Acclaimed photographer Chris Fallows, the first person to discover and photograph the now-famous breaching great white sharks of South Africa, shares thrilling details about his journey, revealing how awakening it has been to interact with the iconic wildlife.
Fallows, who has been documenting his experience through his lens, expresses his passion for inspiring others through photography, citing the beauty of this powerful medium.
As a skilled guest speaker, he frequently addresses audiences on Crystal Cruises ships and at esteemed institutions, bespoke events, and corporate- and conservation-sponsored events across different countries.
With South Africa celebrating 20 years of shark conservation, he explains what this means for conservation, research, and education in South Africa.
“There have been many who have fought hard for shark conservation, and I respectfully admire their efforts, but to be 100% honest, I am not sure what we are celebrating. In the last 20 years, we have all but lost the great white, our ocean's most iconic species. We have seen huge drops in populations of various other shark species, and we have a Department of Fisheries and affiliated managers and scientists who still see fit to allow industrial scale and targeted fishing of endangered and critically endangered species that we unbelievably export to Australia for fish and chips,” he said.
Asked what has been the stand-out experience for him after working for nearly a decade, he said, “Getting to know the reality of what sharks are all about. They, like us, have strong personalities – some are bold and assertive, others shy and retiring; all are unique, magnificent, and fascinating. In the multitude of ways that I have interacted with them over the past 30 years, I have never had one try to attack me or act overtly aggressively towards me unless I inadvertently provoked it. They are actually incredibly tolerant creatures despite their formidable capabilities.”
When questioned more concerning the update after the 2013 study on a decline in shark sightings at previous aggregation spots, he revealed that there has been no change.
"Sadly, nothing has changed, and the situation has only worsened. South Africa was the first country in the world to protect great white sharks in 1991, but, due to denial, apathy, and dysfunctional management, South Africa is well on the way to becoming the first country in the world to see local extinction in modern times.
“We continue to hide behind glossy side shows, like orcas being the culprits, when the reality is that for over 50 years the Natal Sharks Board has killed an average of 28 great whites per year, with 591 being killed in one 14-year period alone. Add to this massacre the impact of demersal shark longlining, which in the past 20 years has killed probably twice the Sharks Board's annual reported mortality. When you compare these huge numbers to the nine great whites known to have been killed by orcas over the past eight years, it is clear where the reason for the great white shark's demise lies.
“Until this situation changes, we will quietly continue to lose our lion, rhino, elephant, leopard, and buffalo of the ocean, and with it a unique part of our blue identity as a country.”
He also discussed some other key points he hoped people would be aware of about sharks and provided further context for his research.
“Sharks in South African waters are rapidly declining, with the great white now almost locally absent in all three of the world's former highest density areas of False Bay, Gansbaai, and Mossel Bay. Ecological processes that keystone species like sharks, whales, and others underpin produce 50% of the oxygen we breathe. It is high time we stop thinking of wildlife only as an exploitable commodity along the lines of ‘if it pays, it stays’ and start thinking along the lines of, ‘How long can I hold my breath for whilst I count my money?’ Biodiversity and the processes they maintain are key to our future survival on this planet, and predators like sharks have a massive role to play in this balance.’’
Fallows also promotes conservation efforts and public support to protect Africa's wildlife and wild spaces.
Saturday star