Biology

Why Sharks Attack, the episode of NOVA that includes two WKU faculty members, will air on WKU PBS at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Tuesday (June 10).

“Why Sharks Attack” will air on WKU PBS at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. CT Tuesday (June 10).

A production crew visited the WKU labs of biology faculty member Dr. Steve Huskey and engineering faculty member Dr. Chris Byrne last July and filmed them testing the bite force of shark teeth on a surfboard, among other things.

Why Sharks Attack looks at deadly shark attacks in Australia and a growing number of great white sharks appearing near Cape Cod, Mass., not far from where Steven Spielberg filmed Jaws. To separate fact from fiction, NOVA teamed up with leading shark experts in Australia and the United States, as well as bite expert, Dr. Huskey, to discover the science behind the great white’s hunting instincts and killing prowess.

Huskey serves as lead science consultant for ‘Turtleman’s Kentucky’

Dr. Huskey, an associate professor in WKU’s Department of Biology, also used his expertise as lead science consultant for Turtleman’s Kentucky that is scheduled to premiere at 9 p.m. July 8 on Animal Planet.

The one-hour natural history show, produced by Red Rock Films, is hosted by Ernie Brown Jr. and Neal James of the TV series Call Of The Wildman.

“I assisted in site and location choices, species and data collection, fact checking, scene preparation, and establishing connections with multiple state, federal and private agencies for use of different facilities around Kentucky,” Dr. Huskey said. “While assisting in the filming of ring-necked pheasants, an exotic species hunted on preserves throughout the state, I served in the role of ‘pheasant hunter’ on film.”

Contact: Steve Huskey, (270) 745-2062.