Dive Into Your Imagination

Ryan Johnson grew up surfing at “Shark Alley” in New Zealand, and now he studies great white sharks in South Africa! His most memorable experience working with these creatures was when he dove into the water with three of them… without any protection!

You were born in New Zealand. What brought you to South Africa?

New Zealand is a unique place, but very isolated from the rest of the world. Most people want to go out of the country by the time they reach their twenties. Africa was the place to go. I completed my undergrad in Zoology and Biology in New Zealand, and then I moved to South Africa, which had really nice universities. When I left New Zealand, it was the first time I was on my own.

What made you decide to study great white sharks?

In 1998, there was a large number of shark attacks in South Africa, and the government was worried that this was related to white shark cage diving. I had been over by Lake Victoria for a while, and I didn’t realize I was going to miss the ocean so much! I was looking for a masters thesis at the time, so I put in an application for researchers investigating the relationship between cage diving and attacks. It was a great opportunity, and it allowed me to get back into marine life. I think a lot of people were discouraged from applying because we had to live on a tiny island, for a year, with only one other person!

The shark cage diving industry is a very controversial topic. How do you feel about the industry?

The industry has been a part of my research for many years. I have had a number of concerns that I would like the industry and government to improve upon, including how the industry is operated and managed. But ultimately, the only reason sharks are in a healthy state in South Africa is because of shark diving and ecotourism. If sharks are generating income as a tourist attraction, it is a better alternative than to being fished out of existence. If the industry didn’t exist, these sharks would be killed. For these reasons, I do support shark ecotourism.

What is your most memorable experience working with sharks?

Without a doubt, it was the first time I hopped into the water and free dived. I was petrified. I was going to do it with my friend, but he said, “No, you go in by yourself first.” I stood on the boat, stuck my feet in the water and moved them back and forth. Three to four sharks were around, there was lovely visibility and the water was very calm. So I hopped in, and within two seconds, a great white came and passed me from the left-hand side. I never watched an animal so closely. I remember how its tail moved. I really realized that I had been a victim, myself, of the myth created by movies like “Jaws.” But I saw that it was only that – just a myth.

You also studied traditional “shark calling” from the Timben tribe. Could you describe this experience?

In 2005, I traveled on an expedition to Papua New Guinea to investigate the Timben tribe and how they “call” sharks. There has been a bunch of research looking at how sharks are attracted to sound, and I was interested in how this ancient tribe, that has little technology, discovered ways to attract sharks by “calling” in certain frequencies. I studied which frequencies were being used, and it was amazing because this basic, ancient technique followed the same science we discovered only twenty years ago! This just goes to show that the knowledge of indigenous people is immense. We could learn a lot from these ancient cultures.

What is the South African Marine Predator Lab?

This is a dream for me! Because I am not a South African, finding work here was very difficult. I started this institute with three other colleagues, and since then we have been researching sharks and other marine predators.

What research are you currently working on?

Right now I am studying the internal heating system (thermal physiology) of great white sharks. Great whites are warm blooded, which means they maintain a constant warm body temperature (most sharks are cold blooded, and their temperature depends on their surroundings). This is a unique adaptation, and we don’t know how they do it or how good their abilities are. We are using new transmitters that can measure temperatures of stomach and muscle tissue, as well as outside water temperatures. This data helps us study how good they are at maintaining stable body temperatures. This research is important, because it has big relevance with the effects of global warming. If currents and temperatures change, how will it affect the top predator on the food chain – the great white?

By tagging these sharks, what have you learned about great white sharks migratory patterns?

I started using “satellite telemetry” a few years ago. Because sharks come to the surface, you can set up a fixed position on them. We put these tags on and had great success. This data is important to collect, because the great white is protected in South Africa, and a couple other places throughout the world. But we didn’t know if protecting them on a national level was enough - if a shark were to swim out of South African waters, they would become vulnerable. By using satellites, we could see if this was a concern. We saw that sharks were going to Australia, so we helped get them listed to protect them!

What do you think is the most important action someone can do to help save sharks, the ocean, and our planet?

It is important to campaign against any big company that is exploiting the ocean, whether they hunt for shark fins or take fish from protected areas. If they hunt a species that is not sustainable, tell them to stop doing it. There are huge campaigns that are dedicated to stopping this exploitation, and these members are looking for all the support they can get. Support them!

Being knowledgeable is the first step in making a difference. Ryan, why do you love the ocean and want to protect it?

The worst day in the ocean is better than any day in the office. The ocean gets into your soul, and you can’t get away from it. It is important to get out there and be part of nature, and to push yourself to the edge. I love sharks – any sharks. There is a 3 meter young great white that we can see outside our windows everyday. We have named her Roxanne. She jumps out of the water and makes a big spectacle. I want to protect Roxanne and all of her future offspring.

Thank you so much, Ryan! Because of dedicated scientists like you, Roxanne and many other sharks will have long lives ahead of them. Please stay in touch!

Biography:

Ryan Johnson was born in New Zealand and is now a marine biologist in South Africa. He has been conducting research on Great White Sharks for the past 10 years and participates in the satellite tracking of the Great White’s migratory patterns. He founded the South African Marine Predator Lab and partners with Marine and Coastal Management, Natal Sharks Board, Shark Project, and Sharklife South Africa. Ryan specializes in marine predators, and has completed numerous life changing expeditions, to places like Mozambique and Papua New Guinea.

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