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Escaping Extinction: Whale Sharks of the Maldives

For over 60 million years, the mysterious Whale Shark has traversed the open sea, but very little is known about this enormous docile shark. Maldivian communities are proud to celebrate the Whale Sharks and their marine biodiversity. These days, Whale Sharks in the Maldives are safe from their number one predator: Man… But that hasn’t always been the case.

  • Ashley Kelly, Mermaid Pictures
    Director
  • Ashley Kelly, Mermaid Pictures
    Writer
  • Ashley Kelly, Mermaid Pictures
    Producer
  • Ashley Kelly
    Key Cast
  • Captain Qasim
    Key Cast
  • Mr. Abdulla Didi
    Key Cast
  • Ibrahim Lirar
    Key Cast
  • Dayanna Grageda
    Key Cast
  • Sarah Colquhoun
    Key Cast
  • Naysan Baghai
    Editor
  • Naysan Baghai
    Music
  • Kevin Macleod
    Music
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    9 minutes 14 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 16, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    880 AUD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Maldives
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Ashley Kelly, Mermaid Pictures

Ashley is the founder of Mermaid Pictures and is an aspiring producer with a passion with wildlife conservation films. She studied presenting to camera at Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and currently works in media, communication and education with the Taronga Conservation Society. She is the host of a live broadcast called WildLive based in Sydney, Australia and is pursuing new and innovative uses of digital media for conservation messaging. Ashley completed her Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Bioscience in 2010 at Sydney University, her Postgraduate Diploma in Education in 2013 and is about to embark on her PhD in Wildlife Conservation at Kansas State University, USA. She will be researching pro-conservation behavior change and the wildlife tourism industry's role in the conservation of endangered species and ecosystems.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

My passion is to use film to educate people about the threats facing wildlife around the world, and to inspire people to make positive change for the wild.