Keep Shooting, Save Whale Sharks
By Matt J. Weiss, August 29, 2008 @ 02:00 AM (EST)
Underwater photographers don't always get best rep. Not many people will jump with the chance to dive with one of us, and some people say we harm the reef. There have definitely been reports of people harassing wildlife, even as big as whale sharks to get the shot.
I am part of the school of thought that think, we as underwater documenters, do much more harm then good. Here is a great example:
Pictures of whale sharks taken by casual, untrained in science or photography, vacationers are being used to help identify whale sharks to learn more about them and help conserve them.
By using a system the NASA created to recognize stars, marine conservationists are identifying whale sharks by their star like patterns on their dorsal side. Most of the data comes from us, underwater photographers.
Apparently, there is a trend starting too-as tourist pictures and complex algorithms may soon be used to protect polar bears and mola molas as well as some topside wildlife as well.
I am part of the school of thought that think, we as underwater documenters, do much more harm then good. Here is a great example:
Pictures of whale sharks taken by casual, untrained in science or photography, vacationers are being used to help identify whale sharks to learn more about them and help conserve them.
By using a system the NASA created to recognize stars, marine conservationists are identifying whale sharks by their star like patterns on their dorsal side. Most of the data comes from us, underwater photographers.
Apparently, there is a trend starting too-as tourist pictures and complex algorithms may soon be used to protect polar bears and mola molas as well as some topside wildlife as well.
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