Craig Bovim is a well-balanced guy.  But he has a big chip on his shoulder. Four years ago he was almost killed and eaten by a Great White shark.  Now he is the sharks’ greatest supporter, challenging the multi-million Rand shark cage-diving industry, which he sees as having a negative impact on the Great Whites.

Craig thinks the shark cage-diving industry is run by a bunch of macho businessmen.  They certainly don’t take kindly to anyone, like Craig, threatening their livelihood.  But Craig is intrigued by why people are compelled to get close to Great White sharks, even to touch them.  It seems to him that cage-diving is nothing more than the meddling of men and he wants to protect the sharks from it.  

As the film progresses, Craig begins to understand the seemingly unconscious human need to be reminded that our true home is amongst the creatures big and small that share the earth with us.  Humans need to find ways of understanding that we too are part of the food chain.  And Craig, given his experience, understands this better than most.

‘Bonding with the Beasts’ throws light on the extraordinary and unexpected process known as biophilia: the uncanny ability special encounters with nature have to heal us