“The Island of the Shark – Guardians of Malpelo” by Annie Crawley, who is better known as Ocean Annie, has premiered.
The film outlines the efforts and hardships of protecting Malpelo Flora and Fauna Sanctuary off the Colombian coast. The film was made to coincide with the leader gathering to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the location as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The documentary was made in collaboration with Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia and the Biodiversity Conservation Colombia Foundation. The central figure in the documentary is Erika Lopez, the foundation’s executive director.
Lopez is set on the challenging mission to protect Colombia’s last area of migratory sharks. The film follows Lopez and is set against one of the most stunning marine ecosystems in the world, the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor.
Despite its protected status, Malepelo, which features massive schools of hammerheads, silky sharks, whale sharks and tuna, suffers badly from exploitation. The national park, sadly, is often the subject of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. This illegal practice poses a clear risk to Malepelo’s fragile marine ecosystem.
Commenting on film, Crawley stated:
“Erika López is more than a conservationist. She is the heartbeat of Malpelo. Her courage, clarity of vision, and unwavering dedication inspired me to make this film.”
You can check out “The Island of the Shark — Guardians of Malpelo” below.
