, waves and also keep track of the currents. Between dives, my science background meant I could also advise on the weather and ocean conditions, helping to decide where and when to find our subjects. But those weeks at sea, and hours considering and discussing our changing seas with the rest of the crew would prove to be a catalyst for me.
I became increasingly concerned, anxious even, about the state of our life-giving oceans. But rather than focus on the challenges, I realised I needed to remain positive and chase the solutions. And strangely enough, the sharks themselves may be part of the answer. Sharks are important part of a healthy marine ecosystem, maintaining balance in the ocean, and even enabling damaged environments to heal. Ultimately, conserving sharks, and the ecosystems they inhabit, will support a healthy ocean, and even help combat climate change. A healthy marine environment produces more oxygen, and sucks CO2 out of the atmosphere.
As humans, we can only ever be visitors in the sea and, believe it or not, sharks can also be our guides. By identifying the places that sharks visit regularly, we can identify some of the most precious and important parts of the ocean i.e. the places that are still healthy. If we protect those places, engage local communities, and provide alternative livelihoods then we can continue to build sustainable use of the ocean.
As humans, we can only ever be visitors in the sea
The world is changing in ways we’re struggling to understand (even us so-called ‘experts’!). The original series of Planet Earth featured a first-of-its kind, slow-motion sequence of great white sharks hunting fur seals off Cape Town. The coastal waters of False bay, Gansbaai and Mossel Bay were the world’s most important great white shark hotspots. But today, just 20 years later, those sharks have disappeared altogether.
How do we even start to answer these questions?
I think the answer may lie in knowing who’s who. I have begun a project called ‘’, in collaboration with the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Planet Earth III team, I’m using the footage collected during filming to identify the individual sharks by their unique pattern along their sides, and distinctive features like scars. We can then match these ID’s back to the many great white shark photos taken by researchers over the last 20 or more years, all around the coast of South Africa.
The working theory amongst many of us is that the same sharks that once frequented Cape Town have now moved into the waters around the Robberg Peninsula, where the Planet Earth III sequence was filmed. Certainly that would explain the sudden and dramatic rise in sightings at this location. But the project has wide applications too. Sharks, and great white sharks in particular, are hard to study. Identifying individuals also enables us to estimate population sizes. If we understand how many sharks we have here in South Africa, we can then make long-term assessments of population trends, locally and nationally.
The waters off Robberg, and the wider area, are special. It’s a marine reserve surrounded by a still-healthy ocean. I think this may be great white sharks’ last refuge in Africa. We could be witness to their last stand. Thankfully, the area is already a remarkable marine reserve. So the primary goal of the area is already to protect the many animals living there, and enabling the sharks to do their work of restoring ocean health.
certainly not the indiscriminate man eaters we once considered them to be
It's fortunate too that the geography and location is also ideal for tourism and outreach. This generates income for locals, and builds support for these special places and wildlife. It is a shining example to the world of how a reserve can create healthy oceans and . There are always improvements to be made - but we know what we need to do, now we just need to do it.
Personally, I remain optimistic about the future of the natural world. I sense a change in our culture, a new wave of interest in conservation and in new ways of living; a groundswell of desire to live harmoniously with the planet, and the animals we share it with. There is an increase in climate anxiety and despair over the bad news to which we’re constantly exposed but consequently there is also a rapidly growing interest in the natural world and in actions and solutions that individuals, companies… everyone can take to slow and reverse our impact. And there is a demand for re-connecting with our wild selves and the animals we desperately need around us. We know that time in nature is good for us, and the planet. And I hope television series like Planet Earth III is an opportunity for audiences to connect with animals and places that may otherwise seem a world away.
Before we began filming for Planet Earth III, despite my years of training and experience, I found the prospect of diving with great white sharks daunting, terrifying even. Four years down the line, I am no longer terrified of great white sharks. I’m simply in awe of them. And I’m actively working to understand and conserve them. These animals are sensitive, perfectly adapted to their watery home, and certainly not the indiscriminate man eaters we once considered them to be. They deserve our respect and, critically, our understanding.
