( Extract from : "LE GRAND REQUIN BLANC"  Robert Laffont Editions, by Jean-Michel Cousteau and
Mose Richards available at  sixième continent ).
 

Aboard Alcyone, the Cousteau Team led by Jean-Michel Cousteau has finalized a specialized anti-shark cage very particular because it is made of "Lexan" material and totally transparent under the water. These experiments, they placed a diver inside the cage. Regrettably, from the experiment they found out that the great whites were not so interested with this funny bubble. Only one female shark came approaching it and staid for a few seconds to observe what was inside this intruder, without any slightest sketch of attack. But when the diver inside the cage was replaced with a dead tuna fish, the behavior of the shark is changing directly. The shark came to approach the cage and tried to penetrate into the cylinder. The diver, Steve Arrington will remember that for all his life.

During their journeys to the "Dangerous Reef", Australia, the team always used a fake white shark called "Allison" build with an aramture in "Lexan" known as a bullet proof material and looked like the most possible thing for a real shark. They have invented a system of pneumatic drive : the compressed air was injected from the diving bottle to allow it moving the tail. On its stage in the water, a female shark of 4,50 meters has turned all around for a long time, and struck it repeatedly. Nobody can explain why the female shark did that attack until the armature broke.

On the contrary with what everyone believe, the team waas thinking that the great white shark has developed gustative sense, and taste their prey. From this experiment, the scientists and the divers of Alcyone were able to observe the behavior of the shark by using false preys made of plastic (like the plastic duke below). And every time, the sahrks throw out the food that does not pleased them.

The best specialists of the subject have given their assistance to the Cousteau's Team. As shown in the picture below, you see Valery Taylor beside Jean-Michel Cousteau aboard Alcyone, during their various expeditions to Port Lincoln, Dangerous Reef..., and they had the chance to be joined by Rodney and Andrew Fox to help in their experiments.