Discovery Channel hunts 'Sharkzilla' giant mako off New York coast

Scientists led by shark expert Craig O'Connell are searching for a large mako shark dubbed “Sharkzilla” after a series of attacks on marine animals near Montauk, Long Island. A humpback whale, a grey seal and a 400‑lb tuna were found with deep bite wounds, prompting speculation that a 12‑foot pregnant female mako could be responsible.

The hunt is featured in the Discovery Channel Shark Week episode “Sharkzilla Takes New York.” The team used a decoy dolphin, a “blubber blaster” that mimics a dead whale, and baited cameras to attract sharks. They filmed a great white and several makos, ultimately tagging a large female mako and collecting tissue samples. Tests confirmed the shark was not a mutant but a normal, pregnant mako.

O'Connell also raised the theory that historic dumping of 15,000 barrels of nuclear waste in Hudson Canyon could have caused genetic mutations in local predators, a claim explored in the show but not supported by the sample results.