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Proud islanders view the National Geographic episode of Pristine Seas filmed in Seychelles

Victoria, Seychelles | December 12, 2015, Saturday @ 11:33 in Entertainment | By: Julia Mabrook | Views: 2047
Proud islanders view the National Geographic episode of Pristine Seas filmed in Seychelles

Newly released episode of National Geographic Pristine Seas depits the healthy marine life of several of the 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, including the Atoll of Aldabra. (Seychelles News Agency)

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(Seychelles News Agency) - Love! Pride! Those were a few of the emotions Seychelles’ residents expressed Friday after viewing the newly released episode of National Geographic Pristine Seas filmed in this island nation last March.

“I am proud, proud to be a Seychellois and to really have this here. I think that there should be big awareness for conserving the other areas as well,” said 20-year-old Corianna Julie.

Julie was among about 40 people who gathered in Victoria to see the video of Paul Rose’s expedition.

“We loved the video. It really underscored what we have been trying to communicate for many years, that the protection of Aldabra is effective,” said the chief executive of the Seychelles Island Foundation, Dr. Frauke Fleischer-Dogley, while referring to the Aldabra Atoll, the world’s second-largest coral atoll.

“It’s a very good initiative. Especially as I am a teacher it would be good for my students to see this. As a Seychellois I am proud and humbled that we are the custodians of these areas,” said Corinne Julie, a geography teacher and cousin of Corianna Julie.

Rose is a world-renowned marine expert working for National Geographic’s Pristine Seas project. He and his team of 10 came to Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, in March to study the health of marine life and coral reefs.

The team of marine scientists, conservationists and media personnel carried out a 24-day expedition to explore the Aldabra and Cosmoledo atolls as well as the neighboring islands of Assumption, Astove and Cousin.

Their 30-minute video story evoked diverse emotions at different points of their journey. The story starts on Mahe, Seychelles’ main island, where Rose meets his old colleagues. They travel to Assumption where Rose has a funny encounter with mating giant tortoises.

Throughout the video story Rose and his team make important remarks in regards to the health of the coral reefs.

“The reefs are not so pristine … I could see some [fishing] lines on them but they are pretty healthy,” one line from the video says.

Rose also explored the reefs of Cousin Island, which still has some coral despite the fact the weather phenomenon of El Nino destroyed a large part of the nation’s coral in 1998.

In Cosmoledo, conservationist Mike Fay observes that the island has “some of the most intact mangrove on earth.” Fay was exploring the health and ecosystem of plant life.

The team arrived on Astove Island in darkness but got the rare chance to view a tortoise laying her eggs. As the sun began to rise the team also watched as newly hatched tortoises (from another mother) raced to reach the sea.

Rose describes Aldabra as one of the most pristine areas on his expedition. It was the only place he could see sharks on his dives, which he said are an important part of the marine ecosystem.

The area was so pristine, and the beauty so extreme, that Rose explains how one of his chief scientists reacted.

“He actually had to stop on one dive and put his equipments down and just enjoy the experience. I have never seen a chief scientist do that,” says Rose.

Part of the National Geography Pristine Seas video is now available on Facebook and YouTube.

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