We Have a Winner!

— .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), 09 March, 2012

Actually, we have 15 winners! Our Sharks for the Future writing and drawing competition was a resounding success. Elementary and high school students from throughout Raja Ampat used their own words and pictures to advocate for much needed protections for the region’s sharks.

After much deliberation, our jury selected the five essays and ten illustrations that made the most compelling case for shark conservation. Yulyana Baransano, the first place winner of the writing contest, stressed the important role sharks play in maintaining a healthy marine ecosystem. “Places with more sharks have more fish,” Yulyana observed in the essay. The second- and third-place winners, Erens Umpes and Ibrahim Yanto Mambrisaw, petitioned for shark protection by emphasizing the considerable value a living shark has for the tourism industry and surrounding community, versus the significantly smaller cash return from fin sales. Winners were awarded prizes, such as diving lessons, and designated community spokespeople for shark conservation. All entrants received gifts, including books, for their participation. 

A BIG thank you to our partners—Conservation International, Indonesia’s Department of Education, Misool Baseftin Foundation, Misool Eco Resort, and The Nature Conservancy—for helping us spread the word about the contest. We really appreciate the time and effort necessary to make this contest a success!

Keep an eye out for quotes and images of the entries as we incorporate them into our Sharks for the Future outreach materials.