Jetgala - MAR-MAY 2023

65 A large male fur seal cruises the waters of the Galápagos Islands Hope Spot. A year has passed since Earle and Salome Buglass of the Charles Darwin Foundation uncovered new species of kelp in the waters of the Galápagos. During the 2022 expedition, they went even deeper onboard the “DeepSee” submersible and obtained footage of lush underwater forests.The report added that “there are tentative theories that these rich kelp forests play a critical role in supporting the biodiversity of the region”. Buglass reported that “kelp forests in other parts of the world have a critical role in supporting biodiversity, and maybe we have found that piece of the puzzle that explains why biodiversity and biomass are so amazingly rich in the Galápagos”. Expand and Connect Hope Spots Studying the transoceanic movement of marine animals was among the focus of the research.This was done by capturing location tags that records the migration of sharks from as far away as the Mexican Gulf and coastal Costa Rica.The findings from this research make for compelling arguments for international cooperation in expanding marine protection. Similarly, by surveying turtle habitats, mapping the foraging grounds of penguin colonies, and measuring the level of microplastics, the expedition team gathered data that will help conservationists to, in Earle’s words, “think like an ocean” or to recognise the connectivity of ecosystems and the absence of boundaries for marine life. Support for marine ecosystem interconnectivity is taking hold. In 2021, Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica and Panama launched the EasternTropical Pacific Marine Corridor initiative which effectively joins and increases protected waters thereby creating a fishing-free “swimway” in a critical migratory route for sharks, turtles, rays and whales.The work of Earle and her expedition team proves there is a need to further widen and increase the number of such swimways. A LONGSTANDING COMMITMENT For nearly a century, Rolex has supported pioneering explorers pushing back the boundaries of human endeavour.The company has moved from championing exploration for the sake of discovery to protecting the planet, committing for the long term to support individuals and organisations using science to understand and devise solutions to today’s environmental challenges. This engagement was reinforced with the launch of the Perpetual Planet Initiative in 2019, which initially focused on individuals who contribute to a better world through the Rolex Awards for Enterprise, on safeguarding the oceans as part of an established association with Mission Blue, and on understanding climate change via its longstanding partnership with the National Geographic Society. Rolex also supports organisations and initiatives fostering the next generations of explorers, scientists and conservationists through scholarships and grants such as Our World- Underwater Scholarship Society and The Rolex Explorers Club Grants. T H E G A L Á P A G O S I S L A N D S