Marine Life & Conservation
Wildlife Rules: The Do’s and Don’ts with Aquatic Creatures
By: Lauren Kieren
When I was asked to write an article on “the do’s and don’ts with aquatic creatures,” I thought to myself… Sure, that’s easy. The entire piece can be summed up like this:
You can hurt it; it can hurt you; don’t touch it.
It really is that simple. However, I understand that may not be the most informative approach to this topic so I’ll give it another shot! When we descend below the surface, we’re venturing into a completely new world. We’re weightless, gliding through the water, often observing the beautiful marine life swimming along reefs, wrecks, rivers and springs.
We are a guest in this alien environment
We are there for the simple pleasure of experiencing a different world that does not belong to us; it belongs to the creatures that live in it. Like any respectable guest, we should be courteous and considerate, not create messes, break things or hurt those who live there. Here are a few reasons why…
You can hurt it
Most aquatic creatures and coral have a mucous lining that protects them and keeps them healthy. If we harm that protective lining, we expose them to risk, infections and diseases.
It can hurt you
The reality for aquatic creatures is that they are either the catch or the prey. Since this is the way their world works, they have built in defense mechanisms to protect them from being the catch of the day.
These defense mechanisms come in many forms such as spines, sharp fins and certainly sharper teeth. Some creatures are also packing major heat in the form of poisonous chemicals in their spines such as lion fish, rock fish and scorpion fish.
If you get handsy with aquatic creatures, understand if you get cut or stung – you are exposing yourself to not only a painful experience but also bacteria present in the water that can make your healing process extremely difficult. In addition, you’ve stressed the aquatic creature and likely changed its natural behavior to avoid humans in the future.
The bottom is off limits
Whether you’re diving a reef, wreck, river, spring, etc., it is extremely important to remember the bottom is off limits because it is the home for a lot of aquatic creatures, even if you can’t see them.
Kneeling or laying on the bottom, even if it looks like a clear sandy area, can destroy the home of an aquatic creature such as garden eels, jaw fish, various crustaceans, isopods and more. Touching or bouncing off the coral can destroy it after it has taken years to form and may never return back to its original state.
I will never forget a dive where I saw a lettuce sea slug knocked off the coral, tossed up into the water column and spun in a spiral motion back down after a diver simply swam near it. The diver didn’t touch or kick the bottom but they were not aware that their finning technique was disrupting the environment and creatures present.
Being in control of your hands and feet while swimming is crucial to avoid disrupting the environment. Just because you’re off the bottom, does not mean you aren’t interfering with it. Make sure the thrust of your fins is pushing the water up and behind you versus down to the bottom.
Lastly, always remember, you are a guest while visiting the underwater world. Look but don’t touch; be courteous and considerate, do not create messes, break things or hurt those who live there.
To find out more about International Training, visit www.tdisdi.com.
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
Until 28 November, prizes worth a massive £10,000 – including experiences, products and tuition – feature in a line-up of items that can be won for £5 in an online prize draw to celebrate Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation’s 20th anniversary and help generate crucial funds for the future.
Top of the list of prizes is the chance to spend time with adventurer and wildlife expert Steve Backshall, a workout session with Nat Geo star Aldo Kane, a kayaking trip alongside white-water expert and diver Sal Montgomery and a Zoom call with ‘shark whisperer’ Cristina Zenato.
On top of that, some of the most admired companies in the diving and scuba industry have been quick to support the charity with fabulous prizes that make the £5 ticket price worth more than just a flutter.
Master Liveaboards, BSAC, Midlands Diving Chamber, Go Freediving and Blue Shark Snorkel have all generously donated experience prizes, while celebrated photographer Alex Mustard has donated a print and artists Scott Gleed and Olivier Leger have donated a sculpture and illustration to help boost the fundraising pot.
Fourth Element has donated Ocean Positive gear and LA watch company Nodus has gifted the charity a stunning dive watch. For land lovers, the charity has included a five star London hotel stay at Bankside Hotel plus a family visit to Longleat Safari Park in the roster of prizes.
Campaign director for Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with support from companies and individuals that we truly admire and who have supported us on our 20 year journey and we’re truly grateful to them all. While we feel incredibly proud of our achievements over the past two decades – and we are super excited about the next chapter – this prize draw isn’t a vanity project. It represents a real lifeline to our work and important advancements in the global protection of sharks. So we hope divers, dive clubs and even bargain hunters grab some tickets to make this a massive success.”
The charity hopes that the prize draw will generate crucial funds to launch a brand new, ground-breaking, campaign to enrol the public and increase support for the protection of sharks around the world.
To enter the competition visit www.bite-back.com/prizedraw. The prize winners will be announced on 1 December 2024.
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