Some people do interviews with the media, and you can tell they don’t want to do this. It could be anything from anxiety to not wanting to be bothered, but it’s clear they don’t want to be there. That was not the case with Kinga Phillips and Tom “Blowfish” Hird. They both went into their time with me with smiles and jokes and answered questions with enthusiasm.
Our conversation began discussing their Shark Week show, What Shark Attacked, where they get into the forensics of shark attacks.
"One of the good things that comes out of these instances where humans do end up crossing paths in a negative way with sharks is that there are so many fingerprints left behind by the event," Kinga began.
“The bite of the shark is, itself, a fingerprint. It can tell us so much about that animal. As we are building up a wider and wider database of everything. Be it the arc of the jaw, the size of the tooth if it’s recovered, or where it occurred, it gives us this incredible information on these animals. And then we can combine that with the location of the creature," he continued.
"I think what’s also interesting, in addition to what Hird said, is that each individual incident is a fingerprint. It also allows us to really just gather as much knowledge as possible, each and every time with where and how these incidents occur," Kinga continued.
“I would also add that the benefit of being able to look at incidents like this, and again, it’s so important to state that they (shark attacks) are so incredibly rare. I mean, Fish and I could go on for the next two hours on what’s more likely to get ya than sharks, from coconuts to lightning to toilets. More people die from toilets than sharks every year. Take that one to the bank.”
As Kanga explained, the ocean belongs to sharks, making most encounters unpredictable from the start. Still, he noted that while not every situation can be avoided, there are behaviors and warning signs people should be mindful of.
“Obviously, the ocean is a shark’s home, so we are always entering a shark’s home. And most of these incidents are unpredictable. You’re going into the ocean, and as you saw in the film, there’s really not a lot most people could have done differently, but there are certainly incidents where there are human behaviors that can affect the situation. There also are certain things to be aware of in some of those situations.
Speaking about the common fear surrounding sharks, he acknowledged that the anxiety is completely understandable given the ocean’s unpredictable and primal nature. However, he emphasized that while sharks can seem intimidating, the actual risk they pose is far lower than most people assume.
“I never blame people for having fear of the ocean and of sharks. I think it’s a very primal environment, and these are really incredibly amazing, albeit very fascinating, fish that are large and silent, and they have a sharp end. So we don’t ever blame people for having a fear of them. But, realistically, the best thing you can say is statistics are absolutely on your side. I would say wear your seatbelt when you're driving to the beach because that's a lot more dangerous than actually going in the water. And it's so worth it when you get in there.”
“I would add to that, no one says you have to be the next Kinga, the next ABC, the next Dicky in the water, diving around with these sharks, hand over fist. You can enjoy the ocean and these animals exactly as you want to," added Hird.
Once again, I was still unsure, but Hird hit me with this analogy that reminded me that it’s my choice.
“Think about it, mate. If you go to a theme park, you have the huge, massive roller coasters that make your spine come out the side of your face, and you've got the little spinny teacups. If you like going to theme parks just to enjoy the spinny teacups, winner winner, chicken dinner. That’s it. You don’t need to go on the big rollercoaster if you don’t want to.”
What Shark Attacked is now streaming on HBO Max, as well as all of the other Shark Week shows that have already aired on Discovery.
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