Carlos Gauna, known as “TheMalibuArtist” on YouTube, has revolutionized our understanding of great white sharks. Thanks to his drone footage, specialists now have the opportunity to observe the birth of great white sharks like never before.
Carlos gained fame on YouTube as “TheMalibuArtist” by capturing incredible aerial shots of sharks. “You’re essentially watching sharks through a magnifying glass that they can’t see,” he says. His YouTube videos, which have garnered tens of millions of views, often feature white sharks swimming dangerously close to humans.
“Some situations make my blood pressure rise. I haven’t seen sharks aggressively react to humans yet, but it’s just instinct,” says TheMalibuArtist. Carlos often observes that humans and sharks are closer to each other than one might imagine.
During a visit to a beach near Santa Barbara, California last year, Carlos experienced something completely different. While he had previously seen large sharks in the area, he came across something he had never seen before. “This little white shark, almost albino, surfaced,” he says. As Carlos zoomed in with his drone, more details about the shark became apparent. It was white all over, but the white layer seemed to be shedding. Carlos was accompanied by researcher Phil Sterne from the University of California, Riverside, who couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
He was completely surprised and said, “Oh, it’s hard to imagine that this could be a newborn.” Both of them were instantly captivated, leading to an incredible discovery. Phil was particularly excited about the shape of the shark – its fins were more rounded than usual, resembling fetal sharks.
Professor James Worthington from the University of San Diego helped them estimate the size of the shark. Using the distance from the drone to the sea surface and the lower scaling limit, he calculated that it was approximately 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) long, a suitable size for a newborn.
Their observation was published in the journal Environmental Biology of Fishes.
However, some marine biologists urge caution in concluding that it is definitely a newborn white shark. Dr. Chris Lowe from the California State University Shark Lab believes the discovery is intriguing, but there could be other explanations for the white layer. “Of course, it could be a newborn shark, but it could also be a shark with a skin disease or something we haven’t even thought of,” he says. “Unfortunately, we have to remember that we’re dealing with only one study. I think many scientists would agree that we need a lot more evidence to consider this as a birthing area for young sharks.”
In their report, Phil and Carlos acknowledge that the shark could have a skin disease. However, Phil states, “What’s unique about this shark is the presence of the white layer. I’ve searched the literature thoroughly and haven’t found anything that matches it. It could be an unknown skin disease, undocumented until now, making it truly exceptional.”
Nevertheless, they believe this theory overlooks other evidence from Carlos’ videos – the aggressive shedding, fin shape, and the shark’s size.
Drones have revolutionized shark filming, not only for amateur scientists like Carlos but also for researchers studying sharks. They are used to analyze the behavior of these fish, resulting in some incredible observations. “We just finished a two-year study where one of my doctoral students flew drones and collected measurements on 26 California beaches for two years,” says Dr. Lowe.
“What we found is that every day at congregating sites where we have young white sharks, there were human interactions – multiple interactions per day.” Carlos experiences this firsthand. White sharks are much more common on California beaches than one might imagine, and it’s not uncommon for them to approach humans.
Equipped with his drone and patience, Carlos hopes to one day become the first person to capture the birth of sharks on film.
FAQ Section:
1. Who is Carlos Gauna?
Carlos Gauna, also known as TheMalibuArtist, is a YouTuber who gained popularity by filming great white sharks with his drone.
2. How did Carlos gain fame on YouTube?
Carlos gained popularity on YouTube by posting incredible videos of great white sharks that have garnered tens of millions of views.
3. What did Carlos observe on the California beach?
Carlos observed a small white shark that was likely a newborn. This shark had a white layer on its skin and rounded fins.
4. What is the significance of discovering this newborn shark?
This discovery is significant because specialists have never had the opportunity to observe the birth of great white sharks before.
5. What was the length of this newborn shark?
According to the estimation by Professor James Worthington from the University of San Diego, the shark was approximately 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) long.
6. What is the viewpoint of other marine biologists regarding this matter?
Some marine biologists caution against concluding that it is definitely a newborn white shark. There are other explanations for the presence of the white layer on the shark’s skin.
7. How do drones assist in shark research?
Drones are used by scientists to analyze the behavior of sharks. By observing from the air, researchers can observe the interactions between sharks and humans on beaches.
Definitions:
1. Great white shark – a species of sharks characterized by their white skin and much larger size compared to other shark species.
2. Drone – an unmanned aerial vehicle that is remotely operated, capable of performing various tasks, including aerial filming and photography.
3. Newborn – a young animal that has recently been born.
Related Links:
1. YouTube – the platform where Carlos Gauna publishes his videos.
2. University of California, Riverside – the university where researcher Phil Sterne, who assisted Carlos in observing white sharks, is from.
3. University of San Diego – the university where Professor James Worthington estimated the length of the newborn shark.
The source of the article is from the blog radardovalemg.com