we’re 300 years of the coast of Santa’s little island and we’re lighting an area
little island and we’re lighting an area
little island and we’re lighting an area to attract plankton modulus feed on
to attract plankton modulus feed on
to attract plankton modulus feed on plankton hopefully they’ll come close to
plankton hopefully they’ll come close to
plankton hopefully they’ll come close to us and we’ll be able to swim with them
first
first plankton come the mullahs appear
plankton come the mullahs appear
plankton come the mullahs appear these Devil Rays have been
these Devil Rays have been
these Devil Rays have been 20 million years but divers like us are
20 million years but divers like us are
20 million years but divers like us are recent as future visitors are summoned
recent as future visitors are summoned
recent as future visitors are summoned to the feeding frenzy and this sanctuary
to the feeding frenzy and this sanctuary
to the feeding frenzy and this sanctuary is threatened what can we do for a world
is threatened what can we do for a world
is threatened what can we do for a world worth protecting National Geographic and
worth protecting National Geographic and
worth protecting National Geographic and Rolex are sending me across Baja
Rolex are sending me across Baja
Rolex are sending me across Baja California to explore the way wildlife
California to explore the way wildlife
California to explore the way wildlife tourism is evolving in one of the most
tourism is evolving in one of the most
tourism is evolving in one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet my
biodiverse regions on the planet my
biodiverse regions on the planet my first stop is cabo pulmo I’m here to
first stop is cabo pulmo I’m here to
first stop is cabo pulmo I’m here to meet David Castro whose family was
meet David Castro whose family was
meet David Castro whose family was instrumental in transforming a small
instrumental in transforming a small
instrumental in transforming a small fishing village into a global model of
fishing village into a global model of
fishing village into a global model of sustainability the first years it was
sustainability the first years it was
sustainability the first years it was very critical to bring people to start
very critical to bring people to start
very critical to bring people to start doing the the ecotourism activities so
doing the the ecotourism activities so
doing the the ecotourism activities so it’s not an easy job just to try to to
it’s not an easy job just to try to to
it’s not an easy job just to try to to create an MPA and then do it from zero
create an MPA and then do it from zero
create an MPA and then do it from zero in the 90s overfishing had decimated
in the 90s overfishing had decimated
in the 90s overfishing had decimated cabo pulmo sea life the reefer sick and
cabo pulmo sea life the reefer sick and
cabo pulmo sea life the reefer sick and the local economy faltered my daddy
the local economy faltered my daddy
the local economy faltered my daddy tells me how they suffer sometimes they
tells me how they suffer sometimes they
tells me how they suffer sometimes they don’t got a single fish the Castro’s and
don’t got a single fish the Castro’s and
don’t got a single fish the Castro’s and their neighbours took a chance they made
their neighbours took a chance they made
their neighbours took a chance they made a pact to stop fishing and bet on
a pact to stop fishing and bet on
a pact to stop fishing and bet on tourism instead
today Dobby was taking me on a dive with
today Dobby was taking me on a dive with bull sharks to show me how well cabo
bull sharks to show me how well cabo
bull sharks to show me how well cabo pulmo smearin population has recovered
pulmo smearin population has recovered
pulmo smearin population has recovered since it became a nationally protected
since it became a nationally protected
since it became a nationally protected area
so we’re 500 meters away from the coast
so we’re 500 meters away from the coast and there’s probably like temple sharks
and there’s probably like temple sharks
and there’s probably like temple sharks underneath us right now and we are the
underneath us right now and we are the
underneath us right now and we are the crazy people that are gonna go under and
crazy people that are gonna go under and
crazy people that are gonna go under and dive with them I’m super excited I won’t
dive with them I’m super excited I won’t
dive with them I’m super excited I won’t lie I’m a little scared but I think
lie I’m a little scared but I think
lie I’m a little scared but I think that’s no look the first time I made a
that’s no look the first time I made a
that’s no look the first time I made a dive who was sharks
dive who was sharks
dive who was sharks [Music]
as we dive we come across a school of
as we dive we come across a school of jacks swirling like an underwater
jacks swirling like an underwater
jacks swirling like an underwater tornado that we’ve suspended in space is
tornado that we’ve suspended in space is
tornado that we’ve suspended in space is wrapped and swallowed
wrapped and swallowed
wrapped and swallowed [Music]
from afar they are a humbling force of
from afar they are a humbling force of nature up close a wall of drifting eyes
I almost forget why we’re here
I almost forget why we’re here [Music]
[Music]
[Music] and then the Sharks come
sharks have a negative reputation but
sharks have a negative reputation but seeing them up close changes everything
fear gives way to reverence and
fear gives way to reverence and reverence transforms into the desire to
reverence transforms into the desire to
reverence transforms into the desire to protect right now carefully lift rolling
protect right now carefully lift rolling
protect right now carefully lift rolling by eco-tourism
the community push yourself to change
the community push yourself to change the the weight of make a living
people who really want to to have these
people who really want to to have these conservation adventure they come here
conservation adventure they come here
conservation adventure they come here tourism is kind of the blood flow that
tourism is kind of the blood flow that
tourism is kind of the blood flow that allows about how I try to help people
allows about how I try to help people
allows about how I try to help people from other places in the world that they
from other places in the world that they
from other places in the world that they can do the same thing we feel that we
can do the same thing we feel that we
can do the same thing we feel that we are warriors for the ocean our dream is
are warriors for the ocean our dream is
are warriors for the ocean our dream is to go in in the whole country of Mexico
to go in in the whole country of Mexico
to go in in the whole country of Mexico just sharing the same knowledge that we
just sharing the same knowledge that we
just sharing the same knowledge that we have full moon managed to build a
have full moon managed to build a
have full moon managed to build a blueprint of sustainability the
blueprint of sustainability the
blueprint of sustainability the community is eager to share with a world
community is eager to share with a world
community is eager to share with a world my next stop is the island of Espiritu
my next stop is the island of Espiritu
my next stop is the island of Espiritu Santo a neighboring wildlife hotspot
Santo a neighboring wildlife hotspot
Santo a neighboring wildlife hotspot located in the Sea of Cortez emotional
located in the Sea of Cortez emotional
located in the Sea of Cortez emotional complications will our espírito Santo de
complications will our espírito Santo de
complications will our espírito Santo de sipan
division aqui if they’re part either a
division aqui if they’re part either a national sanctuary and UNESCO protected
national sanctuary and UNESCO protected
national sanctuary and UNESCO protected park this cluster of small islands was
park this cluster of small islands was
park this cluster of small islands was almost developed into a casino resort
almost developed into a casino resort
almost developed into a casino resort until locals petitioned the government
until locals petitioned the government
until locals petitioned the government for protection since it was declared a
for protection since it was declared a
for protection since it was declared a national a protected area in 1995 small
national a protected area in 1995 small
national a protected area in 1995 small tour boats have been taking adventurous
tour boats have been taking adventurous
tour boats have been taking adventurous travelers to explore what many
travelers to explore what many
travelers to explore what many considered to be the world’s richest
considered to be the world’s richest
considered to be the world’s richest outdoor thing about this so we are not
outdoor thing about this so we are not
outdoor thing about this so we are not allowed to animals but this one’s
allowed to animals but this one’s
allowed to animals but this one’s commenting like
commenting like
commenting like didn’t cut you and all that baby ready
didn’t cut you and all that baby ready
didn’t cut you and all that baby ready yeah
yeah
yeah while most tourists Merkel was sealions
while most tourists Merkel was sealions
while most tourists Merkel was sealions we decide to dive
we decide to dive
we decide to dive we swim towards the massive rock
we swim towards the massive rock
we swim towards the massive rock formations jutting from the ocean floor
formations jutting from the ocean floor
formations jutting from the ocean floor between the towers of red rock sea lions
between the towers of red rock sea lions
between the towers of red rock sea lions play in a cave they are fast and agile
play in a cave they are fast and agile
play in a cave they are fast and agile and although they gently by her hands
and although they gently by her hands
and although they gently by her hands and scuba suits it’s not easy to keep
and scuba suits it’s not easy to keep
and scuba suits it’s not easy to keep their attention a neutral group arrives
their attention a neutral group arrives
their attention a neutral group arrives then another and another
then another and another
then another and another suddenly dozens of tourists invade the
suddenly dozens of tourists invade the
suddenly dozens of tourists invade the surface above us blocking the sunlight
surface above us blocking the sunlight
surface above us blocking the sunlight and the sea lions scatter guides call
and the sea lions scatter guides call
and the sea lions scatter guides call this the red wave red the colour of
this the red wave red the colour of
this the red wave red the colour of their life vests I wonder if activities
their life vests I wonder if activities
their life vests I wonder if activities like these are blurring the line between
like these are blurring the line between
like these are blurring the line between natural sanctuary and amusement park
[Music]
[Music] I’m on my way to La Paz Bay to explore
I’m on my way to La Paz Bay to explore
I’m on my way to La Paz Bay to explore bajas most established wildlife
bajas most established wildlife
bajas most established wildlife adventure the way tourism has evolved
adventure the way tourism has evolved
adventure the way tourism has evolved here may serve as an example for newer
here may serve as an example for newer
here may serve as an example for newer activities a meeting Danny Ramirez La
activities a meeting Danny Ramirez La
activities a meeting Danny Ramirez La Paz for most whale shark expert and
Paz for most whale shark expert and
Paz for most whale shark expert and conservationist her work has been
conservationist her work has been
conservationist her work has been instrumental in ensuring tourism isn’t
instrumental in ensuring tourism isn’t
instrumental in ensuring tourism isn’t harming the whale shark the idea will be
harming the whale shark the idea will be
harming the whale shark the idea will be to place our cameras on the northern sea
to place our cameras on the northern sea
to place our cameras on the northern sea field to see the behavior of the charr
field to see the behavior of the charr
field to see the behavior of the charr how they behave your change with
how they behave your change with
how they behave your change with pressure
pressure
pressure of people
of people
of people Danny takes volunteers on her research
Danny takes volunteers on her research
Danny takes volunteers on her research missions by including visitors she hopes
missions by including visitors she hopes
missions by including visitors she hopes to forge a stronger balance between
to forge a stronger balance between
to forge a stronger balance between tourism and conservation whale sharks
tourism and conservation whale sharks
tourism and conservation whale sharks are migratory and collect by the
are migratory and collect by the
are migratory and collect by the hundreds here when the waters are warm
hundreds here when the waters are warm
hundreds here when the waters are warm and rich with nutrients they filters
and rich with nutrients they filters
and rich with nutrients they filters thousands of gallons of water through
thousands of gallons of water through
thousands of gallons of water through their gills to capture the massive
their gills to capture the massive
their gills to capture the massive blooms of plankton they need to sustain
blooms of plankton they need to sustain
blooms of plankton they need to sustain their diet the camera she places on its
their diet the camera she places on its
their diet the camera she places on its fin will yield intimate footage from the
fin will yield intimate footage from the
fin will yield intimate footage from the whale shark’s point of view
whale shark’s point of view
whale shark’s point of view [Music]
[Music]
[Music] the goal is to see how the Sharks
the goal is to see how the Sharks
the goal is to see how the Sharks behavior changes in the presence of
behavior changes in the presence of
behavior changes in the presence of people and boats
people and boats
people and boats [Music]
[Music]
[Music] without web research we’ll learn every
without web research we’ll learn every
without web research we’ll learn every year the same animal returns around 60%
year the same animal returns around 60%
year the same animal returns around 60% so this is at a special place for them
so this is at a special place for them
so this is at a special place for them it’s important for them so the idea of
it’s important for them so the idea of
it’s important for them so the idea of idea I need to share this type of
idea I need to share this type of
idea I need to share this type of information we train every year in
information we train every year in
information we train every year in collaboration with the government to the
collaboration with the government to the
collaboration with the government to the captain’s to the guys they know how to
captain’s to the guys they know how to
captain’s to the guys they know how to interact with the world sharks and I
interact with the world sharks and I
interact with the world sharks and I really think that the tourism could be a
really think that the tourism could be a
really think that the tourism could be a key they are part of the conservation of
key they are part of the conservation of
key they are part of the conservation of the world shark and a reality in
the world shark and a reality in
the world shark and a reality in traveling through Baja I’ve seen the
traveling through Baja I’ve seen the
traveling through Baja I’ve seen the impact of wildlife tourism it can
impact of wildlife tourism it can
impact of wildlife tourism it can transform a local economy and help
transform a local economy and help
transform a local economy and help sustain a natural habitat
sustain a natural habitat
sustain a natural habitat to find that balance we must blur the
to find that balance we must blur the
to find that balance we must blur the line between local visitor and
line between local visitor and
line between local visitor and conservationist
conservationist
conservationist [Music]
[Music]
[Music] you
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