from jennifermarohasy.com
The Great Barrier Reef has become a global symbol of man-made climate change. With this comes concern about the corals, which are believed to be mostly small, fragile and bleached. In fact, species Porites It is the basis of most coral reefs. These corals are typically large (as heavy as a car), round, and naturally pale in color. They are important habitats, large solid substrates in which organisms attach, burrow, or take refuge.
To celebrate these giant corals and the other megafauna of the Great Barrier Reef, including the largest sharks and rays, Jennifer Marohasy is delighted to announce five successful applicants for the inaugural 2024 Great Barrier Reef Megafauna Expedition and Photography Competition. These five underwater photographers represent a wealth of experience and ambition:
Dave Baxter – Award winning photographer. Canon 5D3 Scubapix Nauticam sponsored. PADI Instructor. Headquartered in Melbourne. https://www.instagram.com/dave_underwater_/
Laura Bodecker – Science communicator and filmmaker. Studied Marine Biology at James Cook University (JCU). Headquartered in Townsville. https://lauraboderke.wixsite.com/my-site
Maxi – PADI Scuba Diving Master. Former soldier. Photographers whale watching boats and dive boats. Headquartered on the Sunshine Coast (Queensland). https://www.instagram.com/michaelceephotography/
Daniel Hampton – Rescue diver. Presidency University. Member of the South Hampton Diving Club, studying marine biology. Headquartered in Southampton, UK. https://www.instagram.com/danielobhampton
Jen Meyers – Former professional underwater photographer in the Cayman Islands. PADI Dive Master. captain. The headquarters is located on Great Keppel Island. https://www.facebook.com/jwowglobetrotter
Dr Marohasy would also like to thank Simon Fenwick for his support in funding the leasing of MV Sea Esta.
He became interested in wildlife conservation when he watched a documentary about Indonesian logging and the destruction of giant orangutan habitats. That was nearly thirty years ago. Simon Fenwick went on to become a successful fund manager before selling his business to focus on philanthropy. His first commitment was to protect Indonesia's orangutans through WWF. https://wwf.org.au/partnerships/philanthropic-partnerships/
This year Simon will fund the first Great Barrier Reef underwater megafauna expedition through Adrenalin Snorkel and Dive, Townsville’s most experienced dive operator and supported by Dive Queensland. https://adrenalindive.com.au
The photography competition is divided into four categories:
- largest coral colony
- biggest clam
- The largest fish that is not a ray or a shark
- The largest ray, shark or whale.
To draw attention to the Great Barrier Reef's megafauna, Simon hopes to make a small contribution to its conservation.
Simon has a special affection for manta rays – they are the largest manta rays (subfamily Mobulinae), reaching a diameter of more than 7 meters. That's huge!
There are two types of manta rays: reef manta rays (alfredo furniture) and oceanic manta rays (double-kissed loach).
As part of a megafauna expedition, the photographers hope to dive with manta rays at the famous Yonga wreck not far from the mouth of the Burdekin River, arguably one of the ten best dive sites in the world. https://vimeo.com/147689898
For more information, please contact Dr. Jennifer Marohasy.
#megafaunaexpedition #whowins #underwaterphotography @greatbarrierreef #reefmegafauna #sizematters #thalassophile @adrenalintive @reeftoday @jennifermarohasy.com/megafauna
The following photos are from Saxon Reef, Dr. Marohasy has been diving with @ReefEncounter since 2022 @scubabo_cairns @pinecone_pics
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