Swimming with Sharks Is

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Largepredators —likethe hammerhead sharks pictured here —and other deepwater fish as well as whales are found in the watersofthe The Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary, Malpelo Sanctuary. 270 nautical miles off the Colombian coast, is the largest no-fishing zone in the eastern tropical Pacific and one of the world’s top diving sites. It isone of 43 exceptionally valuable marine sites around the world recognized by the World Heritage Committee LEFEVRE YVES

PEOPLE | Germán Soler, scientist and diver Swimming with sharks is ‘heaven,’ but there is also desk work to be done wimming with hundreds —orthou- waters of Malpelo and found himself inthe mountainous capital, Bogota —would take sanctuary.Ifnot for her, he says, ‘‘Malpelo conservation and scientific work to be sands —ofsharks may sound like a company of more than 1,000 silky sharks. him to the seaside for vacations. He earned would not be what it is today.’’ conducted in Malpelo. They marshal the funds About WorldHeritage S nightmare to some people. But it is He had long wanted to see alarge aggrega- aMaster of Marine Science from the Univer- When Soler joined the Malpelo Founda- for surveillance and patrolling of the site. heaven forGermán Soler, who looks for- tion of Carcharhinusfalciformis, and sud- sity of New South Wales in Australia, then tion in 2003, his first project was to prepare ‘‘You have to mix boththe desk and the The aim ofthe World Heritage ward to swimming with sharks several times denly his wish had come true. worked with pink river dolphins in documentation for the site’s proposal to be field,’’ he insists. ‘‘If you want to get re- Convention, adopted by Unesco ayear. ‘‘They were swimming Brazil andhumpbacked whales listed as aWorld Heritage site. sources and have real conservation impact, members in1972, is‘‘to AColombian marine biologist and direc- around me,just minding their in Bahía Málaga, Colombia, and One of Unesco’s requests was that the you cannotdoitonly from the field.You have encourage the identification, tor of the Malpelo Foundation, Soler is re- own business,’’ he says, ‘‘and specialized in satellite and site be enlarged, which required govern- to work from your desk, getting donors to protection and preservation of sponsible for supporting and supplementing they were very close to me, but acoustic telemetry techniques. mental assent. That took about ayear, know what Malpelo is and where the diffi- cultural and natural heritage the work of the Colombian government in not being aggressive. It was He continued whale research working with the Colombian National Parks culties and threats are. You have to be with around the world considered to be overseeing the Malpelo Fauna and Flora something. Ihave it recorded in near the island of Gorgona, off Department and with the Colombian Navy. people all the time. You cannot disconnect of outstanding universal value to Sanctuary off the country’s southwestern my brain for the rest of my life.’’ the Pacific coast of Colombia, Eventually the site area expanded from 651 from the world.’’ humanity.’’ coast. The sanctuary has been aUnesco The sanctuary is also home and began hearing about the square kilometers to 9,584 square kilo- Nevertheless, field work is what Soler en- ‘‘Tides of Time’’ is apartnership Marine World Heritage site since 2006. to what the locals call the Malpelo Sanctuary. meters (251 to 3,700 square miles). joys most. He goes to the sanctuary about among Jaeger-LeCoultre, Unesco’s Soler joined the foundation in 2003, Malpelo Monster, a four-meter Germán Soler,director of ‘‘Everybody was raving about it The success of this interinstitutionalco- six times ayear for two weeks eachtrip. World Heritage Centre and the when it was first preparing its proposal to be short-nosed, ragged-tooth shark the Malpelo Foundation. as agreat place to go,’’ he recalls. operation is one of the Malpelo Foundation’s At present, he and his colleagues are International Herald Tribune. The listed as aWorld Heritage site. He recalls the (Odontaspis ferox) related to the Soler contacted Sandra proudest achievements, says Soler. Bringing studying the movements of hammerhead series presents some of the people first time he went to the sanctuary, that great white. It favors deepwater reefs, so it Bessudo, who was then the director of the the government, the military and internation- and other sharks in the region. who are helping preserve marine year: ‘‘It was something unbelievable. Visibil- is rarely seen by humans. ‘‘Divers can see it Malpelo Foundation, and he had the oppor- al nongovernmental organizations together ‘‘I started studying biology because Iloved sites on the World Heritage List.

ity is up to 30 meters [almost 100 feet] and only in afew places in the world, and LEFEVRE tunity to visit Malpelo for the first time. He for acommon cause, he explains, resulted in nature. Iknew Iwasn't going to become rich,’’ To see videos about World Iremember seeing over 200 sharks just be- Malpelo is one of them. It is an incredible an- credits Bessudo (who is slated to lead a the expansion of knowledge of the sanctu- says Soler with alaugh. ‘‘You need to be very Heritage marine sites, visit the low my feet. And Iwas, like, this cannot be imal found in our sanctuary,’’ exults Soler. YVES new Ministry of the Environment and Sus- ary both in the water and on terra firma. passionate about what you are doingand be ‘‘Tides of Time’’ archive at happening. It was heaven.’’ Soler has loved the sea since childhood, tainable Growth in Colombia) with being a The land part of his job is essential: he convinced that your work is for the better- whc.unesco.org/tidesoftime Three years later, Soler entered the when his parents —based in Colombia’s driving force for the establishment of the and his staff write financial proposals for ment of the environment and humanity.’’ [

MALPELO FLORA AND FAUNA SANCTUARY | Protecting an exceptional habitat Watch auction proceeds go to help fight poaching The stakes: Valuable species and the threat of man Three days are an insignificant time to alegend of diver’s watches and he Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary hectares, just less than half asquare mile. Shark Specialist Group of the International and accessibility is delicate at best. Mechtild span in the life of oceans, but the an icon among collectors: the takes its name from the island of Yet four species call it home and are found Union for the Conservation of Nature cites Rössler, chief of the policy and statutory three-day period April 18-21 may Memovox Deep Sea ‘‘LeCoultre T Malpelo, avolcanic formation 270 only there: aland crab, agecko and two other estimates of 26 million to 73 million sharks section of the World Heritage Centre, points have made abig difference in abig Spécial Amérique 1959.’’ nautical miles (500 kilometers) west of the kinds of lizards. The island also serves as the killed each year for the fin trade. out that marine sites have multiple func- area of the ocean —Colombia’s The proceeds will be used for the Colombian Pacific coast. The sanctuary is the largest nesting colony in the world for the The Malpelo Foundation works with the tions that may include being sources of rev- Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary. purchase of inflatable boats to aid largest no-fishing zone in the eastern tropical nazca booby, Sula granti. Malpelo is home to Colombian Navy and the Colombian Nation- enue, tourist destinations and places of re- This World Heritage marine site in surveillance of the sanctuary’s Pacific —the marine surface covers 9,584 about one-third to one-fourth of the global re- al Parks for surveillance, but more boats are creation. In her view, the public must be —located 270 nautical miles (500 marine surface. square kilometers,or3,700 square miles — productive population of this species. needed to patrol the vast area. educated to enjoy the beauty of asite with- kilometers) off the coast of The sanctuary works with the but the island itself is small, about 120 One booby by-product is abundant Alesser challenge comes from the tour- out disturbing its natural balance. Colombia and covering 9,584 Colombian Navy and the Colombian guano, which flows to the sea and nourishes ists who come to dive in Malpelo’s clear wa- Malpelo has financial support from square kilometers,or3,700 square National Parks forsurveillance of planktonic algae, on which feed vast popula- ters and experience the thrill of seeing Unesco, Conservation International and an miles —will be receiving all the site, the largest no-fishing zone tions of tuna and jackfish as well as hump- sharks and exploring deepwater caves and endowment funded by the Global Conserva- proceeds from an online auction by in the eastern tropical Pacific, but back whales in the waters of the sanctuary. coral reefs. Currently about 20 cruise ships tion Fund and the Fondo Para la Acción Am- the Swiss watchmaker Jaeger- more boats are needed to patrol the The fish in turn draw sharks, and the ag- are licensed to visit the sanctuary each year, biental (Fund for Environmental Action), and LeCoultre that was held during site. Illegal fishing is amajor threat gregations here ofsilky sharks andham- bringing 600 divers.Aside from direct dam- from other privatedonors and foundations. those three days. The winning bid to species found in Malpelo, merheads are ‘‘incredible,’’ notes Germán age to the coral reefs, divers bring with them It participates in Migramar, anetwork of was £16,208 ($26,773). especially sharks. Soler, director of the Malpelo Foundation the problems of garbage disposal in the marine research and conservation institu- The auction was the latest of The auction is part of Jaeger- and amarine biologist and diver. Their pres- ocean and the accidental introduction of ex- tions in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, three created by Jaeger-LeCoultre LeCoultre’s long-term commitment ence in turn attracts the most deadly pred- traneous animal or plant species from the Panama and the United States that studies specifically to benefit World to World Heritage sites. It is a ator of the ocean and the biggest threat to diving ships to the island. shark, turtle and other pelagic populations Heritage marine sites, both in partner with the Unesco World this World Heritage site —man. Achieving abalance between conservation of the eastern tropical Pacific. [ economic terms and in attracting Heritage Centre and the Illegal fishing, mainly for tuna, is certainly

public attention. International Herald Tribune to LEFEVRE athreat to the sanctuary. Silky sharks are 6E@AI ZB JE\AÔ §=]FA]Z .=K[= =[@ .]ZH=5=[?JK=HO M=IFHZ@K?A@ >O JDA 106 +HA=JELA The watch chosen, Memovox defend and protectoutstanding often caught in nets with the tuna because Tribute to Deep Sea, was a marine sites that require immediate YVES 5Z]KJEZ[I @AF=HJ\A[J =[@ @E@ [ZJ E[LZ]LAJDA [AMIF=FAH’IHAFZHJE[C ZH A@EJZHE=] @AF=HJ\A[JIï they tend to swim together. 1J EI JDA $JD E[ =IAHEAI Z[ 7[AI?Z’I 9ZH]@ 0AHEJ=CA \=HE[A IEJAIï 6DA[ANJE[IJ=]]\A[Jò =>ZKJ commemorative edition in homage intervention. Malpelo Island is home to the largest nesting The greatest danger to the marine life of JDA ¨=CZZ[I ZB ¦AM+=]A@Z[E=ò ME]] >A FK>]EIDA@ «K[A %ï 6ANJ >O +¨)7,1) .¨151ï colonyinthe world of the nazca booby. the area, however, is shark finning. The .ZH E[BZH\=JEZ[ Z[ JDA 106 +HA=JELA5Z]KJEZ[I FHZCH=\Ô MMMï[OJE\AIC]Z>=]ï?Z\

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