Wetpixel/Under The Jungle Cenote Workshop 2021
Articles
Mexico announces biosphere reserve
Just ahead of the UN Biodiversity Conference in Cancun, Mexico has announced a new biosphere reserve encompassing much of the Quintana Roo coastline. Mexico News Today reports that the new protected area will encompass 5.7 million hectares (22,000 sq. miles), and will include the municipalities of Isla Mujeres, Benito Juárez, Puerto Morelos, Solidaridad, Cozumel, Tulum, Bacalar and Othón P. Blanco
World’s second largest shark sanctuary formed in Kiribati
On November 18th, the nation of Kiribati announced the establishment of a shark sanctuary that bans all commercial shark fishing in the country’s national waters. The sanctuary is 3.4 million square miles, the second largest sanctuary in the entire world. The Pacific Ocean sanctuary covers an area larger than the country of India.
Recsea ships 300m rated housing for HERO5
Recsea are shipping their aluminum housing for the GoPro HERO5 Black action cam. Rated to 300m (984ft), the housing has the company’s Secure-Latch closure system and a greater O ring contact surface to ensure sealing at depth. It is fitted with an accessory shoe and is supported by range of accessories.
Borneo from Below: Episode 28
The underwater photography centric scuba web series, Borneo from Below, has returned with Episode 28. In this episode, Bertie flies to Borneo’s Kota Kinabalu, a place where you can get from the airport to diving on (an often overlooked) coral reef. The diving there even offers the opportunity to dive with sharks.
Paper suggests alternate theory for shark bites
A new paper published in the Journal of Marine Biology examines why great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) bite surfers. The traditional theory is that they mistake them for prey animals, typically seals, due to the surfer’s silhouettes from below. The paper suggest that this view is erroneous and that they tend to bite in order to identify things in their environment. (Image from Shutterstock).
New ocean conservation series on Animal Planet
A new series on ocean conservation will premiere on Animal Planet on December 4th. The new series, Ocean Warriors, “traces activists, journalists and scientists working to fight poachers and organized crime in oceans across the globe.” The series is being produced by Robert Redford and Paul Allen.
Study catalogs Great Barrier Reef bleaching
A study by the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies states that 67% of corals in a 700km wide stretch of the northern Great Barrier Reef have succumbed to bleaching. However, the central and southern regions only experienced 6% and 1% damage respectively.
SAGA announces TRIO macro lens system
SAGA has released the details of their new Trio macro wet lens system. Mounted via an M67 thread, the Trio gives 4 magnification options; namely 0, +5, +10 and +15. These are accessed via two levers on the front of the system.