Galapagos: Realm of Giant Sharks

2015, Nature  -   16 Comments
8.88
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Ratings: 8.88/10 from 190 users.

Darwin Island, a remote oceanic region on the outskirts of the Galapagos Archipelago, is home to a growing population of great whale sharks. What is about this inconspicuous island - measuring just one square kilometer - that draws the sharks there? A team of brave and resourceful scientists set out to study these enigmatic creatures in an effort to determine the answer, and their efforts are beautifully documented in Galapagos: Realm of Giant Sharks.

The whale shark is the largest fish in existence and they date back to the age of the dinosaur. Yet so little is known about them. As documented in the film, the ancient unlocked mysteries of the whale shark have attracted a team of researchers to the area, headed by world-renowned naturalist and photographer Jonathan Green. Together, they mount the largest study of marine migration in history.

"This is a real life Jurassic Park situation," Green contends in the film. "They roam around our Earth today and we know absolutely nothing about them."

The whale shark is generally mild mannered, but their colossal size warrants special precautions upon approach. In order to study their migration patterns, the researchers must attach tracking devices to dozens of whale sharks. The data collected from these devices can provide essential clues to several unanswered questions. Do they travel based on their desire for a particular underwater climate, or to fulfill a specific feeding pattern?

A significant portion of the whale sharks that inhabit the waters of Darwin Island are pregnant females. The team hopes to uncover evidence of their habits as well, including the process by which they mate and where and how they give birth.

Galapagos: Realm of Giant Sharks immerses the viewer in a majestic environment rarely seen by outside eyes. The stunning underwater photography captures the wonders of the deep in glorious detail, and portrays the natural habitat of a diverse range of sea life to an almost tactile degree. Along the way, the film provides illuminating insights on the growing dangers currently threatening the whale shark population, and the noble efforts of conservationists who set out to protect the species.

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16 Comments / User Reviews

  1. Mickey

    Ryan - dude - because... biology. A whale is a mammal and a whale shark is a fish, most closely related to a shark.

  2. Ryan

    How is it a shark if it is big like a whale, and feeds like a whale.

    Silly misleading name IMO.

    It's just a small whale from what I can see.

    But I suppose whale shark sounds cooler, and will garner more attention. Instead of 'small whale'.

    1. M

      It has gills. The tail moves sideways. It lays eggs.

  3. Dubbledub

    Worse narrator EVER. Hate this guys voice.

    1. M

      The way he said "digestion" made me cringe. What kind of accent is he faking?

  4. nmn

    such an amazing documentary , learned a lot !

  5. shane

    awesome documentary and video, but horrible.. sound/baseline/recording found the clicks/beat very distracting.

  6. Omega Supreme

    10/10 based on cinematography alone. Scientists, narrator, music, different animals, and story were great.

  7. maz jay

    I wasn't aware that the great whale shark is the largest fish to ever have lived. Is that a certain fact based on the knowledge we've acquired? (not counting yet undiscovered fossils or even live creatures) What about the Megalodon?

  8. PieManVik

    That guy FollowTheFacts .. srsly dude .. you are looking at a marine life documentary and you rate it by the sound ? Tell me sir when is the last time you have heard a shark sing ? How about the stunning views ... the awesome narrator poetry. Nothing said about that ? What else would you have expected to learn ??? If you want to learn how to fap please ask your moomy to teach you and do not expect to learn that from a marine life documentary.

  9. June

    Beautiful footage. Stunning Documentary. Truly. Magnificent. Thank you ?'s

  10. paxconsciente

    I just want to point out how terrible those names were for those wonderful animals, Jaws and Ranger for two FEMALE sharks? riddiculous.

  11. Pie

    Too bad they can't show them actually giving birth. I was kinda hoping for that with all those pregnant females. But still a very nice doc!

  12. FollowTheFacts

    Amazing video with fabulous sound for those that care about such things...great sound work. – I think the score (right now) is a tad high – it means many would have given the documentary 10 stars, but...isn't that too high..? – I gave it 8, but I would have given 8.5 if I could. – One learns a lot in this documentary, but maybe not quite what one might be led to expect....
    Amazing how calmly they react to being "stung" like that...compare to a human getting a mosquito bite...

  13. THCjunky

    Defenitly going to see this one, whale sharks are one of the most beautiful creatures in the world. One day I hope to see them in real life, one of my biggest whishes. If they don't get extinct by mankind.

  14. Sarah

    Amazing!