Eden Under Water

Like a colorful ribbon, century-old corals surround the island of Vamizi. For scientists and conservationists like Dr. Syvia Earle, this mother reef is a beacon of hope as coral bleaching threatens to destroy reefs around the world.

Coral reefs could be considered the rainforest of the seas. A healthy coral reef boasts greater biodiversity than any other place in the ocean. While these colorful underwater “forests” cover only one percent of the ocean floor, and estimates suggest that they are habitat for one in four sea dwellers. Over 4,000 species of fish, sponges, crustaceans, mollusks, starfish, turtles, sea snakes, and countless invertebrates and tiny organisms live in reefs – a total of over one million different species. A coral reef is an important indicator of oceanic health – and they are sounding the alarm. “Coral bleaching” is a chemical process that is causing entire reefs to die off around the globe. Rising water temperatures and increased levels of carbon dioxide being absorbed by the oceans have unraveled the symbiotic relationship between the reef and the microscopic algae living on the coral. The algae turn sunlight into food for the coral; in return, the coral serves as their anchor point. Without these algae, corals normally only survive for a short period of time because they become vulnerable to diseases that quickly settle on their surface. One of the causes of coral bleaching is increased water temperatures, which means there is a direct correlation between this destructive chemical process and global warming. In order to protect places such as Vamizi, marine researchers like Dr. Sylvia Earle are advocating the creation of what are known as HOPE SPOTS around the world. These are protected zones in which corals and their inhabitants can flourish without being endangered by fishing or pollution, thereby giving the oceanic ecosystem a chance to regenerate.

Q: How did you come about Vamizi and this film project?

A: I started out back in the mid-80s as a wildlife and conservation photographer but my interest grew more towards sustainability issues and I took on a more holistic approach. I started making films in 1994. I’m trying to inspire change or at least create a sense of awe towards our natural environments. As we destabilize these environments we create a situation, where nature starts to invoice the economy. When I got an invitation to visit Vamizi from one of the founders of The Friends Of Vamizi Foundation through the International Union for Conservation of Nature, I enthusiastically agreed to come there and see the place for myself. I was blown away by the place.

Q: How do you reconcile the gloomy news about coral bleeching with the hopeful message that we can protect places like Vamizi?

A: Like any Shakespearean play, opera or Hollywood feature film, having the full dynamics of life right in front of you makes it all more real. And in the case of Vamizi, the reality is that we have this phenomenally diverse marine eco system but at the same time we’re at this big tipping point facing big challenges both locally and globally. I felt that by addressing the upcoming gas exploitations in the region, I makethe film more real and relevant. We have to understand “teleconnectivity”: The fact that what we do in Sweden, Germany, Panama or wherever has an effect on places elsewhere. It makes the whole thing very democratic. (laughs) Because people can make a difference through their daily choices no matter where you live and what you do in life.

Q: Are you still hopeful when you look at the state of the planet?

A: I am. I can see that we can still navigate towards a better future if we choose to. There is so much innovative capacity in us. If we lose biodiversity, we lose stability on this planet. It’s not just that some cute fuzzy colorful animals disappear, it’s about stability and resilience which we stand to lose and which would damage so much of our future. We are the only species that can actually do something about it. We have this sense of empathy, we have the intelligence, we can bridge the gap between our emotional heart and our clever brain. We can fix things and that’s what it takes. What we try to do with films like VAMIZI is to inspire and to get this spark going. If you only become misanthropic or dystopic, if you give up then you lose. It’s all about winning and not losing, when it comes to our planet and our future.

Q: What was the toughest challenge of filming VAMIZI?

A: One challenge of course is to get the “actors”, the sharks and the humpbacks, to pop by. You can’t schedule a meeting with them. (laughs) But I would say that the biggest challenge is to have your own photographic language and give the film a personality. Being a European and a Swede, I tend to embrace a slower pace in story telling than maybe a North American would. Another challenge was to capture events, that we only could dream of, for instance the “kitakulu”, the mass spawning of coral during afull moon. We had only a few seconds to film that really. We waited and waited and waited but then we got lucky. But every single day, every dive is magical. There are situations where it suddenly hits you and if you’re lucky you capture it with your camera. It’s like a gift when it happens and such a wonderful feeling. If that feeling can be transmitted on screen, if it’s contagious enough for the actual viewer, who then says “I want to experience this” or “I want to help the oceans” or “I want to become a scientist” then it’s incredible. That’s the dream.

Mattias Klum

Since he was a teenager the Swedish photographer and filmmaker has followed his passion for wildlife and photography, exploring the most beautiful spots of the planet. VAMIZI is his second film about the universe of coral.