Saturday, 19 May 2012

Please take 5 minutes to watch this video.  Then take two seconds to like the group: The Tuki chronicles on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FeedingGiants.  

This is the first episode of hopefully a string of short films made by a handful of independent film makers out here in the Philippines.  

The films focus on Oslob, the feeding of the Whale Sharks there and the sudden explosion of tourists that now visit this once sleepy town.  Oslob is suddenly the new tourist destination of the Philippines, a place where Whale Sharks are hand fed by local fishermen and tourists are allowed to swim with these ‘gentle giants’.  Is it the next big thing in ecotourism, or is it a disaster waiting to happen?  One thing for sure is what’s going on in Oslob is controversial.  It’s a unique situation - it is a practice that has never before been carried out in the world.  Who knows what will happen?  Having carried out research there for the past two weeks, it’s evident things are happening and they are happening fast.  Sharks are showing behaviours I have never seen before and the level of tourism is increasing daily.  

The questions is, is this the future of ecotourism or is this a disaster waiting to happen? 

The community in Oslob are new to the tourism game, scroll back 10 months and they were making a living catching fish in the bay.  Now the community is trying to balance the incoming tourist revenue with the need to protect the sharks.  But can they do it?  

What’s happening in Oslob is unique, it’s new and above all it’s controversial, but is it the way forward for a developing community or is it some kind of experiment gone wrong?

The Tuki Chronicles aim to document the progression of the community, the behaviour of the sharks and above all the situation of ‘ecotourism’ in the Philippines.  However while a few mad documentary makers have come this far (episode two is out on the 20th of May) they can’t continue this project without funding.  Hopefully some funding will come their way soon (if anyone has any suggestions please email me: sallysnowglobe@gmail.com) but before that they need an audience, they need you.  WATCH THE VIDEO, LIKE THE FACEBOOK PAGE AND SPREAD THE WORD.  The more people actively following the “Tuki Chronicles’ will mean a better chance of funding.  

SO COME ON AND SPREAD THE LOVE…..DO IT FOR THE SHARKS, DO IT FOR OSLOB, DO IT FOR ME (pretty please….as I feel like I might just have signed myself up for a crazy ride….) xxx

#Shark    #Tuki Chronicles    #conservation    #oslob    #philippines    #whale shark    #sharktailmovies