… making images has always been easier for me than words to express myself … and at times images are more powerful than words …

We all are informed about shark finning and manta ray killing – but until you look into the dead shark’s eye or into the Manta’s eye drained of life – only then can people understand. This is particularly true because the majority of people in the world (99% of the world’s population) are not diving and never get to the water.

We divers are in the water and we see the killing. We are aware of what’s happening and fight for change, but we are very small in number. We need you, each one of you, who receives this message – to share these words and images widely among your friends who are not divers in the USA, and elsewhere in the world…

Click here for more images of shark finning in a Facebook album.

Click here for images of manta ray killing in a Facebook album.

Click here for images of a tuna harvest in a Facebook album.

The call for action is not against the poor people of the world who hunt the sharks and manta…they hunt because they are proud people and want to feed their family too – the call for action is to the powerful people in the world and government – to offer their people another source of income and employment, to help them to earn fair living and to support their families.

I am not sure what it will take to convince the Eastern and Chinese cultures to stop consuming shark fins and manta gills, and how long it may take to make a change … however, our efforts have to be also in improving the lives of poor people, helping them, guiding them in finding other ways to make a living…if we do so, these fisherman will not go to sea for “fistful of dollars”… we need to start one village at the time, showing them the way, providing them with the expertise, training, and tools. We need to open new labor markets for them. That is how we can stop them from going to sea.  They also want to stay home and see their wife and kids grow … just like we do … but starvation and poor conditions make them go where there is an easy dollar to be made … that is where poachers get us… to a fistful of dollars that takes a deep toll on life.

In this well-received TEDx talk in San Francisco, Amos reveals the story of how an image he made of a Great White shark become an icon, and was used to promote a misleading public perception of sharks as “monsters” and “man eaters.”  He introduces the Ocean Legacy project, a five-year plan to photographically document the ability of humans to peacefully interact with animals.  He will lead an expedition to encounter and photograph 35 of the world’s Ocean Giants and show their connection with humans.

Everyone that is the business of fishing already knew about the whales off Sri Lanka since the late 70′ and early 80′ – it was not a secret and they were not hunted than.

It become great news for the research world and eco tourism only because peace has arrived to Sri Lanka and cost become again open for recreation…I have been here last time in 1982…and filmed the Blues and the Sperm Whales too. The war lasted till 2009 and during all that time no one could enter Sri Lanka water and surely not recreation or research.

Sri Lanka have very strong naval operation and presence in particular close by the Whales ground. The sighting and our encounters happened close to shore in Sri Lanka territorial water. No Japanese whale hunting will come close to these shores. If you noticed they operate only in international water away from watching eyes.

Sri Lanka is very aware and it is part of my contribution here – supporting and building sense of urgency and awareness for eco tourism and conservation…working with local fishermen, government and private corporation to enjoy the presence of the whales along the costs of this peaceful island.

I hope this put your concern to rest and I am glad to answer any further questions on next subjects…from Sri Lanka right now till April 9.

Amos

Imagine being under the ice in the White Sea of Northern Russia and feeling warm and cold at the same time.  How can this be? Because I was underwater in the company of three Beluga named Yegor, Kuzya and Kesha. The images you see here are of Kuzya. Yes, the water is freezing (29F or -1C) while outside the sun is bright, reflecting off the ice making the outside temperature 20F or 5C.

I found the Beluga welcoming and friendly. They will come within a few a feet of your lens and make faces, blow bubbles and inspect you with their small eyes.  However, to arrive at this moment takes time and patience. Incredibly, these gentle whales seem able to sense the diver’s emotional state of mind. I was lucky to get these images….

Kuzya

Maria, the caretaker of the Belugas, (keeper and trainer are very negative words) described this incident. When a Yogi entered the water, the whales dove swiftly away aggressively thrashing their tails. The Yogi exited the water! On the other hand, when I was there two weeks ago, a 12-yr-old Russian girl had a very different experience.  She was not a diver, however she stood on the ice and put her hand in the water.  Instantly, a Beluga raised its head above the water several times to get her attention.  Then she placed her tiny palm on the whale’s melon-head…clearly both felt a sense of connection.

I wonder how the Beluga saw me? What a contrast between their grace and my cumbersome movement: dressed in a dry suit, with a heavy undergarment, dry gloves, 28 lbs around my waist, scuba tank on my back and camera with strobes. I was missing only the kitchen sink!!!

Achieving buoyancy control is a must. Waiting motionless for the whales to scan me builds trust and allows them to feel safe in my presence. Staying still for 10 minutes in frigid water is a long wait. But with each dive our encounters became more intimate. Gradually the Beluga allowed me to get closer to their surface opening in the ice. They are vulnerable near their breathing-hole and may become agitated with strangers present. My patience paid off. I had gained their confidence.

In March 2013, I am planning for a follow up adventure to Russia. The trip will include diving with the Beluga, a visit to Moscow and St. Petersburg, renowned for it’s unique architecture.

There is a controversy regarding these Beluga whales. They are not wild. They are protected in a contained environment in an area where they were once hunted.  Prior to my trip I knew these Beluga were raised and maintained in nearly natural conditions.  During my investigation in Russia I discovered they are sold to aquariums to mate with captive females, to breed in captivity, in order to minimize future hunting.

I am torn between my responsibility as a photojournalist and a adventure planner. Without first scouting and exploring I could not bring such issues to light. On the other hand, it is almost impossible to get close up images of Beluga in the wild. Does increasing our knowledge and respect for this elusive animal justify keeping it in captivity?

I hope you will join me in exploring this controversy.

Keep your fins wet and spirit wondering.

Amos.

Kuzya

]]> http://biganimals.com/from-russia-beluga-love/feed/ 2 http://biganimals.com/from-russia-beluga-love/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BigAnimalsEpicWildlifeAdventures/~3/y_ctgsAFNjo/ http://biganimals.com/ocean-conservation-cinema/#comments Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:51:32 +0000 BigAnimals Staff http://biganimals.com/?p=2552 Written by Caroline Markowitz

BigAnimals expeditions travels the world to find the most memorable underwater adventures, and we find so much passion about the value of the nature and the importance of ocean conservation among our guests. Of course, we aren’t the only ones thinking about the human connection to nature, both with what we do to help nature and, unfortunately, what we might do to hurt it. Filmmakers have looked at this also.

Here is some of their work about the human connection with oceans that are worth catching on DVD.

Bag It traces the journey of a plastic bag. It may seem like a small thing, but when you consider how many plastic bags we use and throw away, it becomes a huge factor in the health of the earth and its oceans. Bag It shows how these bags eventually end up in landfills, get stuck in trees, and pollute the ocean. An area of the Pacific Ocean has been nicknamed the Great Pacific Garbage Patch; parts of this “garbage patch” contain concentrations of plastic that are 40 times greater than that of plankton. Plastic is not biodegradable in water. It gets broken down into smaller and smaller pieces causing fish to confuse this plastic with food. The result – many species of fish have been found with large amounts of plastic in their stomachs.

Tapped follows a similar storyline, but instead focuses on plastic water bottles. Many people rarely think about the environmental impact of grabbing a fresh bottle of water. But that impact is huge – there is an equivalent to 9 million football fields of plastic in the ocean – and chemicals in plastic, like BPA, have adverse effects on humans.

While Tapped and Bag It relate indirectly to the ocean, two films, The End of the Line and A Sea Change, are more directly significant. They explore the devastating consequences to marine life of overfishing and ocean acidification.

The End of the Line investigates current fishing methods and dramatically shows how, if we continue fishing as we do and eating unsustainable fish, scientists estimate that we will run out of fish by 2048. However, there is a silver lining in this film, and that is – the solutions to overfishing are simple and doable. They include:

• reducing the number of fishing boats across the world
• protecting large areas of the ocean through a network of marine reserves off limits to fishing
• educating consumers that they have a choice by purchasing fish from independently certified sustainable fisheries

A Sea Change hones in on ocean acidification and the effects of excess carbon dioxide and global warming on our oceans, fish, and marine life.

Each of these films are eye-opening portraits of human activities leading to the demise of our oceans, the animals and fish that live in them, and eventually the circular effect these practices will have on humans in the future. Have a look at them and see why people have learned to love the world’s oceans and all the animals that inhabit them.

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As someone said before me – Mother Nature is amazing but fickle, tooooooo. The first week we were here was totally dry, with only one whale encounter in seven days.

Now we’re starting the second week – and it is only the second day – and every one of my four guests is in love with another Sperm whale – we are experiencing about a dozen encounters per day.

However, nothing is like seeing Scar in the water (see first image below) and Enigma, his pod member…(middle image). They both are about 10 meters (33 feet) long. Scar is easily recognized as he comes very close to the swimmers and requests to be petted. Enigma just hangs around and demands that we swim along with her. As long as we do, she’s happy, and she has stayed with the swimmers once for 20 minutes and another time for over 30 minutes.

Yes, we all have great expectations from Mother Nature – now we hope to see a socializing group of seven or more underwater looking into our cameras…

Keep your fins wet, and remember that I am planning to return with three more expeditions next year…

~Amos

Here are some images.  There are more on my Facebook album.  Equipment? I use the Canon 1D Mark IV and the Canon 1Ds Mark III. Lenses used are all wide angle – from the latest lens,  8 – 15mm, and also 14mm, and 16 – 35mm. Underwater housing -  Seacam.

There was a time when Blue whales were hunted almost to extinction. That changed in 1966 when protective laws were enacted to save the blues, the largest animal on earth. Now there’s a new development, and it’s a good one. A huge Blue whale colony has been discovered in Sri Lanka.

Last year I scouted Sri Lanka for the fifth time in order to set up diving and photography operations  - my first exploration there was in 1982. I was amazed at what I saw. I have been waiting all this time for the moment of peace and freedom.  I’m very glad to start my first Biganimals Blue whale photography expedition. I’m offering three departures to Sri Lanka in March and April, 2012. I’ve prepared a PDF for you with all the details. Click to download it.

Also, the new BigAnimals Expeditions Blue whale schedule for 2013 is in the making. March 20 – April 1, 2013, March 29 – April 8, 2013,  and April 5 – 19, 2013. I accomodate only four guests per adventure – space is very limited. If you’re interested please email me at bluewhales@biganimals.com to reserve your place on this amazing adventure.

Follow on Twitter and Friend me on Facebook.

Reefs have had it tough in recent times. Pollution, overfishing, and global warming have all taken their toll, as msnbc.com’s Future of Technology reported recently. Higher water temperatures, for example, can result in something called coral bleaching. Warmer water causes some of the algae that sustains a reef to leave. An sustained event like this in 1998 killed one sixth of the world’s tropical reefs.

But there’s new hope for the world’s reefs, and the process might shock you. Actually, it will send an electric current through the waters where reefs need help A technology called the Biorock Process runs low-voltage electric currents through seawater. This causes dissolved minerals in the water to crystallize metal frames place near reefs, growing a white limestone similar to that which makes up a coral reef. According to the Global Coral Reef Alliance, the artificial reef grows quickly. A Biorock project needs electricity, of course, and that can come from solar panels or tidal current generators.

If you want to support this work you can sponsor a baby reef through the Biorock group. There are other ways you can help, too, because reefs are negatively affected by pollution from runoff. The Nature Conservancy provides some suggestions, like supporting reef-friendly businesses and practicing safe and responsible diving and snorkeling. (You know that touching a reef is bad, right? And you should never anchor your boat near it.) More tips from the Nature Conservancy at this link.

Follow Amos Nachoum on Twitter and find him on Facebook.

Image courtesy of Rani Morrow-Wuigk and Global Coral Reef Alliance.

I’m about to embark on an adventure to the Caribbean island of Dominica. I’ll be there with a few new guests and old friends to photograph what was once one of the world’s most hunted animals – the Sperm whale in Dominica. These whales have made an amazing comeback from near extinction. We’ve sold three departures with four guests to each team. I’ll be there until February 9th … and always pleased to be working with my camera with guests and friends among the Ocean Giants

island of Dominica. I’ll be there with some guests and old friends to photograph what was once one of the world’s most hunted animals – the Sperm whale. These whales have made an amazing comeback from near extinction. We’ve sold three departures with four guests to each team. I’ll be there until February 9th … and always pleased to be working with my camera with guests and friends among the Ocean Giants.

Keep up with me on Twitter and on Facebook.

Afrikaans: Geseënde Kersfees
Apache: Gozhqq Keshmish
Albanian: Gezur Krislinjden
Arabic: Milad Majid
Argentine: Feliz Navidad
Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce
Bosnian: (BOSANSKI) Cestit Bozic i Sretna Nova godina
Brazilian: Feliz Natal
Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Chile: Feliz Navidad
Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan’Gung Haw Sun
Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Croatian: Sretan Bozic
Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish: Glædelig Jul
Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
English: Merry Christmas
Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Ethiopian: (Amharic) Melkin Yelidet Beaal
Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish: Hyvaa joulua
Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French: Joyeux Noel
Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
German: Fröhliche Weihnachten
Greek: Kala Christouyenna!
Haiti: (Creole) Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri’cho o Rish D’Shato Brichto
Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew: Mo’adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hindi: Shub Naya Baras (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Hungarian: Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Lao: souksan van Christmas
Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu
Maori: Meri Kirihimete
Navajo: Merry Keshmish
Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul
Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
Philippines: Maligayang Pasko!
Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
Portuguese: Feliz Natal
Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele or Craciun fericit
Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh
Serbian: Hristos se rodi.
Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene: Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto
Spanish: Feliz Navidad
Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas
Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym
Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Giang Sinh
Welsh: Nadolig Llawen