Jun 23, 2025
Back in 2018, marine biologist Elise Gentry began a 36-month-long trust experiment off the coast of Tahiti. Her goal? To explore whether sharks could form “interpersonal” bonds with humans
She spent every week diving with the same juvenile great white she called him “Dante.” No food. No spears. No protective cage. Just gentle energy and stillness. The goal was to create a non-threatening pattern that the shark would eventually begin to associate with safety.
After 21 months, the shark started approaching her without circling. By month 30, he let her touch his snout something never documented this clearly in the wild without reinforcement feeding.
