As far as the general understanding goes, sharks are horrendous predators that devour everything from their companion remoras to human beings. And while movies like ‘Jaws’ and ‘The Meg’ further the idea that sharks are monsters, the truth could not be farther from it. Ocean safari expedition leader and founder of Kandu, a Maldives-based ocean safari company, Carla Virgos, has made it her life’s mission to change how you see sharks and the ocean.
Wildlife has been subjected to inhumane horrors, whether territorial or aquatic. From trophy hunting to plastic pollution, the evidence for the injustice done to non-human beings is overwhelming. One reason why that is so is because of how we see animals around us. While cats and dogs, tameable, often domesticated animals that are brought into the realm of what is considered humane, have rights and protective laws, mammals like sharks and other marine wildlife are seen as polar to that precisely because they cannot be tamed. Carla wants people to know that they are no monsters. She has experienced several encounters with sharks underwater and, in her words, has never been more at peace.
Carla is a full-time broker in London. She started Kandu when frustrated by her daily routine and decided to take some time off to do what she loved the most – diving. She recalls being scared of sharks herself, but upon spending time with them, she says, “Swimming with these marine mammals is both a spiritual moment and an adrenaline rush, made all the more magical by the knowledge that with wild animals, encounters are on their terms.”
At Kandu, with her talented team of experts: Nazykko, Ageel, Bot, and the rest of the crew, Carla is doing her best to change the prevalent perception. She offers diving expeditions, educational tours, and even traditional foods authentic to the culture of the Maldives to show the harmony between the people, their land and sea, and their animals. In addition, she makes sure to do her part in reducing plastic use, especially near the islands where the plastic can flow into the ocean and kill innocent aquatic animals.
Carla believes that through education, experience, and compassion, we can look past our ideological biases and connect with marine wildlife on their terms in their home. She asks the critical questions that prompt one to think: how long will the ocean and its dweller survive if we keep subjecting them to waste, exploitation, and violence?