The episode features footage of a basking shark, shot using a drone. Image courtesy of Peter Coles.

Ocean giants and pasty thieves… the next episode of NatureWatch is here

The elusive basking shark takes centre stage in the latest fascinating instalment of NatureWatch, released today.

NatureWatch is a student-led wildlife documentary which showcases the stunning flora, fauna and landscapes of Cornwall.

In the most recent episode - the fourth of the series - the team encounter a basking shark. These seasonal visitors are found along the Cornish coasts in the summer months where they feed in the nutrient-rich waters.

The incredible experience was captured by Zoology student Peter Coles who used a drone to produce some outstanding aerial footage of the ocean giant, which dwarfed the crew’s boat.

The episode also features an interview with wildlife presenter and Exeter alumnus Nick Baker regarding the mysterious world of small mammals. Along with a trip to St Ives to investigate the often rocky relationship between humans and pasty-thieving herring gulls.

Lizzie Daly, one of the show’s presenters and former Zoology student at the University of Exeter said: “NatureWatch has been a very rewarding experience. As a student-led project it has been a great opportunity to make it into our own and as a result it has developed into an exciting, educational project which has been so much fun to film.

“I really can’t wait to see the next episode. It is particularly exciting as it features one of the most stunning species to grace our British waters. The whole crew was completely blown away by this wildlife encounter and it is a day that we won’t be forgetting in a hurry!”

NatureWatch is run by student societies EcoSoc and WildDocSoc along with the College of Life and Environmental Studies. Each episode is filmed, produced and presented by students from both the University of Exeter and Falmouth University.

The show is shared freely on the internet where it has racked up thousands of views and has been shared by people all over the world. It has received an extremely positive response among the wildlife community, with presenter Chris Packham supporting the show via a promotional video.

Lizzie, along with fellow presenters Pete Cooper and Ethan Wrigglesworth, has recently graduated, and as such this episode is to be their last. However, new students Billy Heaney, Ben Porter and Ellie Stockwell are all set to take over and are introduced toward the end of the episode.

A free to attend premiere of the latest episode will be held on Friday 30 September at 4pm, at the Chapel Lecture Theatre, Penryn Campus in Cornwall.

Following this, it will be available to watch online. You can catch up on all of the NatureWatch episodes on the official YouTube channel and receive updates via Twitter and Facebook.

Date: 30 September 2016