It is everyone’s favorite time of year! Shark Week is finally here and Discovery has put together a spectacular line-up on shark-fueled specials that we can’t wait to sink our teeth into this summer!
We had the amazing opportunity to catch up with Marine Biologist Tom “Blowfish” Hird to discuss his two Discovery Shark Week specials, “Cocaine Sharks” and “Great White Fight Club”! It was a fascinating chat with Hird, as we dive into some of the story behind “Cocaine Sharks” where Hird and his team study shark behavior patterns in the Florida Keys. It is an area where researchers believe that the ocean may become contaminated with cocaine due to increased drug smuggling in the region. First, we have “Cocaine Bear” and now “Cocaine Sharks”….uh, oh! It is definitely a fascinating topic to discuss.
Hird, also speaks about “Great White Fight Club” where, “A team of experts venture into the treacherous waters of New Zealand to provide groundbreaking evidence that female white sharks unequivocally dominate the ocean, reigning as the ultimate controllers of its fierce battlegrounds.”
Cocaine Sharks premieres on Discovery on Wednesday, July 26th at 10 p.m.
Full Shark Week line-up and encores:
Sunday, July 23
“Belly of the Beast: Feeding Frenzy” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
In a Shark Week first, researchers with cameras brave a great white shark feeding frenzy from inside a life-size whale decoy. Their findings could be the key to finding the biggest great white shark in South African history.
“Jaws vs The Meg” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery
The MEG, a massive shark measuring 50 feet and weighing 60 tons, was once feared as the most fearsome predator. It could devour a killer whale effortlessly, but new evidence suggests that its cousin, the great white shark, may have caused its extinction.
“Serial Killer: Red Sea Attacks” premieres at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery
Shark attack investigator Brandon McMillan and cinematographer Fo Zayed travel to solve the mystery of what’s behind three recent deadly shark attacks off of the posh beaches of Egypt’s Red Sea.
“Shark Week: Off the Hook” premieres at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery
Dive into the biggest thrills and most terrifying moments from 35 years of Shark Week, celebrating behind the scenes of iconic moments and revealing never-before-seen footage of the fearless adventurers who get up close with the world’s scariest creatures.
Monday, July 24
“Great White Fight Club” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
A team of experts venture into the treacherous waters of New Zealand to provide groundbreaking evidence that female white sharks unequivocally dominate the ocean, reigning as the ultimate controllers of its fierce battlegrounds.
“Monster of Bermuda Triangle” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery
A healthy, 10-foot pregnant Porbeagle shark vanishes in the Bermuda Triangle. The evidence suggests an unknown, monstrous predator could be to blame. Dr. James Sulikowski and a team of scientists dive into the most mysterious part of the ocean to uncover the truth behind the attack.
“Alien Sharks: Strange New Worlds” premieres at 10PM on Discovery
The tip of South Africa is a hotspot for unusual sharks that exhibit bizarre behaviors and unusual, otherworldly appearances. Wildlife biologist Forrest Galante explores stunning kelp forests and ocean depths never-before-seen by humans to study these extraordinary creatures.
Encores run at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery
Tuesday, July 25
“Mako Mania: Battle for California” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
Off the coast of Los Angeles, a new population of super makos challenge great whites for their hunting territories. Dr. Craig O’Connell, Fo Zayed, and Kendyl Berna deploy state-of-the-art technology to reveal their dominance and unveil the mysteries that have transformed these makos into some of the fiercest predators in the oceans.
“Raiders of the Lost Shark” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery
Shark expert Matt Dicken and Shark Week legend Dickie Chivell embark on a relentless quest to locate an elusive and colossal shark named Dutchess, who mysteriously vanished from Gansbaai, South Africa years ago.
“Monster Hammerheads: Killer Instinct” premieres 10PM ET/PT on Discovery
Dr. Tristan Guttridge believes Hammerhead sharks can reach monster sizes by hunting other species of sharks. The only way to prove his theory is to obtain tissue samples from some of the largest sharks on the planet.
Encores run at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery
Wednesday, July 26
“Air Jaws: Final Frontier” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
Shark filmmakers hunt for “Air Jaws” in New Zealand’s hidden launch pad. Andy Casagrande and Jeff Kurr seek the second-ever breaching great white in these waters to uncover history-making secrets.
“Florida Shark: Blood in the Water” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery
Paul de Gelder dives into the Shark Attack Capital of the World to conduct experiments that will confirm what makes up these dangerous waters and determine methods to mitigate the risk.
“Cocaine Sharks” premieres at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery
For decades, rumors of cocaine-fueled sharks have spread throughout the fishing community. Shark expert Tom Hird travels to the Florida Keys to investigate what happens when the sharks come in contact with the most notorious drug on the planet.
Encores run at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery
Thursday, July 27
“Jaws in the Shallows” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
Shark Week veteran Dr. Riley Elliott has traveled all over to study great whites, which are now terrorizing the beaches of New Zealand. He sets out alongside his wife Amber Jones to find answers to protect his loved ones from the apex predators before it’s too late.
“Monster Mako: Fresh Blood” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery
Twelve-foot-long monster mako sharks compete head-to-head with great whites for prey off the coast of California. Using a custom clear, acrylic diving bell, Dr. Austin Gallagher and legendary free diver Andre Musgrove get up close with both predators and track makos breaching eight feet out of the ocean.
“Shark vs Snake: Battle of the Bites” premieres at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery
Tiger sharks are washing up dead on the beaches of Western Australia with no sign of attack. Forrest Galante has a theory that deadly sea snakes are turning these apex predators to prey. In the battle of shark against snake, are snakes winning?
Encores run at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery
Friday, July 28
“Tropic Jaws” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
When a 16-foot great white invades Indonesia’s warm coast of Bali, it sparks fears that they are adapting to hunt the tropical beaches where millions of people swim every day. Dr. Craig O’Connell and Madison Stewart are on a mission to find Tropic Jaws and discover why they left the cold water environment that they have called home for thousands of years.
“Deadly Sharks of Paradise” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery
Scientists in South America are studying the shark species thought to be responsible for a spike in deadly attacks since 1990. Marine biologist Danni Washington and shark conservationist Paul de Gelder join a team tracking tiger sharks off a pristine tropical archipelago in Brazil.
“Haunting at Shark Tower” premieres at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery
News of a harrowing shark encounter at North Carolina’s Frying Pan Tower sends underwater cinematographer Andy Casagrande and shark expert Kori Burkhardt on a dangerous quest to discover whether great white sharks are moving into the state’s waters.
Encores run at 11PM ET/PT on Discovery
Saturday, July 29
“Dawn of the Monster Mako” premieres at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
A 14-foot giant mako shark is spotted in the waters of Portugal’s Azores region. Underwater cinematographer Joe Romeiro and his marine biologist wife, Lauren, search the teeming depths around the ancient islands to capture the beast on film.
“Mega Sharks of Dangerous Reef” premieres at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery
The remote islands off the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia are believed to harbor some of the biggest white sharks on the planet. While local fishing reports suggest these giant sharks are still around, they are rarely seen.
Encores run at 10PM & 11PM ET/PT on Discovery
The post Catching Up With Shark Week’s Tom ‘Blowfish’ Hird To Discuss ‘Cocaine Sharks’ And ‘Great White Fight Club’ appeared first on Age of The Nerd.