Twelve of the world’s most celebrated underwater photographers have been united in support of Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation, a UK charity, and each donated an image and commentary to create a stunning 2019 calendar.
Underwater images worth a combined total of £36,000 (~US$45,493/39,996 Euros) are being sold for just £12 (~$15/13 Euros) in the limited-edition, high-quality publication.
Remarkable images of lemon, silky, nurse, sand tiger, great hammerhead and porbeagle sharks plus a sperm whale, green turtle, manta, octopus and polar bears all feature in the high-quality printed calendar.
Graham Buckingham, campaign director for Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation, said:
“These photographs are a glorious illustration of the hidden beauty beneath the waves. However, with so much pressure on the oceans from over-fishing, pollution and climate change, these images could also be viewed as a catalogue of marine life under threat.”
With one in four shark species listed as threatened, the charity is working to end the sale of shark products in the UK. Among its supporters are TV presenter Steve Backshall and chefs Gordon Ramsay and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
Significantly, Bite-Back says its campaigns aren’t just about saving marine life. It says its campaigns make the direct link between healthy, abundant oceans and life on earth.
It’s a view echoed by award-winning British photographer Alex Mustard MBE. He said:
“Even those of us who live miles from the ocean rely on it to live. At least 90% of rainwater, 50% of our oxygen and 20% of the world’s protein comes from the oceans. If the oceans aren’t functioning properly, how can we?”
The 2019 calendar can be purchased via the charity’s online shop at www.bite-back.com. All profits from the sale of the calendar will directly fund its campaigns.
