Exclusive interview with Steve Greenwood
We
featured sharks in 'The Nova Red List' in Supernova
vol.
3.2. Now, Supernova, the mag
for curious kids had the privilege
of interviewing Steve Greenwood, the producer of a new BBC Earth
series, Shark.
Shark
is a major wildlife series on the
sharks of the world with over thirty species filmed, showing how they
hunt, interact, court, and grow up, as well as the threats they face.
 |
| Shark, BBC Earth |
How
is Shark different from other television series on sharks?
Shark
is very different from other TV shows
on sharks. We filmed 30 species of shark and ray in dozens of
countries around the world. We really are a global series. Our aim
was to show the huge diversity of these wonderful creatures. We also
filmed all aspects of their lives – from courtship and mating to
how the young grow up and how they navigate the oceans. Most shark
shows just concentrate on predation, but that is just one part of
their lives.
 |
| Steve Greenwood |
What
did you learn about sharks (or a shark species) that you did not know
before?
So
many things! I was particularly amazed finding out how few young they
have and how long they take to develop. Lemon sharks have just a
dozen or so young every other year. Their babies even have belly
buttons!
What
was the most exciting moment the team experienced during filming?
We
filmed ragged tooth sharks inside a shipwreck off the coast of the
USA. We dived into the hold of this sunken ship and found ten or more
sharks inside! But they were not at all interested in us.
Did
you find yourselves in any frightening situations?
We
spent 2600 hours filming sharks, but never had a single dangerous
encounter. The most dangerous thing was the weather. We had a couple
of hurricanes and a typhoon while filming.
 |
| Shark, BBC Earth |
I’m
sure you’ll agree that we are more of a threat to sharks than they
are to us. Do sharks face any major threats besides humans?
I
certainly agree that we are far more of a threat to sharks than the
other way round. Sharks have few natural predators, though killer
whales and seals may go for them. As their natural food is very often
fish, my guess would be that declining fish stocks would be a very
large threat.
Why
is it so important to look after our sharks?
Sharks
are top predators in the ecosystem of the sea. We know that on land
if top predators, like wolves or big cats, are taken out of
ecosystems, it can have a big effect on other species. It follows
that the same effect will happen in the sea.
What
can we, even children, do to help save threatened species?
There
are lots of ways to help. Most importantly, take an interest in
sharks and find out more about them. Tell your friends and family all
the cool facts about them. If people say that sharks are horrible and
scary then tell them they are fascinating, smart and complicated
creatures, and humans pose more of a threat to them than the other
way round. The first step in conservation is changing attitudes. As
you get older, you may want to learn how to snorkel or scuba dive,
then you could go and watch sharks in the wild. How cool is that?
Which
shark of the thirty species filmed is your favourite and why?
Can
I choose three favourites? The hammerhead looks the most amazing. The
great white has the most incredible predation when it breaches out of
the water when chasing seals. But my overall favourite is the manta
ray as they are so beautiful, and they look at you with those big
eyes with real intelligence. They also look as though they are from
outer space!
 |
| Shark, BBC Earth |
Shark
premieres on Sunday 6 December 2015
at 16h00 on BBC Earth (DStv Channel
184).
Interview by Andrea Vermaak (Editor of Supernova, the mag for curious kids)
