Last night the Discovery Channel kicked off its 20th anniversary celebration of Shark Week with a documentary: “Ocean of Fear: Worst Shark Attack Ever.” It examined what happened to the surviving soldiers left to float in the water for five days in the Philippine Sea after the sinking of the USS Indianapolis during WWII. (If you missed it they’ll replay it again on August 4 and September 2.)
Here’s the thing: the documentary was dandy. It was entertaining and thought-provoking, but also frightening. Not that it was scary like a horror movie but it emphasized the dangerous and predatory nature of sharks.
Yet, during commercials there came the Ocean Conservancy advocating the plight of sharks and the importance of conservation, especially for endangered species. They’d show images of dead sharks caught in fishing nets or having their dorsal fins chopped off and then thrown back to die without their navigation systems in tact.
I wholeheartedly endorse the Ocean Conservancy and the message they’re trying to get across, and I’m glad they’re supporting Shark Week, but the messages being sent are contradictory.
On the one hand, the Discovery Channel’s running sensational shows meant to play on people’s fears of sharks. People like to watch that kind of thing, and the Discovery Channel needs people to view their shows and support their sponsors.
But then there’s the Ocean Conservancy (granted, one of the sponsors) trying to illicit sympathy for the sharks’ cause. Yet, when people are watching a two hour program about how sharks preyed on and ate hundreds of people, will there be much sympathy for sharks being wiped out due to unregulated fishing practices?
Sharks are scary. They’re big, fast (in most cases, there are some species that are more reserved), and come equipped with a mouthful of razor sharp teeth.
But do you think they understand they’re scary? Or that we view them as an enemy? Do you think they want to kill us?
I don’t. I believe they’re just doing what they’re genetically programmed to do. It’s unfortunate when our paths cross and their instincts kick in, because it usually bodes badly for the lesser equipped of the match up –us.
I think what we fear most about sharks is the fact they remind us that 99% of the time we’re top of the food chain –but there are places we roam where we become just another meal in the banquet of life.
So should we fear sharks? Not unless we’re trespassing in their territory.
And that’s key to remember: the land is predominantly our domain. The seas are theirs. We should respect that –and them— and preserve their environment instead of exhausting it.
I’m hoping there will be more shows –not just commercials– emphasizing that during Shark Week.
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