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Michael Rutzen (born 11 October 1970) [1] is a South African conservationist, film maker, and cage diving operator. [2]
Since the beginning of his career as a conservationist, Rutzen has provided field support to the Department of the Environmental Affairs of South Africa. [3] Some of his projects include the deployment of satellite and acoustic tags on white sharks. [4] He is also a member of the Whale Disentanglement Network for the Department of Environmental Affairs, a group of marine experts who assist whales in distress.
Rutzen was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, as the youngest of five children. He is the son of Richard Harvey Rutzen, an Evangelist in the New Apostolic Church, of Austrian descent and Marie Rutzen [5] (née Stydom),of Afrikaans descent. He has two older sisters and two older brothers, one of whom is 20 years older than Mike. Due to lung complications from his premature birth, Rutzen's father moved the family from the city to the small farming town of Brits in The Northern Transvaal [6] when Mike was aged 5 so he and his older brother could benefit from the fresh country air. As the youngest in his family by many years, Mike spent a lot of his childhood alone, exploring the natural bush and the granite hills of the region surrounding the farm. There he learned important skills in bush survival and the understanding of animal behavior, particularly of snakes, baboons and leopards. At the age of 7, he started going to sea on his aunt's boat at Tugela River Mouth, where he learned to fish and developed a deep love for the ocean.
After high school, Rutzen enlisted in the South African Defence Force (SADF) as a medic in the 115 Battalion. He spent two years in the bush where he further honed his survival skills. At the age of 20, he visited the fishing village of Gansbaai in the Western Cape where he became a commercial fisherman. In 1993, the shark cage diving industry was established there. Mike was the second local skipper to be employed for his specialised seafaring expertise in the region. He spent a lot of time interacting with Great White Sharks from the boat and observing their behaviour during this time. [7]
Rutzen developed a huge appreciation for these majestic, apex predators. He decided he would like to learn more about the species, so in 1998 he began free diving with the sharks. In 2000 he established the shark cage diving company, Shark Diving Unlimited.
While in the water with the sharks, Rutzen used his knowledge of animal behaviour to understand the shark's movements and to cautiously interact with them. From this expertise he was able to communicate with the sharks by making his body smaller or larger to attract or deter the animal.
Rutzen's first documentary, National Geographic's Beyond Fear was released in 2005. It described shark behaviour and body language and showed Rutzen free diving with Great Whites without a cage. The film was shown internationally on National Geographic Channel and was viewed by more than 300 million people. [8]
This documentary was followed in 2006 by "Sharks Man-Eaters or Misunderstood? [9] A John McIntyre Production in association with PADI, Sport Diver and Shark Diving Unlimited to educate workers at Blue Planet Aquarium.
As he observed the sharks further, Rutzen noted that they "were not the mindless killing machines out to hunt us" as portrayed in horror films. [10] He decided to pursue more knowledge of these predators and contacted the world's leading shark experts.
In 2007, Rutzen's Discovery documentary "Sharkman" [11] went on air. Rutzen had developed the storyline by visiting the world's best shark experts in their fields and learning their expertise from them. He learned one form of tonic immobility from Dr. Samuel Gruber and another from Christina Zenato, a behaviour which would lead him to the initial idea for the Sharksafe Barrier [12] later on. [13]
Sharkman became the Discovery Channel's Shark Week staple for over ten years. In 2009, Rutzen was featured as the "Sharkman" on 60 Minutes with Anderson Cooper on CBS. Rutzen then joined with BBC Natural World [14] to develop The Great White Shark: A Living Legend (2008 - 2009), in which Rutzen visited a popular seal hunting area to better understand white sharks, [15] and later Shark Night on DiscoveryFrench TV (2010). [16]
Rutzen was featured as a shark expert in the IMAX 3D film, Great White Shark 3D (2010) [17] which was filmed in his hometown of Gansbaai and used stunning underwater and aerial footage. The film was screened in IMAX theatres internationally.
Later that year Rutzen acted as stunt double and shark behaviour expert for Halle Berry's character in the 2010 Warner Brothers film Dark Tide which was filmed in Gansbaai and based loosely on Rutzen's life experiences. [18]
2010 also saw Rutzen featured as the 'Sharkmaster' on Stan Lee's Superhumans, which investigated and proved his claims that he could indeed interact and communicate with Great White sharks using body language. [19] He was featured in Linge De Fronte (French TV) "Alerte aux requin" (2013). [20]
Since 2009, he has acted as field supervisor for population dynamics studies and DNA sampling programs being undertaken for the PhD study of Dr. Sara Andreotti (Stellenbosch University), [21] which he also sponsored and co authored a number of white shark behavioural papers. [22] [23]
The study identified that South African white shark's long-term survival is under jeopardy with an extremely low genetic diversity[ citation needed ]. 89% of South African White Sharks share a common mitochondrial lineage and have low mitochondrial diversity relative to some white shark populations. This could jeopardise the future survival of the species, and lead to possible extinction.[ citation needed ] [24]
It also concluded that the South African white shark belong to one population, with the same sharks sampled in the east coast (Algoa Bay) also being identified in the South West Coast (False Bay) an implication that is very important in terms of population management. [25]
Rutzen is one of the inventors of the Shark Safe Barrier, which prevents negative encounters between sharks and people. The barrier was conceived in 2011 when Rutzen met Dr. Craig O'Connell, a marine biologist. Rutzen had noticed that sharks did not swim through the local kelp forests, even when pursuing cape fur seals. This inspired the idea for a visual barrier resembling kelp to have the potential to become the first eco-friendly alternative to the shark nets. O'Connell was working on his PhD project exploring the use of electrosensory stimuli, such as permanent magnets to repel sharks, with much success. The two joined forces and combined their knowledge. [26]
The Sharksafe Barrier is made of four rows of large vertical pipes [27] fitted with magnets that move with the ocean currents and tides to manipulate the swim patterns of sharks. These magnets overstimulate the unique electrosensory system of Elasmobranchs (i.e. sharks, skates, and rays), known as the Ampullae of Lorenzini which detect the electromagnetic fields. These are associated with prey and may also be capable of detecting geomagnetic fields (0.25-0.65 Gauss) to orientate the sharks during long migrations. This makes the Sharksafe Barrier shark-specific so other marine animals can swim through it without issue.
The Sharksafe Barrier is currently undergoing final scientific and engineering testing ahead of its first beach deployment.
On 13 May 2017, he was part of the team that broke the Guinness World Records title for the 'Longest Underwater Live Radio Broadcast' in the Atlantis Ambassador Lagoon aquarium. [28]
Rutzen currently lives in Gansbaai, South Africa and Tofino Beach in Mozambique [29] with his two Mozambican beach dogs, wife and daughter. [30]
Rutzen won a Lifetime achievement award at the Tourfilm Festival Prague (2012) for his contribution to extending human boundaries with respect to the world's oceans and in particular for his pioneering work with sharks. The festival organisers stated, "It is our humble opinion that your work is reducing man's innate fear of the marine environment". [31] He was also awarded Princeton Global Network Registry Member of the Year (2012), [32] the Mare Nordest – Adriatico! Un mare d'idee e non solo, Trieste (2012) [33] and the Mayoral's Award for Conservation - Overstrand District South Africa (2015). [34]
Title | Publication | Date |
---|---|---|
An Integrated Mark Recapture and Genetic Approach to Estimate the Population Size of White Sharks in Africa [35] | Marine Ecology Series | June 2016 |
New Insights Into The Evolutionary White Sharks, Carcharodon Carcharias [36] | Journey of Biogeography | October 2015 |
Risks and advantages of using surface laser photogrammetry on free-ranging marine organisms: A case study on white sharks Carcharodon carcharias [37] | Journal of Fish Biology | April 2015 |
Effects of the Sharksafe barrier on white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) behavior and its implications for future conservation technologies [38] | Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology | November 2014 |
A novel categorisation system to organise a large photo identification database for white sharks Carcharodon carcharias [39] | African Journal of Marine Science | April 2014 |
The use of permanent magnets to reduce elasmobranch encounter with a simulated beach net. 2. The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) [40] | Ocean and Coastal Management | November 2012 |
Rutzen regularly delivers marine conservation and scientific talks to promote the preservation of the Great White Shark internationally. He often shares his views on responsible shark management, conservation and the threats to the ocean, as well as the findings of his scientific field research on the great white shark. [41]
Where | About | Date |
---|---|---|
Art Cafe - Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa [42] | Scientific research | 17 August 2016 |
Mensa Annual Meeting, Helderberg, South Africa [41] | Scientific research | 18 August 2016 |
Wild Card - Cape Union Mart, Cape Town, South Africa [43] | Conservation of the Great White Shark | 24 August 2016 |
Rotary Club of Stellenbosch, South Africa | Understanding The Great White | 28 March 2017 [44] |
One&Only Cape Town, South Africa | Understanding The Great White | 25 May 2017 [45] |
Helderberg Sunrise Rotary Club, Western Cape, South Africa | The Great White Shark | 6 December 2017 |
Man In Extreme Environment, Trondheim, Norway | The Great White Shark | 15 December 2017 [46] |
The great white shark, also known as the white shark, white pointer, or simply great white, is a species of large mackerel shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans. It is the only known surviving species of its genus Carcharodon. The great white shark is notable for its size, with the largest preserved female specimen measuring 5.83 m (19.1 ft) in length and around 2,000 kg (4,410 lb) in weight at maturity. However, most are smaller; males measure 3.4 to 4.0 m, and females measure 4.6 to 4.9 m on average. According to a 2014 study, the lifespan of great white sharks is estimated to be as long as 70 years or more, well above previous estimates, making it one of the longest lived cartilaginous fishes currently known. According to the same study, male great white sharks take 26 years to reach sexual maturity, while the females take 33 years to be ready to produce offspring. Great white sharks can swim at speeds of 25 km/h (16 mph) for short bursts and to depths of 1,200 m (3,900 ft).
A shark net is a submerged section of gillnets placed at beaches designed to intercept large marine animals including sharks, with the aim to reduce the likelihood of shark attacks on swimmers. Shark nets used are gillnets which is a wall of netting that hangs in the water and captures the marine animals by entanglement, however only around 10% of catch is the intended target shark species. The nets in Queensland, Australia, are typically 186m long, set at a depth of 6m, have a mesh size of 500mm and are designed to catch sharks longer than 2m in length. The nets in New South Wales, Australia, are typically 150m long, set on the sea floor, extending approximately 6m up the water column, are designed to catch sharks longer than 2m in length. Shark nets do not create an exclusion zone between sharks and humans, and are not to be confused with shark barriers.
The sand tiger shark, gray nurse shark, spotted ragged-tooth shark or blue-nurse sand tiger, is a species of shark that inhabits subtropical and temperate waters worldwide. It inhabits the continental shelf, from sandy shorelines and submerged reefs to a depth of around 191 m (627 ft). They dwell in the waters of Japan, Australia, South Africa, and the east coasts of North and South America. The sand tiger shark also inhabited the Mediterranean, however it was last seen there in 2003 and is presumed extinct in the region. Despite its common names, it is not closely related to either the tiger shark or the nurse shark.
Gansbaai is a fishing town and popular tourist destination in the Overberg District Municipality, Western Cape, South Africa. It is known for its dense population of great white sharks and as a whale-watching location.
Shark cage diving is underwater diving or snorkeling where the observer remains inside a protective cage designed to prevent sharks from making contact with the divers. Shark cage diving is used for scientific observation, underwater cinematography, and as a tourist activity. Sharks may be attracted to the vicinity of the cage by the use of bait, in a procedure known as chumming, which has attracted some controversy as it is claimed to potentially alter the natural behaviour of sharks in the vicinity of swimmers.
Rodney Winston Fox is an Australian film maker, conservationist, survivor of an attack by a great white shark, and one of the world's foremost authorities on that species. He was inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame in 2007. He was born in Adelaide.
The 1992 cageless shark-diving expedition was the world's first recorded intentionally cageless dive with great white sharks, contributing to a change in public opinions about the supposed ferocity of these animals.
Ocean Guardian is the manufacturer of Shark Shield shark repellent devices. The Ocean Guardian electronic devices create an electromagnetic field to deter shark attacks and are used by surfers, scuba divers, snorkelers, spearfishers, ocean kayak fishers, swimming areas off boats and for ocean fishing. It is considered one of the few electrical devices on the market that has performed independent trials to determine the effectiveness at deterring shark attacks, Whilst it is noted the Shark Shield technology does not work in all situations, modelling research from Flinders University in 2021 indicated that the proper use of personal electronic deterrents is an effective way to prevent future deaths and injuries, and estimated that these devices could save up to 1063 Australian lives along the coastline over 50 years.
Ron Josiah Taylor, AM was a prominent Australian shark expert, as is his widow, Valerie Taylor. They were credited with being pioneers in several areas, including being the first people to film great white sharks without the protection of a cage. Their expertise has been called upon for films such as Jaws, Orca and Sky Pirates.
Andre Hartman is a South African diving guide best known for his work with great white sharks. In a Discovery Channel documentary known as "Great White Sharks: Uncaged" he is filmed free-diving unprotected with several great white sharks.
One of the first shark species to be protected was the grey nurse shark. The biology, distribution and conservation of this species are dealt with in the following paragraphs with a main focus on Australia as it was here it first became protected.
Shark tourism is a form of eco-tourism that allows people to dive with sharks in their natural environment. This benefits local shark populations by educating tourists and through funds raised by the shark tourism industry. Communities that previously relied on shark finning to make their livelihoods are able to make a larger profit from diving tours while protecting the local environment. People can get close to the sharks by free- or scuba diving or by entering the water in a protective cage for more aggressive species. Many of these dives are done by private companies and are often baited to ensure shark sightings, a practice which is highly controversial and under review in many areas.
Isurus is a genus of mackerel sharks in the family Lamnidae, commonly known as the mako sharks. They are largely pelagic, fast predatory fish capable of swimming at speeds up to 50 km/h (31 mph).
Ryan Johnson is a marine biologist specializing in researching sharks. He is best known for the shark documentaries that he features in and hosts.
Enrico Gennari is an Italian marine biologist who specialises in the study of the great white shark.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to sharks:
Dolphin Action and Protection Group is a non-governmental organization in South Africa which campaigns for the protection and conservation of dolphins and whales (cetaceans). The group was founded in 1977 by Nan Rice. DAPG has since then broadened its role and activities and has run many national educational and fundraising campaigns. Thousands of educational DAPG pamphlets are distributed each year through schools and libraries and also to fishermen and merchant vessels to prevent dumping of plastics at sea.
South African born Chris Fallows is an expert on great white sharks and their hunting habits. He has amassed the largest database of predatory events involving great white sharks in False Bay and was the first member of the scientific community to observe the breaching behaviour.
Neptune Islands Conservation Park is a protected area occupying most of the Neptune Islands in South Australia about 55 km (34 mi) south-south east of Port Lincoln. It was established in 1967 principally to protect a New Zealand fur seal breeding colony. The conservation park was subsequently expanded to include the adjoining waters in order to control and manage berleying activities used to attract great white sharks. As of 2002, the conservation park is the only place in Australia where shark cage diving to view great white sharks is legally permitted.
Port and Starboard are a pair of adult male orcas notable for preying on great white sharks off the coast of South Africa. The duo are identified as having rare and distinct collapsed dorsal fins and they are named for the nautical terms, as Port's fin collapses left and Starboard's collapses right. Port and Starboard are part of a distinctive "flat-toothed" ecotype present around South Africa.
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