Diver hypnotises sharks to get fishing hooks out of their mouths safely
Michael puts his hand right next to a shark's mouth when he has it under his spell.
Michael puts his hand right next to a shark's mouth when he has it under his spell.
A brave diver puts his hands next to the mouth of a dusky shark to remove a hook – after first hypnotising the predator.
The footage, which was filmed in Jupiter, Florida, shows experienced diver Michael Dornellas, 32, coming to the aid of the shark.
Michael gets to work on removing the hook from the shark
Using a technique called tonic immobility, he puts the 10ft shark under a type of hypnosis – allowing him to remove the hook from its mouth.
Just when you thought it was safe...
He put his life on the line
Just when you thought it was safe...
Describing his experience with sharks, Michael says: ‘It is never 100 per cent safe, nothing guarantees your safety when you’re swimming with predators.’
Michael believes sharks are largely misunderstood
In Florida it’s common for sharks to be found with hooks in their mouths due to fishermen catching them for sport then releasing them with the hook still intact.
As many of the hooks used are stainless steel, it can take years for them to rust and usually requires human intervention to remove them.
Getting to grips with one of the ocean’s most feared animals
‘I’ve seen hooks work their way back, cutting open the jaws of the shark,’ says Michael.
The self-employed diver has been swimming with sharks for years and currently teaches people about them. He says he hopes the footage will show that sharks are not just vicious killing machines.