Photos courtesy of Discovery

Dr. Andrew West  is a marine biologist, an environmental scientist, and the host of the new Discovery Channel show Beast Tracker. The son of Australian diplomats, Dr. West grew up traveling the Philippines and South Africa before moving to Hawaii in high school. Dr. West has always been focused on environmental issues, often conducting his research overseas in developing countries. Working with the non-profit Water for Life, Dr. West has helped communities in need develop safe and sustainable water sources.

On Beast Tracker, Dr. West examines the growing conflicts between man vs. animal as natural habitats continue to shrink. By investigating the reason behind why these predators attack humans, Dr. West hopes to help remove any misconceptions that the public has about these creatures. In the upcoming episode of Beast Tracker, Dr. West find himself face to face with a predator he knows very well, the tiger shark. On this episode, Dr. West meets with a shark attack victim and together they enter the tiger sharks habitat.  By encountering the sharks face to face in their environment, they learn that tiger sharks are not instinctively aggressive against humans, but rather timid and afraid. Beast Tracker  aims to educate the public about some of nature’s biggest and most understood  predators.

 

BlooSee recently came into contact with Dr. Andrew West. We asked him a couple things we were curious about and he replied with some insightful answers.

Q & A:

1) How do you prepare mentally when encountering a ‘Beast’ in its own habitat? Any tips on how to calm one’s nerves when in a similar situation?

Knowing the animal you are dealing with is paramount. Then giving it the respect it deserves, especially if it is an apex predator in it’s own environment. It’s good to keep in mind we are also a large animal, so a big predator like a shark when it first sees us is thinking, “is this a food item or competition, or even something that is going to hurt me”? So not acting like prey helps a lot! To help the nerves, be prepared, have an exit strategy, and always be looking for tell-tale signs of aggression. Giving it the space it needs is vital. There is definitely a boundary that animals have as far as personal space!

2) Do you have a ‘too close for comfort’ moment that you is particularly memorable?
Yes, unfortunately too many! They always stem from not be alert enough and being sloppy in my animal handling, or trying something for the first time without adequate “thinking it though” time.

3) What is the most common misconception about tiger sharks? Is this the same for all ‘Beasts’?
The most common misconception is these are brainless killers looking to eat humans. The role of the tiger shark is similar to other shark species. It removes weak, dying or dead animals. And is always on the look out for an easy meal (within reason). They like to test bite things to see if it’s edible .. and I have seen food items ranging from pumkins to mongoose in their stomachs. But still you think they would see swmimmers and surfers as weak and dying animals? … but the fact is they dont! and they normally leave us alone. Unfortunately the rare attacks are people being in the wrong place at the wrong time, … and probably looking like the wrong thing.

4) What advice would you give to a young individual who dreams of being a Beast Tracker themselves?
Keep in school, study hard, get as much volunteer work as you can (zoos, research biology labs, colleges), and get handling experience. Start to read about the fascinating animals that are on this planet with us! You may not end up rich, but you will have the most fulfilling/adventure filled life.

5) Could you explain in a little detail, your background? Who came up with the idea for Beast Tracker? How many people work on the show? What are was the tiger shark episode filmed?
My first job was catching tiger sharks in Kona (quite some years ago!). In one memorable experience a tiger shark almost bit my head off (literally!). I was amazed at this creature and decided I wanted to pursue marine studies when I finished high school. Discovery came up with the Beast Tracker concept. It is produced by Icon Films, who also do River Monsters. We have a team of about 5 incredibly talented people. The shark episode was filmed in Hawaii (north shore of Oahu, Maui and off the Kona coast).

To learn more about Dr. Andrew West and the Beast Tracker series, please go to http://www.andrewwest.com

 

 

 

 

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