The Dorsal Fin

WARNING: Video features language that some may find offensive.

YouTube user kairokk posted a video featuring footage shot off Hawaii’s Kaena Point on January 12, 2012. The video shows a large shark circling a fishing boat and features some colorful commentary by the videographer. The shark in question is identified in the video title and throughout the video by the men on the boat as a great white shark, but a quick glance at the YouTube comments shows that there are others who are identifying it as a mako.

From the 2:08 mark until about the 2:15 mark gives about the best close-up view of the shark. So, to all the shark experts out there, is this a mako or a white shark? (My non-expert self is voting mako.)

The video above is the second in a series of footage of the shark, if you didn’t get enough from the clip above, check out the other clip.

Ocean Encounters has posted a video featuring divers Fred Buyle and William Winram freediving with great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) to their YouTube channel.

It’s not entirely clear from the video description where this was filmed other than somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. From the looks of it, there was also a healthy tuna population at the dive site.

Underwater filmmaker Joe Romeiro has released yet another awesome white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) video. “Battle Scars” focuses on my favorite shark on the planet, “Cal Ripfin” (aka “Shredder”). Cal is a regular around Isla de Guadalupe in the fall months and is easily recognizable by his distinctive dorsal fin damage (as well as his many other “battle scars”).

Kudos to Joe for putting together another great video!

The ITN News YouTube channel recently posted amateur video featuring a killer whale (Orcinus orca) attacking what appear to be broadnose sevengill sharks (Notorynchus cepedianus). The video was shot off the coast of New Zealand’s Blue Cliffs Beach, Tuatapere. One of the sharks beached itself, presumably to escape the orca.

Clinton Duffy, a marine scientist interviewed by ITN News, said that he expected that more orcas were present further from the shore and that the orca in the surf was likely trying to flush fish off shore for the other killer whales.

CBS News has a feature on Anderson Cooper’s most recent “swimming with sharks” endeavor, which took place in the waters off of Cuba. Cooper enjoys the company of reef sharks throughout the video footage.