Spotting Sharks for National Geographic
This past month, we spent a week diving with a film crew from National Geographic. They are shooting a documentary of the Blacktip Reef Sharks in the Maldives that have a very peculiar skin pattern, caused by a genetic disorder. The film crew included Alex Sherratt (Director – Roller Coaster Road Productions), Filipe DeAndrade (Director of Photography – National Geographic Explorers), and Gibbs Kuguru (Host – Wageningen University & Research).

Revealing some new Aspects about Sharks
Sharks have always inspired emotion whether it’s adoration or (worse) fear. One can’t help but be awed by them, after all, they are one of the most iconic animals that have ever existed. Regardless of how we perceive sharks, we are still discovering new ways of how they survive and adapt to be the top predators in our oceans. This is exactly one of those stories. We hope to reveal some cool new aspects to these spotted shark’s special abilities.

Based at Kihaa Maldives
With our base at Kihaa Maldives, we launched into the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. We looked for these sharks but also wanted to observe the flora and fauna in their environment. We explored Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), bountiful reefs, and even deserted islands à la Castaway! Throughout our search we were lucky to have an adventure through amazing animal encounters. And the best part is, we got to see loads of SHARKS!

It is not easy
Despite our success, it’s worth mentioning that this wasn’t exactly easy work. The secret to capturing these animals in their natural behavior requires some skill, a bit of knowledge, and a great deal of patience. In practice, this means you have to go to a spot, set up your gear, and wait until something happens. Luckily for us, mother nature did not disappoint! We’re excited for the final product so we can share the beauty of the Maldives with the world!

You can catch the documentary on the SHARKFEST 2022 program on National Geographic!