Woods Hole Scientists Use Robot to Stalk Great Whites...And the Sharks Attack It

By Jason Claffey

Great white sharks have been known to hunt seals, dolphins, sea turtles, and sometimes humans.

You can also add robots to that list.

Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute recently released dramatic footage captured by its “SharkCam,” a submersible robot equipped with a half-dozen cameras. They used it to stalk great whites near Guadalupe, Mexico. The creatures, however, turned the tables—attacking the robot several times.

“The hunter soon became the hunted,” the scientists said. “Sharks take advantage of the clear water to lurk in the darkness below the vehicle, then swim up and suddenly bite it on the tail or mid-section.”

They said the great whites hunted the robot in the same way they hunt seals.

The scientists said the footage could reveal new information on the strategies that great whites use to hunt prey. Plus, it shows the “majesty and grace of the ocean’s top predator in its natural environment.”

A documentary titled “Jaws Strikes Back,” which will reveal more about the SharkCam, will air on the Discovery Channel next week as part of “Shark Week.”