1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,121 An investigation into a fatal shark attack 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 4 00:00:12,121 --> 00:00:15,722 takes a diver face-to-face with a killer. 5 00:00:22,722 --> 00:00:24,363 Was it an accident? 6 00:00:25,963 --> 00:00:27,643 Was it mistaken identity? 7 00:00:28,884 --> 00:00:34,045 Or was the shark actually hunting its victim? 8 00:00:35,725 --> 00:00:39,126 What will the investigation reveal about the massive great white 9 00:00:40,125 --> 00:00:43,126 stalking the waters of the California coast? 10 00:00:43,207 --> 00:00:45,247 We have a fatal attack on a surfer. 11 00:00:45,327 --> 00:00:48,928 He was essentially bit in half. Boom, boom, boom. 12 00:00:49,007 --> 00:00:51,728 Will the evidence help ID a prime suspect? 13 00:00:51,808 --> 00:00:53,968 KEITH: There's no way that shark's under 18ft. 14 00:00:54,048 --> 00:00:58,209 Reveal it's M.O? It did appear to me that I was dealing with multiple bites. 15 00:00:59,329 --> 00:01:02,370 And identify a brand-new hunting ground for the great white? 16 00:01:02,450 --> 00:01:05,291 We might be able to identify the exact shark 17 00:01:05,370 --> 00:01:07,331 that killed Tomas Butterfield. 18 00:01:15,052 --> 00:01:17,852 For nearly a decade, shark researcher, Ralph Collier 19 00:01:18,853 --> 00:01:20,573 and his assistant, Brandon McMillan... 20 00:01:22,534 --> 00:01:25,774 ..have investigated a series of brutal attacks... 21 00:01:26,774 --> 00:01:28,455 ..off Central California. 22 00:01:31,255 --> 00:01:35,576 Now, after nine years without a fatal attack in these waters, 23 00:01:35,656 --> 00:01:38,656 a predator has resurfaced. 24 00:01:41,057 --> 00:01:43,097 This time at nearby Morro Bay... 25 00:01:44,498 --> 00:01:47,618 ..on Christmas Eve, 2021. 26 00:01:50,419 --> 00:01:52,339 Can Ralph and Brandon identify the killer 27 00:01:53,339 --> 00:01:54,979 before it strikes again? 28 00:01:55,979 --> 00:02:01,341 And help save lives in this quiet seaside town? 29 00:02:15,903 --> 00:02:17,664 This is The Pit, 30 00:02:19,104 --> 00:02:21,344 just north of iconic Morro Rock. 31 00:02:22,945 --> 00:02:25,505 There have been several shark attacks here in the past 32 00:02:26,505 --> 00:02:28,146 and plenty... 33 00:02:29,186 --> 00:02:30,946 ..of terrifying near misses. 34 00:02:32,666 --> 00:02:34,987 This spot is known for great whites, 35 00:02:35,987 --> 00:02:39,508 but nothing like this has ever happened before. 36 00:02:43,148 --> 00:02:46,189 A sad start to Christmas tonight, a young man was found dead. 37 00:02:46,269 --> 00:02:49,550 Today, a man died of an apparent attack here in Morro Bay 38 00:02:49,629 --> 00:02:52,070 north of The Pit Beach on State Park's property. 39 00:02:52,149 --> 00:02:56,071 First responders arrived on scene and declared the man dead on the beach. 40 00:02:56,150 --> 00:02:58,431 Beach goers will not be allowed in the water. 41 00:02:58,511 --> 00:03:01,112 Some from the community are shocked that this incident 42 00:03:01,191 --> 00:03:02,992 happened close to home. 43 00:03:08,833 --> 00:03:13,074 Tomas Butterfield, a bodyboarder, a brother, 44 00:03:14,074 --> 00:03:15,754 a son, 45 00:03:15,834 --> 00:03:18,914 tragically killed on Christmas Eve by what appears to have been... 46 00:03:20,595 --> 00:03:22,275 ..a massive great white shark. 47 00:03:31,797 --> 00:03:33,638 Since the attack, 48 00:03:33,717 --> 00:03:35,478 a pall hangs over this town, 49 00:03:36,758 --> 00:03:38,439 leaving locals to wonder, 50 00:03:39,599 --> 00:03:42,078 why here and why now? 51 00:03:45,439 --> 00:03:48,520 Ralph begins his investigation with the harbor master 52 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,321 who was on the scene when the victim was recovered. 53 00:03:51,401 --> 00:03:55,842 Has there ever been anything that even closely resembles what you saw here? 54 00:03:55,922 --> 00:03:59,682 It's the first failed shark attack we've had since I've been here. 55 00:03:59,762 --> 00:04:03,203 The last fatal attack in Morro Bay was 1957 56 00:04:04,203 --> 00:04:06,883 and claimed the life of a 25-year-old college student 57 00:04:06,963 --> 00:04:08,804 from Brooklyn, New York. 58 00:04:08,884 --> 00:04:13,205 Since then, five other victims survived shark bites in these waters. 59 00:04:16,685 --> 00:04:19,406 Tomas Butterfield wasn't so lucky. 60 00:04:20,486 --> 00:04:23,006 (SIREN WAILING) 61 00:04:23,087 --> 00:04:26,007 ERIC: Once we arrived on scene and realised what had occurred, 62 00:04:26,087 --> 00:04:30,327 we got the rest of the people out of the water that were nearby. 63 00:04:30,408 --> 00:04:32,408 We closed the beach for 72 hours, 64 00:04:32,488 --> 00:04:34,849 and then we kept warning signs up for the week 65 00:04:34,928 --> 00:04:37,969 because it was Christmas vacation time and people were around. 66 00:04:39,009 --> 00:04:41,609 Everybody thinks about when they go out in the water now. 67 00:04:46,770 --> 00:04:49,691 There were no known witnesses to the Tomas Butterfield attack, 68 00:04:52,092 --> 00:04:54,413 no one to identify the shark, 69 00:04:54,492 --> 00:04:56,132 or see how it happened. 70 00:04:59,493 --> 00:05:01,773 But there may be clues yet to be uncovered 71 00:05:02,774 --> 00:05:04,934 which has led Brandon to Morro Bay, 72 00:05:06,655 --> 00:05:10,015 and this couple, Ben and Rebecca Frimmer, 73 00:05:11,135 --> 00:05:13,496 who were in the water that day. 74 00:05:13,576 --> 00:05:16,136 What they saw still haunts them. 75 00:05:17,136 --> 00:05:20,976 So, take me back to Christmas Eve. The conditions weren't that good that day, 76 00:05:21,057 --> 00:05:22,978 but you just had to go surfing anyway. 77 00:05:23,057 --> 00:05:24,937 Yeah. No, they really weren't that good. 78 00:05:25,018 --> 00:05:27,058 It was windy and kind of nasty. 79 00:05:27,138 --> 00:05:29,059 So even though the conditions were crappy, 80 00:05:29,138 --> 00:05:31,058 it was some time in the water, 81 00:05:31,139 --> 00:05:33,899 and we just figured we'd head out for just a little while. 82 00:05:39,380 --> 00:05:42,301 In the rough conditions, the couple became separated. 83 00:05:47,462 --> 00:05:49,622 Rebecca decided to head in. 84 00:05:50,982 --> 00:05:54,063 So you were paddling in and you saw a body board sticking straight up 85 00:05:54,143 --> 00:05:55,783 with no rider. 86 00:05:55,863 --> 00:05:57,624 At that point, what did you think? 87 00:05:57,704 --> 00:05:59,344 I was, um... 88 00:06:02,144 --> 00:06:03,825 Hang on a second. (CLEARS THROAT) 89 00:06:08,065 --> 00:06:11,586 As I was paddling in I saw a board, like, floating on top of the water. 90 00:06:14,746 --> 00:06:16,827 So I figured I would go just pull it out, 91 00:06:16,907 --> 00:06:19,228 so it didn't just become more trash in the ocean. 92 00:06:23,109 --> 00:06:25,829 I started pulling on the board. I could feel it was heavy. 93 00:06:28,029 --> 00:06:30,430 It wasn't until I could hop off my board and see 94 00:06:30,510 --> 00:06:33,590 what was going on that I realised that there was a person there. 95 00:06:35,190 --> 00:06:37,831 As I started pulling the board in, that became apparent. 96 00:06:41,552 --> 00:06:45,632 BRANDON: You made the discovery, did you think it was a shark attack? 97 00:06:45,712 --> 00:06:47,833 When I first found Tom, 98 00:06:47,913 --> 00:06:50,633 you know, he was... he was floating on his stomach, 99 00:06:50,714 --> 00:06:56,195 and so, I couldn't see the excessive nature of the wounds on his chest 100 00:06:56,274 --> 00:06:57,875 until I pulled him in. 101 00:06:57,954 --> 00:06:59,555 (SIREN WAILS) 102 00:06:59,635 --> 00:07:01,515 Seeing all the commotion on the beach, 103 00:07:01,595 --> 00:07:04,716 Rebecca's husband Ben swam back to shore to help. 104 00:07:06,196 --> 00:07:08,437 You know, I've been a paramedic and combat medic, 105 00:07:08,517 --> 00:07:11,277 so I figured maybe I can help this guy or something. 106 00:07:11,357 --> 00:07:13,118 So we went over to kind of investigate 107 00:07:13,197 --> 00:07:15,597 and talk with the harbor patrol at that point, 108 00:07:15,678 --> 00:07:22,359 and it pretty clear when I saw Tom that he'd been long deceased. 109 00:07:22,439 --> 00:07:27,200 Maybe it hits harder just because you don't usually see humans 110 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,880 being eaten, you know. 111 00:07:29,961 --> 00:07:34,601 Maybe just hits home more cos I'm a surfer and it's our greatest fear. 112 00:07:34,681 --> 00:07:37,282 Maybe everybody's greatest fear, you know. 113 00:07:37,362 --> 00:07:39,922 Um, it was a pretty sizable bite. 114 00:07:48,564 --> 00:07:51,885 I think Tom's death was instant. 115 00:07:51,964 --> 00:07:54,405 I don't even know if he knew what was happening. 116 00:07:54,485 --> 00:08:00,126 It looked like he was essentially almost bit in half. 117 00:08:00,206 --> 00:08:04,287 I mean, he must have bled out within seconds. 118 00:08:17,369 --> 00:08:20,769 I'm in awe of the shark, of their power. 119 00:08:23,010 --> 00:08:25,210 They're faster. They're bigger. 120 00:08:25,291 --> 00:08:26,931 They have much better senses than us. 121 00:08:28,171 --> 00:08:30,011 One bite, and that's it. 122 00:08:31,652 --> 00:08:33,532 And I don't even think you get a warning. 123 00:08:33,612 --> 00:08:36,773 I think they go so fast and they're so stealthy, 124 00:08:36,852 --> 00:08:38,493 they attack from, like, under him. 125 00:08:40,013 --> 00:08:41,653 It's devastating what they can do. 126 00:08:47,815 --> 00:08:49,415 RALPH: Christmas Eve, Brandon, 127 00:08:49,495 --> 00:08:53,256 there were several internet cameras filming surfing conditions in Morro Bay. 128 00:08:53,335 --> 00:08:56,776 Oh, really? I've gone through hundreds of hours of video 129 00:08:56,856 --> 00:08:59,457 and I have not been able to find Tomas anywhere. 130 00:09:00,777 --> 00:09:03,017 So, are we at a dead end? 131 00:09:03,098 --> 00:09:05,818 No, we've actually got some good forensic evidence. 132 00:09:05,898 --> 00:09:09,978 This is the bodyboard Tomas was riding when he was attacked. 133 00:09:16,580 --> 00:09:19,260 No bites. At first glance. 134 00:09:19,340 --> 00:09:21,701 But take a look at this. 135 00:09:21,781 --> 00:09:23,382 Yeah, those are definitely teeth. 136 00:09:23,461 --> 00:09:28,702 These are posterior teeth from the back of the lower jaw of a white shark. 137 00:09:28,782 --> 00:09:31,502 There's a tooth fragment embedded in the board. 138 00:09:31,582 --> 00:09:33,223 Wow, look at that. 139 00:09:34,423 --> 00:09:36,063 Look at this. 140 00:09:39,624 --> 00:09:41,265 Wow. 141 00:09:42,905 --> 00:09:46,546 White sharks often leave tooth fragments behind in cases like this. 142 00:09:46,625 --> 00:09:50,026 So I guess we know what species this is. Yes. (CHUCKLES) 143 00:09:50,106 --> 00:09:53,267 This was a massive great white shark. 144 00:09:53,346 --> 00:09:55,987 OK. So how big? 145 00:09:56,067 --> 00:09:59,587 One way to find out is to get ahold of Tomas Butterfield's wetsuit. 146 00:09:59,668 --> 00:10:02,308 There must be multiple bites in the wetsuit, 147 00:10:02,388 --> 00:10:04,989 and I can use that to determine the size of the shark 148 00:10:05,068 --> 00:10:06,709 down to a foot or two. 149 00:10:06,789 --> 00:10:08,629 So, if we know the size of the shark... 150 00:10:08,709 --> 00:10:11,390 If we know the size of the shark that killed Tomas, 151 00:10:11,470 --> 00:10:15,430 and if it matches the size of a previously tagged shark 152 00:10:15,511 --> 00:10:17,791 by researchers off the California coast, 153 00:10:18,791 --> 00:10:23,552 we might be able to identify the exact shark that killed Tomas Butterfield. 154 00:10:28,793 --> 00:10:31,274 A tragic shark attack at Morro Bay, California, 155 00:10:32,274 --> 00:10:35,194 has left this small coastal town in mourning. 156 00:10:36,835 --> 00:10:40,115 42-year-old Tomas Butterfield, an experienced surfer, 157 00:10:41,115 --> 00:10:44,756 was killed by what's believed to be a massive great white, 158 00:10:45,876 --> 00:10:49,677 the first fatal attack off Morro Bay in over 60 years. 159 00:10:50,677 --> 00:10:53,437 The killing has reignited a decade-long investigation 160 00:10:53,518 --> 00:10:56,038 of great white attacks in this region, 161 00:10:56,118 --> 00:10:58,879 conducted by renowned shark researcher, Ralph Collier, 162 00:10:59,879 --> 00:11:01,879 and Brandon McMillan... There it is. 163 00:11:01,959 --> 00:11:04,440 ..who's been helping Ralph gather data in the field. 164 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:10,601 Previously, they studied a series of attacks off Surf Beach, California, 165 00:11:10,681 --> 00:11:12,721 about 50 miles south of Morro Bay. 166 00:11:13,961 --> 00:11:16,842 Those attacks occurred with clockwork precision 167 00:11:16,922 --> 00:11:19,482 in October of even-numbered years... 168 00:11:21,763 --> 00:11:27,404 ..in 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014, 169 00:11:29,244 --> 00:11:33,325 coinciding with the migration pattern of large female great whites. 170 00:11:35,965 --> 00:11:38,806 KEITH: She's pulling him down. She's starting to fight now. 171 00:11:38,886 --> 00:11:41,767 Now, the pattern seems to be shifting north, 172 00:11:41,846 --> 00:11:44,607 and Brandon is determined to find out why. 173 00:11:46,007 --> 00:11:48,527 Keith Poe has spent the last 28 years... 174 00:11:48,608 --> 00:11:50,768 Watch her. She will kill you. I'm not kidding. 175 00:11:50,848 --> 00:11:53,249 ..tagging over 5,000 sharks for researchers. 176 00:11:54,569 --> 00:11:56,489 For the past decade, 177 00:11:56,569 --> 00:11:58,330 he's specialised in great whites. 178 00:11:59,369 --> 00:12:00,970 And lately... 179 00:12:01,050 --> 00:12:02,770 Let her go. We've got it. (CHUCKLES) 180 00:12:02,850 --> 00:12:04,811 ..he's focused a lot of his tagging efforts 181 00:12:04,890 --> 00:12:07,771 in the waters off Point Conception to Morro Bay. 182 00:12:08,891 --> 00:12:11,732 This is a relatively new hot spot for great whites. 183 00:12:12,852 --> 00:12:15,773 A few years ago, you discovered a new white shark hot spot 184 00:12:15,853 --> 00:12:17,493 off Central California. 185 00:12:17,573 --> 00:12:19,173 Tell me about that. 186 00:12:19,253 --> 00:12:21,014 Well, there were some attacks there, 187 00:12:21,093 --> 00:12:22,894 and, uh, we were interested in that. 188 00:12:23,894 --> 00:12:26,935 We've got a guy that just got hit by a great white shark. 189 00:12:27,015 --> 00:12:30,015 I was hearing things like the attacks on the kayaks up there. 190 00:12:30,095 --> 00:12:32,176 MAN: Those are holes from a great white shark. 191 00:12:32,256 --> 00:12:34,096 Look at the size of that jaw! 192 00:12:34,176 --> 00:12:36,216 (BLEEP) 193 00:12:36,296 --> 00:12:38,857 I thought there would be sharks. She's coming around. 194 00:12:38,937 --> 00:12:40,537 Here we go, Keith. There you go. 195 00:12:40,617 --> 00:12:44,058 So I started working that area and we found sharks up there. 196 00:12:46,138 --> 00:12:47,738 Is there a certain time of the year 197 00:12:47,818 --> 00:12:51,019 that you personally would not go in the water near Morro Bay? 198 00:12:51,099 --> 00:12:53,739 I see the most sharks in, uh, October and November, 199 00:12:53,819 --> 00:12:55,540 but they start coming in in September. 200 00:12:55,620 --> 00:12:57,260 But they're here year round. 201 00:12:58,260 --> 00:12:59,901 And they don't leave. 202 00:13:01,181 --> 00:13:03,541 So there's no time that's safe, 203 00:13:03,622 --> 00:13:06,142 but there are times that are a lot less dangerous. 204 00:13:07,462 --> 00:13:11,543 Is Morro Bay a serial killer's new hunting ground? 205 00:13:14,423 --> 00:13:16,544 Back in San Luis, Obispo, 206 00:13:16,623 --> 00:13:20,504 Ralph continues his investigation into the Tomas Butterfield case, 207 00:13:20,584 --> 00:13:23,185 questioning one of the first responders on the scene, 208 00:13:24,185 --> 00:13:27,305 William Miller, a detective with the coroner's office. 209 00:13:27,386 --> 00:13:29,066 I believe you recovered a wetsuit. 210 00:13:29,146 --> 00:13:31,266 Yeah, I had him transported in the wetsuit, 211 00:13:31,346 --> 00:13:33,267 and then I removed it during examination 212 00:13:33,347 --> 00:13:34,947 and I retained it for further use. 213 00:13:35,027 --> 00:13:37,427 Is it possible to take a look at that? Absolutely. 214 00:13:52,670 --> 00:13:56,271 Then, uh, boom boom, boom. Mm-hm. 215 00:13:56,351 --> 00:13:59,632 You can see from here to here where the tooth entered, 216 00:13:59,711 --> 00:14:01,752 the insertion, and from here to here. 217 00:14:03,112 --> 00:14:05,632 And this is the intermediate tooth. 218 00:14:05,712 --> 00:14:08,393 Multiple bites to this individual. 219 00:14:08,473 --> 00:14:12,313 It appears that there's a bite in the shoulder area. 220 00:14:12,394 --> 00:14:16,194 And, of course, massive trauma to the, uh, the abdomen. 221 00:14:16,274 --> 00:14:20,275 So this shark when it was moving through the environment 222 00:14:20,355 --> 00:14:23,396 saw this fuzzy outline, no definitive shape, 223 00:14:23,475 --> 00:14:26,476 thought it might be food, and a reflexive response. 224 00:14:27,596 --> 00:14:29,997 Went up to get it and continued to bite, 225 00:14:30,077 --> 00:14:32,477 and I think that's what happened here, 226 00:14:32,558 --> 00:14:34,358 and then just swam off. 227 00:14:34,438 --> 00:14:37,518 With your permission, I'd like to take this wetsuit back to my lab 228 00:14:37,599 --> 00:14:41,239 where I can do a more thorough examination of the bite impressions. 229 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:43,759 Yeah. Not only yes, but I think it's appropriate. 230 00:14:49,201 --> 00:14:52,561 So, Ralph, I've been thinking a lot about where the bite marks are 231 00:14:52,641 --> 00:14:55,962 on the bodyboard and why the bite impressions are right here 232 00:14:56,042 --> 00:14:57,682 in the corner. 233 00:14:57,762 --> 00:14:59,402 The way the bite mark 234 00:14:59,482 --> 00:15:02,283 was on his body, there will be an impression right here. 235 00:15:02,362 --> 00:15:05,444 That's correct. What I really think is he was waiting for a wave. 236 00:15:05,524 --> 00:15:10,364 Now bodyboarders will often sit on the body board like this, 237 00:15:10,445 --> 00:15:12,725 which makes a perfect impression. 238 00:15:12,805 --> 00:15:15,685 The bite comes from this angle right here. 239 00:15:15,766 --> 00:15:19,366 His head was hit. Half his body this way. 240 00:15:19,446 --> 00:15:21,926 I believe he was sitting like this on the board waiting 241 00:15:22,007 --> 00:15:23,767 for a wave as he got hit. 242 00:15:23,847 --> 00:15:27,087 Interesting. That would explain the bites to the web suit. 243 00:15:27,167 --> 00:15:28,807 Speaking of which... 244 00:15:31,008 --> 00:15:32,648 Oh, my God. 245 00:15:33,688 --> 00:15:35,329 This is his wetsuit, huh? Yeah. 246 00:15:39,770 --> 00:15:43,810 These are multiple bites from a very large shark. 247 00:15:47,531 --> 00:15:49,891 So what kind of attack do you think this was? 248 00:15:49,972 --> 00:15:53,532 It appears that the initial strike might have been predatory, 249 00:15:53,612 --> 00:15:57,093 but the additional bites might not have been predatory 250 00:15:57,173 --> 00:15:58,973 because there was no tissue removed. 251 00:16:02,094 --> 00:16:05,575 So it seems like a lot of shark attacks is just a single bite, 252 00:16:05,654 --> 00:16:07,295 and the shark swims off. 253 00:16:07,375 --> 00:16:09,335 Clearly not this one. No. 254 00:16:09,415 --> 00:16:12,216 I mean, I was able to determine the size of the shark 255 00:16:12,296 --> 00:16:14,536 based on the distance between the teeth. 256 00:16:14,616 --> 00:16:17,417 These are individual insertion points of teeth, 257 00:16:18,417 --> 00:16:22,057 and measuring the distance between these individual tooth impressions 258 00:16:22,137 --> 00:16:24,658 will allow us to determine the size of the shark. 259 00:16:24,738 --> 00:16:28,378 This is a very accurate method for determining size. 260 00:16:28,459 --> 00:16:30,219 OK. So... 261 00:16:30,299 --> 00:16:33,900 This white shark was 17 to 18ft in length. 262 00:16:34,940 --> 00:16:38,701 There can't be too many sharks out there this size. No. 263 00:16:38,781 --> 00:16:41,101 And that would definitely narrow down 264 00:16:41,181 --> 00:16:42,941 the list of suspects. Yes. 265 00:16:48,702 --> 00:16:50,863 MAN: Let us pray. 266 00:16:51,863 --> 00:16:53,583 Back in Morro Bay, 267 00:16:53,663 --> 00:16:57,784 a grieving family and dozens of friends mourn Tomas Butterfield, 268 00:16:57,864 --> 00:17:00,984 and what would have been his 42nd birthday. 269 00:17:09,186 --> 00:17:12,026 We grew up in Pittsburgh, California, right on the Delta, 270 00:17:12,106 --> 00:17:14,707 and we were always on the water. 271 00:17:14,787 --> 00:17:16,828 We were always together. 272 00:17:16,907 --> 00:17:21,348 Our mom growing up was a single parent, but going to nursing school, 273 00:17:21,429 --> 00:17:24,589 and I remember her telling a person that, uh, 274 00:17:24,669 --> 00:17:26,269 "I was gonna go have an adventure, 275 00:17:26,349 --> 00:17:28,230 and I'm taking these two boys with me," 276 00:17:30,070 --> 00:17:33,510 and then move to Ketchikan, Alaska, where we camped for two months. 277 00:17:35,471 --> 00:17:37,071 So our clothes smelt like campfire 278 00:17:37,152 --> 00:17:39,151 and we walked into this new high school, 279 00:17:39,231 --> 00:17:43,072 and there's the two stinky Butterfield kids over there smelling like smoke. 280 00:17:44,353 --> 00:17:45,993 But our Alaska adventure 281 00:17:46,073 --> 00:17:48,713 was how we fell in love more and more with the ocean. 282 00:17:49,713 --> 00:17:53,194 Just being in the water all the time. 283 00:17:53,274 --> 00:17:55,434 And when Tom wasn't surfing he was snorkeling, 284 00:17:55,514 --> 00:17:59,035 spearfishing, doing everything ocean related. 285 00:18:02,356 --> 00:18:04,756 When the boy's mother settled in Morro Bay, 286 00:18:04,836 --> 00:18:07,116 Tom became a regular visitor. 287 00:18:07,196 --> 00:18:10,557 MARIE: He said, "Mom, I'm so glad you moved here." 288 00:18:12,038 --> 00:18:14,958 He enjoyed going out on the boogie board 289 00:18:15,958 --> 00:18:18,039 and getting out in the waves. 290 00:18:20,279 --> 00:18:23,279 I think it made him feel free. 291 00:18:23,360 --> 00:18:25,000 And every time he was out there, 292 00:18:25,079 --> 00:18:27,720 he went way out there, way out there. 293 00:18:27,801 --> 00:18:31,361 I would be wondering where in the world he was, 294 00:18:31,441 --> 00:18:33,561 and then eventually I would pick him out, 295 00:18:33,641 --> 00:18:35,281 "Oh, yeah, there's Tom." 296 00:18:36,962 --> 00:18:39,482 As idyllic as Morro Bay might seem, 297 00:18:39,563 --> 00:18:42,923 the locals know what lurks just offshore. 298 00:18:47,164 --> 00:18:49,964 I remember in July, he came back and he was, 299 00:18:50,044 --> 00:18:51,845 "Oh, I saw the biggest shark out there," 300 00:18:51,925 --> 00:18:55,406 or, "I saw this dorsal fin." I knew it was the shark out there. 301 00:18:55,485 --> 00:18:58,646 And I remember asking, "Tom, did you get out of the water?" 302 00:18:58,726 --> 00:19:01,047 He said, "No, I didn't get out of the water. 303 00:19:01,126 --> 00:19:04,447 I know what I'm doing. I won't go towards it or anything." 304 00:19:04,527 --> 00:19:06,167 There's always notices on there, 305 00:19:06,247 --> 00:19:09,528 a shark was seen, the date, the time, and everything. 306 00:19:09,608 --> 00:19:12,248 That didn't deter Tom from anything. He loved it. 307 00:19:15,129 --> 00:19:19,690 Little did he know, it was on a collision course with a mammoth predator. 308 00:19:20,730 --> 00:19:24,771 BEN: Tom and I were both coming down here to see our mom for Christmas Eve, 309 00:19:24,851 --> 00:19:28,532 and Tom, first thing was, "I can't wait to get back in the water. 310 00:19:30,372 --> 00:19:32,612 It looked good," and I remember him saying that, 311 00:19:32,692 --> 00:19:34,332 "It looked good." 312 00:19:35,932 --> 00:19:39,173 That morning, I said, "Tom, it was raining the night before. 313 00:19:39,253 --> 00:19:40,894 It's kind of not -" 314 00:19:40,973 --> 00:19:44,694 He said, "That's the best time to go, Mom," 315 00:19:44,774 --> 00:19:47,654 so I can still see him walking out. 316 00:19:50,055 --> 00:19:54,136 And for the last three years, every time he came out to visit me, 317 00:19:54,217 --> 00:19:57,537 off to the beach he would go and I would go with him. 318 00:19:57,616 --> 00:19:59,858 That one last time I didn't go with him, 319 00:19:59,937 --> 00:20:04,498 Tom left, off he went to go ride the waves. 320 00:20:07,299 --> 00:20:12,139 It was the last time Tomas's mom would see him alive. 321 00:20:14,820 --> 00:20:16,500 Usually, he takes a long time, 322 00:20:16,580 --> 00:20:18,620 but it was getting around four o'clock. 323 00:20:18,700 --> 00:20:20,661 I started calling his phone and no answer. 324 00:20:20,741 --> 00:20:23,741 (MOBILE VIBRATES) And we drove where I thought he would be at 325 00:20:23,822 --> 00:20:26,102 and all of the parking was empty. 326 00:20:27,462 --> 00:20:30,743 And then they had flashing light and it said, "Shark fatality." 327 00:20:30,823 --> 00:20:33,223 And I called his phone one more time. 328 00:20:33,303 --> 00:20:35,744 The detective answered it... (MOBILE RINGS) 329 00:20:35,824 --> 00:20:37,464 ..and told me about Tom, 330 00:20:37,544 --> 00:20:39,624 Tom was gone, so... 331 00:20:41,345 --> 00:20:43,666 Yeah, it was pretty crazy. 332 00:20:43,745 --> 00:20:47,866 We lived in shock for about six days. 333 00:20:48,866 --> 00:20:50,827 It's just indescribable. 334 00:20:51,826 --> 00:20:53,867 I mean, you have to tell yourself to breathe. 335 00:20:57,068 --> 00:21:01,028 Right when that big shark took a bite of Tom, 336 00:21:01,108 --> 00:21:02,749 Tom became a spirit, 337 00:21:02,829 --> 00:21:05,789 and he turned around, embraced the shark and said, 338 00:21:05,869 --> 00:21:08,630 "I forgive you," and he's off, he's off. 339 00:21:10,510 --> 00:21:14,471 (MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY) (ALL CLAPPING) 340 00:21:17,431 --> 00:21:19,512 February 20th was his birthday. 341 00:21:19,591 --> 00:21:22,512 Our friends from Alaska all came down 342 00:21:22,592 --> 00:21:26,433 and all our friends and family, tons of people from Morro Bay. 343 00:21:26,513 --> 00:21:28,753 Tom would have been so pumped to see that. 344 00:21:30,474 --> 00:21:32,074 As part of the ceremony, 345 00:21:32,154 --> 00:21:34,394 Tom's ashes are cast into the ocean. 346 00:21:36,154 --> 00:21:37,795 It was wonderful, amazing, 347 00:21:37,875 --> 00:21:41,156 all those people who came and had stories about Tom. 348 00:21:41,235 --> 00:21:44,036 And Tom's spirit was there. 349 00:21:45,597 --> 00:21:48,877 I've always thought about my brother every single day of my life, 350 00:21:48,957 --> 00:21:52,038 and I'll continue to, uh, think about him. 351 00:22:11,001 --> 00:22:14,642 Tomas Butterfield was the second fatal shark attack off California 352 00:22:14,722 --> 00:22:16,362 in 18 months. 353 00:22:17,762 --> 00:22:19,362 In that same period, 354 00:22:19,442 --> 00:22:23,083 there have been a dozen clashes between humans and great whites 355 00:22:23,163 --> 00:22:24,804 off the West Coast. 356 00:22:27,724 --> 00:22:31,325 Some experts speculate that a white shark population boom 357 00:22:31,405 --> 00:22:33,045 is behind the spike of attacks. 358 00:22:34,085 --> 00:22:37,686 Others contend that the population may have changed its migratory routes 359 00:22:37,766 --> 00:22:39,406 due to climate change. 360 00:22:40,606 --> 00:22:42,247 But one thing is certain, 361 00:22:43,287 --> 00:22:47,688 these predators are being seen more often and in more places 362 00:22:47,768 --> 00:22:49,408 than ever before. 363 00:23:00,890 --> 00:23:05,971 Eric Mailander is a drone pilot based out of Santa Cruz, California. 364 00:23:06,051 --> 00:23:09,931 Today, he's taking his boat through one of the densest concentrations 365 00:23:10,012 --> 00:23:12,493 of great whites on the Pacific coast. 366 00:23:13,892 --> 00:23:16,773 A place known as Shark Park. 367 00:23:20,214 --> 00:23:23,574 Drone deployed. About seven years ago, 368 00:23:23,655 --> 00:23:28,415 juvenile and subadult white sharks started showing up in mass 369 00:23:28,495 --> 00:23:30,616 to this protected cove. 370 00:23:30,695 --> 00:23:34,136 Right off some of California's most popular beaches. 371 00:23:36,936 --> 00:23:39,377 One flight, when I do the census counts, 372 00:23:39,457 --> 00:23:42,858 I counted over 30 within a mile area. 373 00:23:42,938 --> 00:23:47,219 It's not uncommon to see 20, but an average would be seven, 374 00:23:47,299 --> 00:23:50,499 eight, nine sharks. That would be an average day. 375 00:23:50,579 --> 00:23:53,820 Of course, it's a concern to the people using the water kayakers. 376 00:23:53,900 --> 00:23:56,500 Stand up paddle boarders, swimmers. 377 00:23:57,820 --> 00:24:01,061 Sheer numbers and how close they are to the shore and how close they are 378 00:24:01,141 --> 00:24:03,341 to people. 379 00:24:03,421 --> 00:24:06,302 They're actually sometimes in the surf. 380 00:24:10,022 --> 00:24:13,023 Now typically they're in 18 to 25 feet of water. 381 00:24:13,104 --> 00:24:15,663 They're just doing their thing swimming at the surface, 382 00:24:15,744 --> 00:24:17,624 not bothering anybody. 383 00:24:17,704 --> 00:24:20,345 At least not on a regular basis. 384 00:24:20,425 --> 00:24:24,386 But there have been run ins including a fatal bite 385 00:24:24,465 --> 00:24:27,626 on a popular local surfer in May of 2020. 386 00:24:29,106 --> 00:24:33,587 The day of the attack, I was here, and I filmed 15 white sharks. 387 00:24:36,388 --> 00:24:41,708 At the center of Shark Park lies the wreckage of 100 year old cement ship. 388 00:24:42,949 --> 00:24:46,950 An ominous reminder that these waters can be deadly. 389 00:24:47,029 --> 00:24:50,990 Since 2016, 2017, sort of well known. 390 00:24:51,070 --> 00:24:54,071 And they're actually people swimming out to the sharks, 391 00:24:54,151 --> 00:24:56,191 which definitely makes me nervous. 392 00:24:58,191 --> 00:25:01,672 People with the inner tubes kicking their way out to where the sharks are. 393 00:25:05,153 --> 00:25:06,873 I wouldn't recommend that. 394 00:25:06,953 --> 00:25:11,394 The juveniles aren't typically going to bite something your size, 395 00:25:11,474 --> 00:25:14,114 but big ones do cruise through here. 396 00:25:14,194 --> 00:25:16,675 And you always need to be aware of that. Larger sharks 397 00:25:16,754 --> 00:25:19,715 will cruise through, hoping to eat one of these smaller sharks. 398 00:25:23,036 --> 00:25:25,597 We had a fatality in 2020. 399 00:25:28,117 --> 00:25:31,077 These are sharks, relatively well behaved. 400 00:25:31,157 --> 00:25:34,158 Again, I think most people are surprised in seeing how common 401 00:25:34,238 --> 00:25:37,279 they are in certain areas that there aren't more accidents 402 00:25:37,359 --> 00:25:38,999 and injuries. 403 00:25:45,360 --> 00:25:48,080 Sean Van Sommeran is the Santa Cruz Bay 404 00:25:48,161 --> 00:25:52,602 shark naturalist who's documented the surge in sharks here. 405 00:25:52,681 --> 00:25:56,642 I don't look at it as a population increase or explosion 406 00:25:56,722 --> 00:26:00,122 or a comeback necessarily so much as the centre of gravity 407 00:26:00,203 --> 00:26:01,843 has shifted north. 408 00:26:04,283 --> 00:26:09,124 Juvenile great whites, which once grew up in the warm waters off Mexico 409 00:26:09,204 --> 00:26:13,846 have moved north to the once chilly waters of Shark Park. 410 00:26:16,285 --> 00:26:19,086 My estimation is that the sea conditions changed. 411 00:26:19,166 --> 00:26:22,247 You know, the currents have shifted. And when the conditions change, 412 00:26:22,327 --> 00:26:25,367 it becomes inviting and the sharks will move in keeping with 413 00:26:25,447 --> 00:26:28,088 those conditions. It's a perfect scenario 414 00:26:28,167 --> 00:26:30,448 for a white shark rookery. 415 00:26:30,528 --> 00:26:34,729 So their food's here, they're safe, and they can relax. 416 00:26:34,809 --> 00:26:38,410 Sometimes you're belly full. We don't see a lot of feeding activity. 417 00:26:38,490 --> 00:26:42,210 And so I suspect that they come here to rest, 418 00:26:42,290 --> 00:26:44,851 digest their food, have a quick snack 419 00:26:44,931 --> 00:26:47,171 on some of these smaller sharks and rays. 420 00:26:47,251 --> 00:26:49,531 It's just a comfortable inviting area for them 421 00:26:49,612 --> 00:26:52,092 with fewer predators and an abundance 422 00:26:52,172 --> 00:26:54,132 of easier to catch food. 423 00:26:54,213 --> 00:26:57,973 The juveniles have simply moved north into areas 424 00:26:58,053 --> 00:27:00,014 where they weren't previously seen. 425 00:27:00,093 --> 00:27:02,894 And so someone can say, "Oh, I've lived here for 10 years 426 00:27:02,974 --> 00:27:05,335 and I've never seen so many sharks." 427 00:27:05,415 --> 00:27:08,215 The population must be increasing. 428 00:27:10,335 --> 00:27:11,975 Locally, yes. 429 00:27:12,056 --> 00:27:15,577 But that doesn't indicate an overall population expansion 430 00:27:15,657 --> 00:27:18,017 or increase in abundance. 431 00:27:23,858 --> 00:27:27,979 More great whites moving into the waters of popular beaches 432 00:27:28,059 --> 00:27:30,819 is now a fact of life for Californians. 433 00:27:32,420 --> 00:27:35,019 Ralph and Brandon believe a better awareness 434 00:27:35,100 --> 00:27:38,061 of what's happening here may save lives. 435 00:27:40,541 --> 00:27:44,142 And an understanding that the sharks' behaviour 436 00:27:44,222 --> 00:27:48,903 especially where and when they like to hunt is crucial for anyone 437 00:27:48,982 --> 00:27:50,943 who enters these waters. 438 00:27:52,583 --> 00:27:55,544 Just as in Morro Bay where Tomas was killed, 439 00:27:55,624 --> 00:27:58,624 a new great white hot spot seems to be developing 440 00:27:58,704 --> 00:28:01,465 about 50 miles north of San Francisco 441 00:28:01,545 --> 00:28:03,385 at a place called Salmon Creek. 442 00:28:04,586 --> 00:28:06,465 On October 3rd, 2021, 443 00:28:07,466 --> 00:28:09,226 a 38-year-old surfer was bitten 444 00:28:09,306 --> 00:28:12,267 and held under water for nearly 15 seconds, 445 00:28:13,267 --> 00:28:15,428 the seventh attack at this location. 446 00:28:22,188 --> 00:28:25,189 Is this the future of Morro Bay as well? 447 00:28:26,789 --> 00:28:30,110 Brandon has come to Salmon Creek to interview the victim. 448 00:28:30,190 --> 00:28:31,830 So, a few months ago, 449 00:28:31,910 --> 00:28:34,991 You were hit by a white shark in these waters. 450 00:28:35,071 --> 00:28:36,991 Tell me what you remember about that day. 451 00:28:37,991 --> 00:28:40,191 ERIC: I was about 20 minutes into the session, 452 00:28:41,552 --> 00:28:43,953 and the water was crystal clear and cold. 453 00:28:44,953 --> 00:28:47,113 And then, bam, something just hit me, 454 00:28:48,353 --> 00:28:49,994 and it dragged me under. 455 00:28:55,595 --> 00:28:58,715 I had no idea what it was. I thought a boat hit me. 456 00:28:58,795 --> 00:29:02,116 I'm under water and I feel this heavy pressure on my leg. 457 00:29:02,196 --> 00:29:03,836 I push as hard as I can, 458 00:29:03,916 --> 00:29:05,677 and nothing, doesn't move. 459 00:29:05,756 --> 00:29:07,797 You know, I can't get away from it, 460 00:29:07,877 --> 00:29:09,517 and I started to kind of panic, 461 00:29:09,597 --> 00:29:11,238 (MUFFLED SCREAMING) 462 00:29:12,998 --> 00:29:14,638 It's holding me under water. 463 00:29:17,399 --> 00:29:21,279 So your leg was basically hanging off right here 464 00:29:21,359 --> 00:29:23,480 and he just got you right in the dead centre. 465 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:26,240 Yeah, right behind my knee, 466 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:28,881 then he came back and sandwiched me between the board, 467 00:29:28,961 --> 00:29:30,601 and that's what I'm saving my leg, 468 00:29:30,681 --> 00:29:32,682 was this back side of the board right here. 469 00:29:33,722 --> 00:29:36,162 I hit it once in the eye, 470 00:29:36,242 --> 00:29:37,883 but I was twisted... 471 00:29:40,843 --> 00:29:42,723 ..cos it had me and the board under water. 472 00:29:44,283 --> 00:29:45,924 I hit it again. 473 00:29:47,524 --> 00:29:49,165 And then, boom, it lets me up. 474 00:29:52,725 --> 00:29:55,205 I was under maybe about 15 seconds, I would say. 475 00:29:56,446 --> 00:29:58,926 So, what do you remember about this particular shark? 476 00:30:00,606 --> 00:30:03,487 It was in no hurry. And it wasn't scared. 477 00:30:05,607 --> 00:30:09,968 It just took me and was gonna do whatever, you know, it felt like. 478 00:30:10,048 --> 00:30:11,969 And there was nothing I could do about it. 479 00:30:12,049 --> 00:30:15,409 And I looked back at my leg and there was blood flowing out. 480 00:30:15,489 --> 00:30:17,130 It was just shredded. 481 00:30:18,969 --> 00:30:20,770 I started to paddle in, and I thought, 482 00:30:20,850 --> 00:30:22,490 "Man, you're gonna lose your leg." 483 00:30:24,731 --> 00:30:26,371 And then I started to see spots. 484 00:30:27,531 --> 00:30:30,172 And I'm, like, "I'm not gonna make it in." 485 00:30:30,251 --> 00:30:32,572 Luckily, all these surfers that were in the water 486 00:30:32,652 --> 00:30:34,293 heard me screaming. 487 00:30:35,453 --> 00:30:37,093 They came running over, 488 00:30:38,293 --> 00:30:41,855 and a couple of them tried to put a torniquet over my leg with the leash. 489 00:30:46,495 --> 00:30:48,375 All these guys just started to carry me. 490 00:30:49,855 --> 00:30:51,456 There was still blood everywhere, 491 00:30:51,536 --> 00:30:53,216 and then they just marched me up. 492 00:30:57,417 --> 00:31:00,697 And then they radioed in a helicopter. (WHIRRING) 493 00:31:05,939 --> 00:31:08,418 If I was alone, there's no way I would have made it. 494 00:31:08,499 --> 00:31:10,139 Did you know before you paddled out 495 00:31:10,219 --> 00:31:13,140 that there had been six shark attacks right at this spot? 496 00:31:14,740 --> 00:31:17,941 I think a lot of the guys that surf up here enjoy the solitude 497 00:31:18,941 --> 00:31:20,581 and don't worry about the sharks. 498 00:31:20,661 --> 00:31:22,902 It happens. Yeah, there's been six attacks, 499 00:31:22,981 --> 00:31:25,422 but we surf up here a lot and we stick together. 500 00:31:25,502 --> 00:31:28,423 And now, definitely, I don't surf alone. 501 00:31:28,503 --> 00:31:30,343 I surf with the community. So... Yeah. 502 00:31:36,224 --> 00:31:38,145 So, here's Eric Stanley's board. 503 00:31:38,224 --> 00:31:39,864 RALPH: That's a nasty bite. 504 00:31:40,905 --> 00:31:42,825 Yeah, I got the impression that, uh, 505 00:31:42,905 --> 00:31:45,226 Salmon Creek was very sharky. 506 00:31:45,306 --> 00:31:48,666 People refer to a lot of places as sharky, 507 00:31:48,746 --> 00:31:51,947 a lot of sightings, recurring attacks over and over. 508 00:31:54,267 --> 00:31:57,148 I wonder why they only seem to hang off certain beaches? 509 00:31:57,228 --> 00:32:00,388 We refer to those places as anchor points, 510 00:32:00,469 --> 00:32:02,949 locations where sharks hunt their prey, 511 00:32:03,029 --> 00:32:05,949 where they've had success in the past maybe. 512 00:32:06,029 --> 00:32:09,030 They keep returning to those locations over and over. 513 00:32:09,110 --> 00:32:11,111 Sounds a little like, the, uh, rogue shark, 514 00:32:11,190 --> 00:32:12,831 like the one from Jaws. 515 00:32:12,911 --> 00:32:16,351 Yeah, the rogue shark theory has basically been debunked. 516 00:32:16,431 --> 00:32:18,631 However, there was a study 517 00:32:18,712 --> 00:32:22,472 that showed that some of the techniques utilised by white sharks 518 00:32:22,553 --> 00:32:26,273 are the same techniques utilised by human serial killers. 519 00:32:26,353 --> 00:32:28,954 You mean, like anchor points? Yes. 520 00:32:29,034 --> 00:32:31,074 Here, read this publication. 521 00:32:31,154 --> 00:32:32,794 I think you'll be surprised. 522 00:32:35,315 --> 00:32:36,955 This is amazing. 523 00:32:38,435 --> 00:32:41,996 Geographic profiling is a technique normally used by criminalists 524 00:32:42,076 --> 00:32:44,757 to identify a serial killer's home base 525 00:32:44,837 --> 00:32:46,837 based on the location of their crimes. 526 00:32:47,917 --> 00:32:52,118 Here, researchers use that same tool to study the hunting patterns 527 00:32:52,198 --> 00:32:54,038 of white sharks in South Africa. 528 00:32:55,198 --> 00:32:57,159 I've gotta go check this out for myself. 529 00:32:58,119 --> 00:33:01,640 In the wake of a fatal shark attack off Morro Bay, California, 530 00:33:01,719 --> 00:33:04,160 Brandon has travelled to South Africa 531 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:07,360 to learn more about the killer's M.O. 532 00:33:08,601 --> 00:33:10,841 Great white sharks aren't malicious, 533 00:33:10,921 --> 00:33:13,882 nor do they suffer from personality disorders. 534 00:33:13,962 --> 00:33:16,722 But research conducted in these very waters 535 00:33:16,803 --> 00:33:19,923 shows that they use many of the same strategies 536 00:33:20,003 --> 00:33:22,404 as human serial killers. 537 00:33:25,204 --> 00:33:27,684 Hey, Brandon, how is it, buddy? Welcome to False Bay, 538 00:33:27,764 --> 00:33:29,484 home of the famous, uh, Seal Island. 539 00:33:29,564 --> 00:33:32,125 Yeah, I've been wanting to come here for 20 years now. 540 00:33:32,205 --> 00:33:35,246 20 years, that's a long time. Well, I'm glad you made it. 541 00:33:40,847 --> 00:33:42,487 So this is Seal Island. 542 00:33:45,687 --> 00:33:47,327 Right here in these waters, 543 00:33:48,888 --> 00:33:51,369 thousands of seals have been taken out by great whites. 544 00:33:53,529 --> 00:33:55,169 These predations were so predictable, 545 00:33:56,329 --> 00:33:58,810 researchers pretty much knew exactly where 546 00:33:58,890 --> 00:34:01,570 and when the shark would strike. 547 00:34:10,532 --> 00:34:13,412 So, I read in a scientific paper that Sector 4 is a spot 548 00:34:13,493 --> 00:34:16,013 where you used to see the most white shark predations. 549 00:34:16,093 --> 00:34:17,733 Yeah, that is correct. 550 00:34:17,813 --> 00:34:21,614 Sector 4 is the hot spot for white sharks predating on seals. 551 00:34:22,614 --> 00:34:24,255 We call it "the gauntlet," 552 00:34:24,335 --> 00:34:26,775 where seals leave the island to go offshore feeding, 553 00:34:26,855 --> 00:34:29,615 and they have to come back to to the island via Sector 4. 554 00:34:29,695 --> 00:34:31,336 And that's where the sharks hang out 555 00:34:31,416 --> 00:34:34,897 waiting for the opportunity to strike at a seal passing by. 556 00:34:34,976 --> 00:34:37,017 These are the same sharks over and over? 557 00:34:37,097 --> 00:34:40,257 Most times, yes, the same sharks, especially the bigger ones. 558 00:34:40,337 --> 00:34:43,978 If you pinpoint the exact location of previous attacks, 559 00:34:44,058 --> 00:34:48,179 you can accurately predict where a shark or a serial killer 560 00:34:48,259 --> 00:34:49,899 might attack next. 561 00:34:49,979 --> 00:34:52,420 So, this is a spot, according to the research paper, 562 00:34:52,499 --> 00:34:54,100 where the white sharks hunt. 563 00:34:54,180 --> 00:34:56,861 Let's see what happens when we tow a decoy through here. 564 00:34:59,340 --> 00:35:02,741 This used to be one of the most active anchor points on the planet. 565 00:35:05,182 --> 00:35:06,822 But not any more. 566 00:35:13,664 --> 00:35:16,304 We towed for two hours, and nothing. 567 00:35:18,024 --> 00:35:19,664 Something is just not right here. 568 00:35:22,905 --> 00:35:26,106 So, when's the last time you actually saw a white shark breach here? 569 00:35:26,186 --> 00:35:28,706 June, July, 2019. 570 00:35:28,787 --> 00:35:31,667 And what's crazy is the seals' behaviour has changed completely 571 00:35:31,747 --> 00:35:33,388 over the last three years. 572 00:35:33,467 --> 00:35:35,227 The white sharks have been gone so long 573 00:35:35,308 --> 00:35:37,507 the seals have actually changed their behaviour? 574 00:35:37,588 --> 00:35:41,709 Absolutely. For us, it's crazy to see seals in areas we would never see them roam before. 575 00:35:41,789 --> 00:35:43,429 They're hanging around that area 576 00:35:43,509 --> 00:35:45,349 knowing there's no white sharks around. 577 00:35:49,230 --> 00:35:51,351 It turns out that the great white shark 578 00:35:51,430 --> 00:35:54,191 has a serial killer of its own to worry about. 579 00:35:57,791 --> 00:36:00,552 Stephan told me, two orca called Port and Starboard 580 00:36:02,112 --> 00:36:04,313 started coming into False Bay a few years back. 581 00:36:08,274 --> 00:36:09,914 The shark population thinned out, 582 00:36:11,194 --> 00:36:14,435 and finally, just disappeared altogether. 583 00:36:15,875 --> 00:36:18,996 All evidence points to a killing spree 584 00:36:19,075 --> 00:36:20,715 by these two killer whales. 585 00:36:25,636 --> 00:36:28,478 But there is one place left in South Africa 586 00:36:28,557 --> 00:36:30,838 where Brandon can observe great whites, 587 00:36:32,438 --> 00:36:34,719 Seal Rock in Mossel Bay. 588 00:36:36,519 --> 00:36:40,919 Here, the sharks gather at this tiny island in one small area... 589 00:36:42,679 --> 00:36:44,320 ..to hunt seals. 590 00:36:49,001 --> 00:36:52,881 Brandon will go to that spot hoping to see an anchor point up close, 591 00:36:52,962 --> 00:36:57,242 to see for himself if great white sharks can be reliably found there. 592 00:37:01,004 --> 00:37:02,804 He'll do it at night, 593 00:37:02,883 --> 00:37:05,723 when the sharks are believed to be most active. 594 00:37:08,205 --> 00:37:09,885 The visibility is near zero, 595 00:37:12,405 --> 00:37:15,246 much the same as it was off Morro Bay 596 00:37:15,325 --> 00:37:17,006 when Tomas Butterfield was hit. 597 00:37:19,607 --> 00:37:22,047 But the sharks are definitely here, 598 00:37:24,127 --> 00:37:27,288 and they don't need to see their victims to hunt them. 599 00:37:30,689 --> 00:37:33,689 Mere minutes after Brandon enters the water, 600 00:37:33,769 --> 00:37:37,130 a large, bold animal is already locked onto him. 601 00:37:48,972 --> 00:37:52,172 It's like a phantom disappearing in the murk, 602 00:37:54,053 --> 00:37:57,134 then reappearing when Brandon least expects it. 603 00:38:13,816 --> 00:38:16,457 In Tomas Butterfield's last moments, 604 00:38:16,537 --> 00:38:19,417 it's likely he never saw the shark that hit him. 605 00:38:34,460 --> 00:38:38,141 BRANDON: Great whites, they really do share a lot of the same characteristics 606 00:38:38,221 --> 00:38:40,101 as human serial killers. 607 00:38:40,181 --> 00:38:44,102 The only difference is great whites, they kill to eat. 608 00:38:44,182 --> 00:38:47,462 Humans, they kill for some bizarre psychological reason. 609 00:38:48,863 --> 00:38:50,743 I think I'll take the sharks. (EXHALES) 610 00:38:55,664 --> 00:38:58,345 How was South Africa? Oh, amazing. 611 00:38:58,424 --> 00:39:00,505 Glad you came back in one piece. 612 00:39:00,585 --> 00:39:02,545 But I've got some interesting information 613 00:39:02,625 --> 00:39:05,986 about the Tomas Butterfield case in Morro Bay. 614 00:39:06,066 --> 00:39:11,067 Tell me. So, we determined the shark responsible was 17 to 18ft long. 615 00:39:11,147 --> 00:39:14,828 Right. So, I've been on the internet looking at an app 616 00:39:14,907 --> 00:39:17,588 put out by researchers tagging sharks in California. 617 00:39:17,668 --> 00:39:22,309 Yeah. So it turns out an 18ft shark that was tagged four years ago... 618 00:39:23,869 --> 00:39:26,189 ..is still transmitting. 619 00:39:26,269 --> 00:39:29,710 Four years ago, she was measured at 17 and a half feet. 620 00:39:32,591 --> 00:39:35,952 Today, she could have easily grown to 18ft. 621 00:39:37,191 --> 00:39:38,872 And according to the app, 622 00:39:38,952 --> 00:39:42,913 it's spending a lot of time hanging around off the California coast. 623 00:39:43,913 --> 00:39:46,553 That could be the shark that attacked Tomas Butterfield. 624 00:39:46,634 --> 00:39:50,034 I mean, how many 18-footers are swimming around out there? 625 00:39:50,114 --> 00:39:53,435 Precisely. And guess what this shark's name is? 626 00:39:53,514 --> 00:39:55,155 No idea. 627 00:39:55,235 --> 00:39:56,875 Poe Girl. 628 00:39:56,955 --> 00:40:00,276 Poe Girl, as in Keith Poe, our shark tagger? 629 00:40:00,355 --> 00:40:01,996 Yes. 630 00:40:08,517 --> 00:40:11,718 Keith Poe first tagged this giant female with a satellite tracker 631 00:40:11,798 --> 00:40:13,639 in November of 2017... 632 00:40:15,158 --> 00:40:16,799 ..off Point Conception. 633 00:40:21,719 --> 00:40:23,680 Tell me about this fish. What was she like? 634 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:25,800 I put the bait out. She took it. 635 00:40:25,881 --> 00:40:29,081 And we fought her, and she fought like hell. 636 00:40:29,161 --> 00:40:30,801 Forward! Forward! 637 00:40:32,001 --> 00:40:33,682 Man, she's pulling hard, dude. 638 00:40:34,802 --> 00:40:36,442 And she never showed fear. 639 00:40:36,522 --> 00:40:38,843 A lot of them show, what I believe is fear. 640 00:40:38,923 --> 00:40:41,083 And she didn't have any fear in her at all. 641 00:40:48,365 --> 00:40:51,365 When I got her up here and I secured her to the side of the boat 642 00:40:51,445 --> 00:40:53,325 and started to put the tag on her, 643 00:40:53,406 --> 00:40:55,886 she was working with me, she was going along with it. 644 00:40:57,447 --> 00:41:00,127 God, I can't even lift her she's so heavy. (GRUNTS) 645 00:41:03,447 --> 00:41:05,688 But once I pulled that tail rope off, 646 00:41:05,768 --> 00:41:07,408 she said, "That's it. 647 00:41:09,968 --> 00:41:13,329 I'm done with you. This is over." She started going crazy. 648 00:41:13,409 --> 00:41:16,849 And I took her off that cleat and moved her to the back cleat. 649 00:41:16,930 --> 00:41:18,570 Hooks about to come out. 650 00:41:18,650 --> 00:41:20,491 She got it out. It's barely in her mouth. 651 00:41:20,570 --> 00:41:22,571 She could spike it, she'll be able to go. 652 00:41:22,651 --> 00:41:25,131 Oh, yeah. 653 00:41:25,211 --> 00:41:27,452 And then she got the hook out herself. 654 00:41:27,531 --> 00:41:29,412 But she was so aggressive. 655 00:41:29,493 --> 00:41:33,533 There she goes! Yeah! (LAUGHS) 656 00:41:33,612 --> 00:41:35,253 Whoo-hoo-hoo! 657 00:41:35,333 --> 00:41:37,493 After you tagged her, have you seen her since? 658 00:41:37,573 --> 00:41:41,054 Three months ago. I only got glimpses of her here at the side of the boat. 659 00:41:41,134 --> 00:41:42,774 But she looked even bigger to me. 660 00:41:42,855 --> 00:41:45,935 So, there's...There's no way that shark's under 18 feet, 661 00:41:46,015 --> 00:41:47,655 if not, bigger. Yeah. 662 00:41:49,776 --> 00:41:53,137 The shark that bit Tomas Butterfield was in the 18-foot range. 663 00:41:55,177 --> 00:41:59,858 According to Keith, Poe Girl is also in the 18-foot range. 664 00:42:01,418 --> 00:42:03,898 Same shark? Who knows? 665 00:42:03,978 --> 00:42:06,339 I guess the big question is... 666 00:42:06,419 --> 00:42:09,139 Where was Poe Girl last Christmas Eve? 667 00:42:11,660 --> 00:42:14,340 Poe Girl. What do you think? 668 00:42:14,420 --> 00:42:19,181 Well, she was tagged November 23rd, 2017, off Point Conception. 669 00:42:19,261 --> 00:42:21,421 She's been all over the Eastern Pacific. 670 00:42:21,501 --> 00:42:23,142 But get this, 671 00:42:24,302 --> 00:42:31,143 she did pass by Morro Bay on or about December 24th, 2021. 672 00:42:31,223 --> 00:42:32,864 Christmas Eve. 673 00:42:40,105 --> 00:42:42,345 So, where is she now? 674 00:42:42,426 --> 00:42:48,227 Well, she was last seen February 17th, 2022, heading offshore, 675 00:42:48,306 --> 00:42:50,627 somewhere out in the middle of the Pacific 676 00:42:50,707 --> 00:42:52,587 where these animals seem to aggregate. 677 00:43:00,869 --> 00:43:02,509 You think she'll be back? 678 00:43:04,870 --> 00:43:06,510 All the data points to that. 679 00:43:07,510 --> 00:43:10,430 This is a shark that is very comfortable 680 00:43:10,511 --> 00:43:12,351 in the waters off Morro Bay. 681 00:43:17,992 --> 00:43:20,592 After more than a decade investigating shark attacks 682 00:43:20,672 --> 00:43:23,232 off the Central California coast, 683 00:43:23,313 --> 00:43:26,394 Ralph and Brandon may have finally identified 684 00:43:26,473 --> 00:43:28,634 the great white serial killer. 685 00:43:28,713 --> 00:43:30,914 But questions still remain. 686 00:43:36,595 --> 00:43:40,516 Has this predator found a new anchor point at Morro Bay? 687 00:43:41,836 --> 00:43:43,476 And will she back... 688 00:43:44,596 --> 00:43:47,597 ..to haunt these waters again? 689 00:43:57,519 --> 00:44:00,120 The answers may save lives... 690 00:44:02,960 --> 00:44:05,440 ..in this quiet seaside town. 691 00:44:05,521 --> 00:44:07,561 Subtitles by Deluxe