WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:04.200 Welcome to More Outdoors on News Talk five sixty k LVII. 2 00:00:04.519 --> 00:00:08.119 This is Chestermore. For my entire life, my favorite creature 3 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:11.160 in the ocean has been the great white shark, and 4 00:00:11.199 --> 00:00:14.439 I recently had the incredible opportunity to visit the Atlantic 5 00:00:14.519 --> 00:00:18.920 White Shark Conservancy doing some media work up that direction 6 00:00:19.160 --> 00:00:23.879 in Massachusetts, out on beautiful Cape Cod and I'm so 7 00:00:24.039 --> 00:00:27.559 excited to have on the line. Cynthia Wigran. She is 8 00:00:27.600 --> 00:00:30.399 the co founder, along with her husband, of the Atlantic 9 00:00:30.440 --> 00:00:34.359 White Shark Conservancy. In twenty ten, she had a life 10 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:37.759 change when she got in a shark cage in South Africa. 11 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:40.479 And that's where our story begins twenty ten. If I 12 00:00:40.520 --> 00:00:42.479 got it correctly in South Africa. 13 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:43.640 Yes, that is so. 14 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:46.840 I'm assuming you're like the rest of us. She just 15 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:50.439 wanted to go do a cool great white experience again. 16 00:00:50.479 --> 00:00:53.840 And you went into a shark cage in South Africa, 17 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:58.600 And so what were your expectations before getting in the water, 18 00:00:59.320 --> 00:01:02.359 and what if anything changed while you're in the water. 19 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:04.519 That's a great question. 20 00:01:04.760 --> 00:01:09.239 So leading up to the trip, I was definitely anxious 21 00:01:09.359 --> 00:01:13.560 about it. I wanted to do it, but I was nervous, 22 00:01:13.719 --> 00:01:18.040 and I watched a number of YouTube videos where white 23 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:25.000 sharks were chomping on cages and it just looked fairly scary, 24 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:28.959 so that I think going into it, I went in 25 00:01:29.079 --> 00:01:32.560 with you know, a lot of nerves, thinking that it 26 00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:36.640 was going to be a somewhat terrifying experience, even though 27 00:01:36.680 --> 00:01:39.840 I still wanted to do it. But when we were 28 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:41.640 on our way out, we were on our way out 29 00:01:41.680 --> 00:01:48.400 to Seal Island and one of the Planet Earth that documentary, 30 00:01:48.680 --> 00:01:51.920 that was something that really inspired me, I think, to 31 00:01:52.079 --> 00:01:56.200 want to go to Seal Island see the sharks because 32 00:01:56.239 --> 00:01:59.079 there were the famous you know, breaching sharks in that area. 33 00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:01.680 So it was really surreal to be on a boat 34 00:02:01.760 --> 00:02:05.280 heading out to Seal Island and our naturalist on the 35 00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:09.919 boat was incredible talk to us about what the experience 36 00:02:10.039 --> 00:02:12.759 was going to be like and really calmed I think 37 00:02:12.919 --> 00:02:17.680 my nerves. Also learn a lot about responsible eco tourism 38 00:02:17.879 --> 00:02:23.919 through that in finding out what cage dive operators might 39 00:02:23.960 --> 00:02:27.800 be doing to lower the sharks to the cages and 40 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:31.800 grab the bait around out last minute so that they 41 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:35.879 are hitting the cage inviting it, which responsible operators are 42 00:02:35.919 --> 00:02:39.120 not doing. So that was so it was very educational 43 00:02:39.159 --> 00:02:42.039 as well. But once we got out to the area 44 00:02:42.280 --> 00:02:45.360 and it was my turn to get into the water 45 00:02:46.360 --> 00:02:49.280 in the cage and see a shark. It was just 46 00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:52.759 the most spectacular experience. 47 00:02:52.919 --> 00:02:56.000 It was, you know, the first shark that I saw. 48 00:02:56.120 --> 00:03:01.039 It was just so majestic and incredible, and I had 49 00:03:01.159 --> 00:03:05.919 absolutely no fear at all, and I was just mesmerized. 50 00:03:06.039 --> 00:03:11.120 It was really really amazing. And I think because I 51 00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:15.360 did go into it feeling like it would be a 52 00:03:15.800 --> 00:03:19.840 kind of a terrifying experience, and I had that absolute 53 00:03:20.159 --> 00:03:25.000 opposite experience with the sharks, that is what really drew 54 00:03:25.080 --> 00:03:28.680 me to the species and wanting to learn more about it. 55 00:03:28.719 --> 00:03:32.039 Because I realized someone like me, who did, you know, 56 00:03:32.199 --> 00:03:36.520 go into something like that with a love of wildlife 57 00:03:36.919 --> 00:03:41.479 but still had that fear, realized how little I knew 58 00:03:41.599 --> 00:03:46.199 about great white sharks, and just really wanted to learn 59 00:03:46.319 --> 00:03:50.680 more about them. So it was ultimately a life changing 60 00:03:50.960 --> 00:03:51.840 experience for me. 61 00:03:52.800 --> 00:03:55.479 So this was really an on ramp for you to 62 00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:59.639 think about getting involved deeper in sharks, particularly with great 63 00:03:59.639 --> 00:04:05.919 white What is the transition from there to uh getting 64 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:09.039 inspired to start the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. 65 00:04:10.199 --> 00:04:13.000 So at the time I had interest in learning more 66 00:04:13.159 --> 00:04:17.399 about great white sharks, and the first sharks off of 67 00:04:17.439 --> 00:04:20.519 the off the coast of Cape Cod that had been tagged. 68 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:24.800 Happened about seven months before I had that experience in 69 00:04:24.839 --> 00:04:28.079 South Africa, so the timing of it was really interesting. 70 00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:33.879 And so I came back from my trip and recognized 71 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:36.639 that there were great white sharks right in our backyard, 72 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:43.199 that it was relatively a new occurrence that was happening, 73 00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:47.319 that great white sharks were, you know, that we had 74 00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:50.079 the presence of them off the coast, and that scientist, 75 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:54.839 one scientist and in particular, doctor Greg Schomel, had the 76 00:04:54.879 --> 00:04:58.879 opportunity to tag great white shark sharks off the coast 77 00:04:58.920 --> 00:04:59.800 of Massachusetts. 78 00:05:00.600 --> 00:05:03.240 So I just started to follow the work that he 79 00:05:03.480 --> 00:05:04.120 was doing. 80 00:05:04.839 --> 00:05:09.319 And about two years after I had that experience in 81 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:14.839 South Africa, I had a conversation with Greg to learn 82 00:05:14.839 --> 00:05:17.600 more about the work that he was doing, and in 83 00:05:17.639 --> 00:05:20.759 that conversation I found out that he relied on outside 84 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:22.600 funding for his research. 85 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:24.480 So he works for the. 86 00:05:24.439 --> 00:05:30.480 State of Massachusetts and the Fisheries department that he's working for, 87 00:05:30.920 --> 00:05:33.560 they covered his salary, but he had to raise the 88 00:05:33.639 --> 00:05:38.519 funds to do conduct great white shark research. And it 89 00:05:38.680 --> 00:05:41.720 just seemed like we, you know, people were traveling all 90 00:05:41.720 --> 00:05:44.800 over the world to these remote places to see great 91 00:05:44.839 --> 00:05:47.439 white sharks, and here we have them right off of 92 00:05:47.480 --> 00:05:53.399 the coast of Cape Cod And what an incredible opportunity 93 00:05:53.560 --> 00:05:57.600 to be able to learn about the species and to 94 00:05:57.639 --> 00:06:01.959 find out that funding was needed to you to provide 95 00:06:02.120 --> 00:06:08.959 sustainable research here off the coast. It was something that 96 00:06:09.720 --> 00:06:14.360 I felt it needed kind of an advocate to help 97 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:18.079 those funds and get that going. So there was no 98 00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:23.360 nonprofit at the time locally that was supporting great white 99 00:06:23.399 --> 00:06:27.319 shark research, and I thought, how hard. 100 00:06:27.079 --> 00:06:28.680 Can it be to start a nonprofit? 101 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:34.279 So I just went online and I googled how to 102 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:40.079 start a nonprofit in Massachusetts and that was it. My 103 00:06:40.199 --> 00:06:42.279 career at the time was very different. I worked for 104 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:46.560 an online trading platform in the energy energy industry, and 105 00:06:47.800 --> 00:06:51.920 I asked my boss for a six month hiatus when 106 00:06:51.959 --> 00:06:55.360 I decided this thing that I was going to do, 107 00:06:55.480 --> 00:06:58.759 and it would take an initial effort to kind of 108 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:03.360 get it up and running. And within three months I 109 00:07:03.439 --> 00:07:07.120 knew that six months was not going to be enough 110 00:07:07.319 --> 00:07:10.040 and if I really wanted this to be successful and 111 00:07:10.079 --> 00:07:13.759 to really support the work, then I needed to commit 112 00:07:14.040 --> 00:07:14.959 full time to it. 113 00:07:15.160 --> 00:07:17.399 So so that was it. 114 00:07:17.399 --> 00:07:20.560 It was a There wasn't a huge amount of thought 115 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:23.240 that went into it in advance. 116 00:07:23.399 --> 00:07:27.120 I'm I'm definitely a just do it kind of person. 117 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:31.040 And me too, our nonprofit for children. We decided to 118 00:07:31.079 --> 00:07:34.439 do it in the next morning, we file paperwork and boom, 119 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:36.879 you know, we're working on it, kind of figuring out 120 00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:37.399 as we go. 121 00:07:38.480 --> 00:07:38.839 Yeah. 122 00:07:38.959 --> 00:07:41.720 Yeah, and you know what, I think, that's that's what. 123 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:44.360 It takes a lot and you do figure it out. 124 00:07:45.439 --> 00:07:48.360 I was fortunate to have the you know, the passion 125 00:07:48.439 --> 00:07:51.319 for the wildlife and then the business background, so that 126 00:07:51.519 --> 00:07:55.399 I think the combination of those two were helpful in 127 00:07:55.600 --> 00:08:00.399 the startup world. Nonprofit is you know, is a business 128 00:08:00.680 --> 00:08:03.600 in all the different aspects that's got its own unique 129 00:08:03.720 --> 00:08:07.199 characteristics as well. But that part of it I think 130 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:10.560 was helpful in getting it initially up and running. But 131 00:08:10.600 --> 00:08:14.079 it was certainly and you can completely relate to this 132 00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:16.920 and starting your own you know, just jumping into the 133 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:21.600 deep end and just getting it done. So, you know, 134 00:08:21.759 --> 00:08:26.759 initially we really wanted to support the research because we 135 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:31.560 knew that that was critical here to learn about the species. 136 00:08:31.720 --> 00:08:36.080 We are living in a tourist economy here, so there 137 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:38.759 are a lot of millions of people that are visiting 138 00:08:38.840 --> 00:08:43.639 the beaches here every year and recognizing that connection between 139 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:51.320 the research and public safety and education to really inspire 140 00:08:51.440 --> 00:08:55.720 the long term conservation of the species, that those things 141 00:08:55.759 --> 00:08:56.759 were all tied together. 142 00:08:57.000 --> 00:08:58.480 So the mission of. 143 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:04.080 Our nonprofit hasn't changed since we launched in twenty twelve, 144 00:09:05.799 --> 00:09:08.639 but we've just really grown in all of the different 145 00:09:08.679 --> 00:09:12.399 areas and there's a tremendous amount of interest in the 146 00:09:12.440 --> 00:09:18.360 species here and that's been really incredible, I think, you know, 147 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:22.519 just to see what we've been able to learn over 148 00:09:22.559 --> 00:09:23.039 the years. 149 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:27.080 The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy does incredible work that impacts 150 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:29.679 what we know about great white sharks to out not 151 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:32.759 only the Atlantic but also in the Gulf of Mexico. 152 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:35.559 We might remember Leebeth, the great white shark that showed 153 00:09:35.639 --> 00:09:38.080 up at South Padre, scooted down the coast or up 154 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:41.399 the coast over towards Sabine. That shark is now in 155 00:09:41.480 --> 00:09:45.480 Canadian waters. Amazing stuff we're learning because of research from 156 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:48.679 the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. You can get more information 157 00:09:48.759 --> 00:09:52.600 from them at Atlantic White Shark dot org. And when 158 00:09:52.600 --> 00:09:54.840 we come back on More Outdoors here on News Talk 159 00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:57.879 five sixty KILVA, we're talking more with Cynthia Wigran about 160 00:09:57.879 --> 00:10:01.600 her vision for shark conservation. Welcome back to More out 161 00:10:01.639 --> 00:10:04.600 Doors on News Talk five sixty klv. I follow me 162 00:10:04.720 --> 00:10:09.080 at the Chester, more on Instagram, Higher Calling Wildlife on 163 00:10:09.159 --> 00:10:12.279 Facebook and Higherclung dot net, my blog and also my 164 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:15.759 Great White Shark blog at Gulf Great Whites dot com. 165 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:20.519 Continue our conversation with Cynthia Wigran of the Atlantic White 166 00:10:20.519 --> 00:10:21.519 Shark Conservancy. 167 00:10:21.639 --> 00:10:25.360 We started to talk about jaws and that's how a 168 00:10:25.399 --> 00:10:29.279 lot of people were educated about the species with not 169 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:34.240 necessarily the correct information. So it's it's very cool to 170 00:10:34.279 --> 00:10:38.840 see people learning as we learn because all of the 171 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:43.039 information that we're gathering, the data through the research, is 172 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:45.679 shared with the public and so we're all we're all 173 00:10:45.720 --> 00:10:47.320 learning about these animals together. 174 00:10:48.440 --> 00:10:51.720 Yeah. I think it's it's such a great marriage of education, 175 00:10:51.879 --> 00:10:54.440 awareness and research. You know, having been able to be 176 00:10:54.559 --> 00:10:58.200 up there twice now and see what you guys are doing, 177 00:10:58.840 --> 00:11:01.840 and you mentioned the public safety element of this, I 178 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:05.240 think that is so important to what you're doing because, 179 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:07.600 let's face it, sometimes sharks attack people and kill them. 180 00:11:07.639 --> 00:11:11.159 It happens not often, but you know, don't tell that 181 00:11:11.159 --> 00:11:13.320 to the person who got hit their family member lost 182 00:11:13.639 --> 00:11:16.759 You know there's that human part, but you guys are 183 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:23.440 able to educate people and give people information that ten 184 00:11:23.559 --> 00:11:26.480 or fifteen years ago wouldn't have been possible to get people. 185 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:28.720 I mean I literally, I like right before we got 186 00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:33.080 on there was a stark at the Coastguard Beach. You know, 187 00:11:33.159 --> 00:11:36.399 I got the update there. And so tell us about 188 00:11:36.440 --> 00:11:39.200 that app, because if someone online listens, probably the first 189 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:42.039 way they're going to connect with you is via your app, Sharktivity. 190 00:11:42.879 --> 00:11:43.120 Yeah. 191 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:47.159 So the Sharktivity app is something that we launched in 192 00:11:47.320 --> 00:11:52.120 twenty sixteen and it was a collaborative effort with US, 193 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:56.200 the Division and Marine Fisheries in Massachusetts, the Cape Cod 194 00:11:56.320 --> 00:12:01.200 National Seashore, and talents across Cape Cod who really wanted 195 00:12:01.240 --> 00:12:05.159 to raise awareness about the presence of sharks, offer of 196 00:12:05.159 --> 00:12:09.120 our post and to be able to provide the public 197 00:12:09.320 --> 00:12:12.559 with information. And you know, everyone has their phone on 198 00:12:12.600 --> 00:12:15.440 them all the time, and so it's really a wonderful 199 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:20.240 way to be able to share the data that we have, 200 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:23.960 our sightings that we have uh with the public in 201 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:27.720 a in a really quick and efficient way. So Sharktivity 202 00:12:27.799 --> 00:12:30.960 has a number of different data points on it. People 203 00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:35.720 can go and look at shark sightings. There is also 204 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:41.080 information about tag sharks. I'm sure your your listeners are 205 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:45.159 familiar with lee Beth and heard your. 206 00:12:45.080 --> 00:12:48.720 Adopted text are adopted text in Great white Yes exactly. 207 00:12:49.480 --> 00:12:53.480 Uh, so you know, Lee Beth can be tracked on sharctivity. 208 00:12:53.799 --> 00:12:57.879 And there's also a citizen science component to the app, 209 00:12:57.960 --> 00:13:02.600 so if people have see their own have their own 210 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:05.000 sightings of great white sharks, they can add that to 211 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:09.440 the app. They do get vetted and credible sightings are 212 00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:13.159 added to the the app as well. So it's a 213 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:17.879 really it's a great tool and resource for the public. 214 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:21.200 It's incredible. I actually my blog up have to send 215 00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:24.679 it to you. It's called Experiencing Sharktivity, and so I 216 00:13:24.759 --> 00:13:28.200 talk about being on the water last week and uh 217 00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:31.519 watching Sharktivity happen, and then watching the update on my 218 00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:33.960 phone which I screenshot that it came up and put 219 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:36.159 it on there and it was in a real time, 220 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:37.799 you know, and it was in a real time. And 221 00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:39.759 then there was a guy on the beach from the 222 00:13:39.799 --> 00:13:42.840 local beach community with the purple flag you know, in 223 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:46.679 the truck and making letting people make informed decisions. And 224 00:13:46.679 --> 00:13:48.919 then that is so important you're dealing with carnivores, you know, 225 00:13:48.919 --> 00:13:51.080 when you're dealing with something that you know that could 226 00:13:51.080 --> 00:13:54.080 be potentially dangerous or even ungulates like you know, a 227 00:13:54.159 --> 00:13:57.120 moose in an area or something like that. But wildlife, 228 00:13:57.639 --> 00:14:00.440 you know, human wildlife conflict. And you guys have found 229 00:14:00.440 --> 00:14:02.639 a way to use this but also to allow the 230 00:14:02.679 --> 00:14:07.360 public to truth to it, which I think is really 231 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:08.919 get some skin in the game. 232 00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:12.000 Mm hmm. And I think you make a great point 233 00:14:12.039 --> 00:14:15.080 to say, you know, making informed decisions because from a 234 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:19.559 public safety perspective, you can't guarantee someone's safety. They're going 235 00:14:19.639 --> 00:14:22.440 out in the ocean is a wild environment and that's 236 00:14:22.480 --> 00:14:26.799 something that people, you know, need to remember. But people 237 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:30.600 can have the information and decide what their own risk 238 00:14:30.799 --> 00:14:35.360 tolerance is. And that's really important because without it, you're 239 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:39.600 you're a little bit you know, blindfolded in certain ways 240 00:14:39.720 --> 00:14:43.799 in that kind of environment. So it's it's great to 241 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:47.279 be able to give get that information out in a 242 00:14:47.559 --> 00:14:48.840 in a really efficient way. 243 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:53.600 Incredible, So you've you've been out there and the tagging 244 00:14:53.639 --> 00:14:55.879 and watching this thing, the genesis of this thing, and 245 00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:59.480 literally you were connected to warning to learn about it 246 00:14:59.559 --> 00:15:02.080 right when the first ones were pretty close to being tagged, 247 00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:05.559 and then early year or so of that. What is 248 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:08.559 what have you learned about great white sharks? What is 249 00:15:08.600 --> 00:15:10.919 the thing that just blows you away that you didn't 250 00:15:10.919 --> 00:15:13.519 know before this journey. 251 00:15:13.639 --> 00:15:16.440 I think one of the big things is that they're 252 00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:20.120 they're just all in, you know, their own individuals, So 253 00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:25.080 we're seeing different personality types. I don't know if personality 254 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:31.279 there were to ease necessarily, but that they behave different 255 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:35.519 ways that I think it was kind of an AHA 256 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:39.159 moment for me being out on the water and seeing 257 00:15:39.639 --> 00:15:43.840 different sharks. It makes the science a little bit more 258 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:47.080 challenging too, when you recognize that their their behavior is 259 00:15:47.159 --> 00:15:51.679 not all the same where they're coming to this area 260 00:15:52.519 --> 00:15:56.159 at different times. Some are here for a full season, 261 00:15:56.360 --> 00:16:00.159 some just pass through. Some have their kind of favorite spots. 262 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:05.039 My favorite shark, his name was James, and he would 263 00:16:05.080 --> 00:16:09.399 just set himself up each year in this particular area 264 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:14.000 and he was just this steady, this big fourteen foot 265 00:16:14.039 --> 00:16:16.639 great white shark who would spend a lot of time 266 00:16:16.679 --> 00:16:20.399 at the surface and he was just super chill around 267 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:23.279 the boat and it was amazing to watch him and 268 00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:26.039 so cool to see the shark come back and spend 269 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:29.720 time in the same area each year, so that I 270 00:16:29.720 --> 00:16:34.080 think is one of the biggest kind of surprises for 271 00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:37.799 me for being fortunate enough to see so many great 272 00:16:37.799 --> 00:16:38.960 white sharks on the water. 273 00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:41.519 And of course a lot of this data has to 274 00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:44.240 do with the tagging being able to not only put 275 00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:47.799 these satellite tags now camera tags on certain ones it 276 00:16:47.919 --> 00:16:50.919 lasts for like twenty four hours or so. Acoustic ones, 277 00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:53.799 which actually the ones that interests me the most because 278 00:16:53.799 --> 00:16:58.960 of there are a lot of acoustic setups, like in 279 00:16:59.000 --> 00:17:02.679 places like the Flower Gardens Marine National Sanctuary, which I 280 00:17:02.759 --> 00:17:05.559 being a journalist, pesky journalist, asking all these biologis, I'm like, 281 00:17:05.640 --> 00:17:07.920 have you heard any great white signals anywhere? And they're 282 00:17:07.960 --> 00:17:10.240 like great white showing up? Nobody knows about out there, 283 00:17:10.359 --> 00:17:13.400 you know, except scientists. So there's a lot of ways 284 00:17:13.400 --> 00:17:16.359 that data is collected here and it's fed into this app, 285 00:17:16.359 --> 00:17:19.319 but also fed out to the different agencies that are 286 00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:23.119 managing these species and these waterways and things like that. 287 00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:28.160 And the first thing I noticed about you mentioned the 288 00:17:28.200 --> 00:17:30.960 fact that they all have different personalities. Go back to Leebeth. 289 00:17:31.720 --> 00:17:35.319 I mean, I mean this shark was surfacing like it 290 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:37.799 was going like she was going crazy. I mean this 291 00:17:37.880 --> 00:17:39.799 thing because you know, if you know, if you're listening, 292 00:17:39.799 --> 00:17:41.960 if they have the satellite tag, if I have this correct, 293 00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:43.720 they have to affect their fin out of the water 294 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:46.880 for that to pick up. So this girl is like 295 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:50.799 bam bam, bam bam everywhere, and I thought that was 296 00:17:50.839 --> 00:17:59.480 so that really was for for us in Texas. Was 297 00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:03.480 such an interesting journey to watch happen. You know. So 298 00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:07.000 I see someone and I hadn't heard of AWSC at 299 00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:10.839 this point, I see someone on an instant, someone on 300 00:18:10.920 --> 00:18:13.559 a shark group a pose at South Padre Island Great White, 301 00:18:13.559 --> 00:18:15.759 and I'm like, boom, you know, went made a bunch 302 00:18:15.799 --> 00:18:17.440 of phone calls, harassed a bunch of people. So I 303 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:21.720 eventually got Chip, Michael Love and Megan went in on 304 00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:25.200 the line. But this journey, this shark took and it 305 00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:29.279 got people excited about that the Great White's coming back 306 00:18:29.319 --> 00:18:30.960 to the golf and it was it was in a thing. 307 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:36.000 So with that said, what has been your favorite part 308 00:18:36.119 --> 00:18:38.480 of the public's reaction to all of this. Has there 309 00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:40.680 been something that's really just made you go, man, we're 310 00:18:40.680 --> 00:18:42.599 doing a pretty good job here. Is there something that 311 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:46.160 in the public that you've seen that's a real positive 312 00:18:46.200 --> 00:18:49.400 that's come out of these this app and this tagging information. 313 00:18:51.720 --> 00:18:55.960 I think for me, the most impactful thing that I've 314 00:18:56.000 --> 00:19:02.319 seen publicly as the connection to particular sharks, sharks that 315 00:19:03.559 --> 00:19:08.680 people name. So one of the most significant is we 316 00:19:08.759 --> 00:19:13.480 have a shark that was named after a soldier that 317 00:19:13.559 --> 00:19:20.039 was killed in Afghanistan. He was killed in on September fourth, 318 00:19:20.680 --> 00:19:25.759 twenty fourteen, and on the same day that he was killed, 319 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:29.200 there was a shark that was tagged, so we caname 320 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:35.160 that shark after this soldier and we have remained very 321 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:40.960 close with his family, and it's just a really incredible thing. 322 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:46.920 You know, it's a shark, and to see how moved 323 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:51.039 people can be, and especially someone who's you know, lost 324 00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:56.640 a loved one when they have a shark the name 325 00:19:56.759 --> 00:20:00.599 of this individual and they're able to follow at shark 326 00:20:00.839 --> 00:20:05.160 you know on our app. It's it's really powerful and 327 00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:08.400 really incredible and not something when I still think for 328 00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:11.079 the nonprofit that I would have thought about. 329 00:20:11.240 --> 00:20:14.200 And you know, there are people that we met who. 330 00:20:14.200 --> 00:20:18.200 Are battling cancer and they use sharks, you know, just 331 00:20:18.279 --> 00:20:23.240 keep swimming as their motto, kind of pushed through what 332 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:25.880 they're dealing with challenges in life, so I think there 333 00:20:25.880 --> 00:20:27.119 are those surprises. 334 00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:30.599 You can connect with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy at 335 00:20:30.599 --> 00:20:35.119 Atlantic White Shark dot org. Also download their Shark Activity 336 00:20:35.160 --> 00:20:38.480 app lots of great information to learn more about these 337 00:20:38.519 --> 00:20:42.599 amazing species and the cutting edge research done on great 338 00:20:42.640 --> 00:20:45.480 white sharks. You can follow my Great White Shark blog 339 00:20:45.640 --> 00:20:48.599 Golf Great Whites dot com. If you subscribe, send me 340 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:51.240 an email at Chester at chestermore dot com with your 341 00:20:51.240 --> 00:20:54.200 mailing address and I'll get you Golf Great Whites decal. 342 00:20:54.359 --> 00:20:57.200 When we come back, we'll continue our conversation about the 343 00:20:57.240 --> 00:21:03.279 Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. Welcome back to More Outdoors on 344 00:21:03.319 --> 00:21:07.160 Newstalk five sixty klv. I. This is Chester Moore continuing 345 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:11.319 our conversation with Cynthia Wigban of the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. 346 00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:14.519 We're just seeing things like that, you know, over the years, 347 00:21:14.559 --> 00:21:16.240 these incredible connections. 348 00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:17.559 So I think from. 349 00:21:17.480 --> 00:21:24.000 A public perspective, having that ability to tag sharks and 350 00:21:24.079 --> 00:21:30.359 track sharks and provide information, how that touches people's lives 351 00:21:30.359 --> 00:21:33.920 in really unique and special ways is really incredible. 352 00:21:34.720 --> 00:21:38.000 Absolutely, And I said, our nonprofit, my listeners will know this. 353 00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:41.200 We grant wildlife encounters for children who are going through 354 00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:44.079 hell on Earth. The loss of a parent or a 355 00:21:44.160 --> 00:21:47.359 sibling terminal illness. We work with the group that brings 356 00:21:47.359 --> 00:21:50.200 sex trafficking victim kids to us. We have one coming today, 357 00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:54.440 actually this afternoon. We do wildlife encounters. And you know, 358 00:21:54.519 --> 00:21:58.200 I found out this summer how many shark couple of 359 00:21:58.240 --> 00:22:00.359 years ago, actually, how many shark fans we had in 360 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:02.279 our in our midst you know. So I was able 361 00:22:02.279 --> 00:22:04.359 to go out there with you guys, and I'm in 362 00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:06.559 the center and I'm shooting videos on the phone in 363 00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:09.960 front of your you know, your shark replicas for my kids, 364 00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:12.400 you know, to send to their parents, you know, just 365 00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:14.960 saying hey, these people are awesome, and you know, and 366 00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:17.359 Meghan has been really kind to one of our kiddos 367 00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:22.880 and sending a video and some merch. And so I think, Cynthia, 368 00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:25.480 what I've seen on this, and I think you and 369 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:28.240 I have maybe seen this in a different way, because 370 00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:32.839 nature can be so inspirational to people, you know, And 371 00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:37.880 I think when something bad happens, it's almost like all 372 00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:40.720 of us life will never get better than the day 373 00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:43.680 before that happened. And then the idea that there's something 374 00:22:43.920 --> 00:22:46.839 epic and awesome and untamed and wild and beautiful out 375 00:22:46.839 --> 00:22:49.960 there that you're connected to. Maybe maybe that's something that 376 00:22:50.039 --> 00:22:52.720 can give people hope that better things can still happen, 377 00:22:52.759 --> 00:22:58.640 you know. And so I suys things that people I 378 00:22:58.720 --> 00:23:03.279 know that makes it gigantic difference in lives. And who 379 00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:07.039 to thunk a great white shark is going to be 380 00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:10.720 inspiring people, you know, fifty years ago, forty, you know, 381 00:23:10.759 --> 00:23:13.200 fifty one years whatever it was when Jaws, Gill and 382 00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:15.839 Jaws came out, you know. But here we are and 383 00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:19.440 people are happy and smiling and wanting to learn more 384 00:23:19.480 --> 00:23:23.319 about these incredible creatures. And but there's something you do 385 00:23:23.400 --> 00:23:26.279 that I find is so amazing. It's your Gills Club. 386 00:23:27.160 --> 00:23:29.839 So tell us about the Gills Club. 387 00:23:31.200 --> 00:23:34.279 So our Gills Club is an education initiative that we 388 00:23:34.400 --> 00:23:40.000 launched in twenty fourteen, actually very soon after starting the nonprofit. 389 00:23:40.279 --> 00:23:44.680 And I was really inspired by these young girls. When 390 00:23:44.680 --> 00:23:49.720 we would do presentations about the work, I'd have young 391 00:23:49.720 --> 00:23:52.200 girls come up to me at the end of the 392 00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:56.880 presentation and they would tell me how much they loved sharks, 393 00:23:57.119 --> 00:24:02.039 and it was really really cool to meet these kids. 394 00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:06.359 But then I recognize that, you know, as much as 395 00:24:06.359 --> 00:24:08.759 people love Shark Week and the shows that are out 396 00:24:08.759 --> 00:24:09.640 there about sharks. 397 00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:11.440 They're really. 398 00:24:12.599 --> 00:24:21.319 Kind of dominated by male scientists and people that are 399 00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:25.680 maybe not scientists but just talking. 400 00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:28.160 About big personalities. 401 00:24:27.400 --> 00:24:28.720