shark college

There are already several associations and educational programs in France on sharks. Shark college is born thanks to the fruit of the work of Pierlo Pablo and the doctor Thomas Vignaud, both with one main engine: passion for sharks.

It is the first French cruise line to have explored the depths of the region and all its competitors remain in its wake. ”

Pierlo, with 12 years of luggage behind him, once opened the destination to Philippines for French travelers, thanks to its structure the SEADOORS. He is the first French cruiser to have explored the funds of the region and all his competitors remain in his wake.

Thomas met his first sharks as a child, and did not stop working with them during his studies. For more than 10 years, he has traveled to many countries to better understand them, mainly as a scientist, but also as an enthusiast and photographer in love with Nature - he has moreover been awarded several times for his photographs under- marines. He published several scientific papers, in particular on the genetics of populations of certain species of sharks, and then specialized in the behavior / personalities of bulldog sharks. He has trained many large sharks when approaching divers in Fiji, and has also participated in tagging campaigns during various missions in the Pacific. During more than 3 years and more than 1000 hours spent in the water with sharks in Fiji, He has developed a unique knowledge, about the different personalities and the life of sharks. He wishes to share his knowledge - both scientific and naturalist, but also to recount his experiences, to discuss his theories on these animals which are so fascinating.

He published several scientific papers, in particular on population genetics of certain species of sharks, then he specialized subsequently in the behavior / personalities of bulldog sharks. ”

Seadoors has many advantages. To be able to accommodate such a project, its comfort and the available space are points that are not to be neglected. The ship is a superb tool that allows you to navigate and move the boat on the appropriate sites. Equipped with various probes and drones, all instruments on board are available to identify the location of the sharks.

All cruise participants are invited to join the seminar which does not incur any additional cost. ”

Shark College seminars are conducted on a 10-day, 9-night Malapascua / Cagayan circuit. In addition to benefiting from the seminar, the circuit covers two seas, the Visayas and the Sulu Sea (Cagayan). The Sulu Sea offers dives and dream landscapes little frequented by divers. These sites have a rich biodiversity and alone are an attraction.

Up to 6 species of sharks can be observed on a Shark College cruise, Pelagic fox, small white reef tip sharks, black reef tip sharks, cat, hammerhead or whale sharks are on the program and possibly other surprise guests. ”

The seminars with Thomas will allow you to deepen your knowledge of the biologies specific to each of these species. The mini-conferences with Thomas of about 45min- 1h each day will allow you to deepen your knowledge of sharks in general, then the discussions will allow you to go in depth and learn what you won't find in the books.

Being able to approach a shark is not easy as sharks constantly probe and analyze their environment. They use all their senses to process each piece of information, and according to this information, they decide the nature of what surrounds them. It is also necessary as a diver to learn how to adapt our body language. This will allow you to be able to rub sharks and to make the most of their presence.

Sharks are in peril all over the world, it's no longer a secret. Every hour hundreds of sharks are disappearing. ”

It is true that fishing is the main factor of this disappearance. Thomas will approach the theme of elasmobranch conservation with you and how tourism, for example, in Malapascua or Oslob, can be beneficial for sharks but also for Filipinos who benefit from economic spinoffs.

At the end of the day, photographers can benefit from the advice of Thomas (awarded by different underwater image award) who will share his techniques to improve the rendering and composition of your images following his recommendations.

For more information on Shark College or Seadoors remember to visit them at Diving Salon 2019 on the stands: c02-d01 and at tdi / sdi at L32-l34 number 29 ″

Photo credit: Greg lecoeur, Seadoors, Bam bam Chris, Thomas Vignaud, Jonathan Ternoy.