蓝色使命：埃克斯茅斯湾及宁格罗珊瑚海岸“希望点”

MARINE BIOLOGIST’S LIFELONG MISSION TO PROTECT GLOBALLY UNIQUE GULF
BEN FITZPATRICK EPITOMIZES A MISSION BLUE HOPE SPOT CHAMPION, HAVING SPENT DECADES FIGHTING TO PROTECT THE COASTAL ECOSYSTEM HE FELL IN LOVE WITH AS A CHILD: THE EXMOUTH GULF AND NINGALOO COAST WORLD HERITAGE AREA, WHERE PART OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST POPULATION OF HUMPBACK WHALE MOTHERS CONGREGATES TO NURSE THEIR YOUNG.

The west coast sister to the Great Barrier Reef, Ningaloo Reef is one of the country’s most significant marine UNESCO World Heritage sites, and lying just around the corner of the reef’s peninsula are the quiet waters of Exmouth Gulf. Known as “Ningaloo’s nursery” because so many of the reef’s endangered species shelter there when young, the coast of the sheltered bay is lined with a unique arid-zone mangrove system. Exmouth Gulf’s incredibly varied habitats also include nutrient-giving salt flats, seagrass beds, macro-algal reefs, hard corals and filter-feeder-dominated seabeds, which support a wealth of biodiversity. Humpback whales stop in the gulf on their long migration to Antarctica to nurse their calves, with the new-borns doubling in size during their time there. Free from threats since the end of Australian whaling, this population has proliferated in recent years, going from just 300 to over 30,000 according to Fitzpatrick.
Oceanwise Australia researcher Jason Dickie uses a quadrat to survey the sea bed in the shallow waters of Exmouth Gulf.
Oceanwise Australia researcher Jason Dickie uses a quadrat to survey the sea bed in the shallow waters of Exmouth Gulf. - 打开lightbox

“MOST OF THE TIME THE GULF IS QUITE MURKY AND INACCESSIBLE, SO PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE THAT BELOW THE SURFACE ARE SOME OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE AND UNIQUE MARINE ECOSYSTEMS ON THE PLANET. IT NEEDS PROTECTION. THE ENVIRONMENT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, AND ALL I’M DOING IS PROVIDING A VOICE.
Ben Fitzpatrick

This spectacular wilderness is home to nearly 2,000 species of fauna. Tourists travel from all corners of the globe to experience the area’s rich biodiversity, swim in the fringing coral reef, and spot whale sharks, humpback whales, manta rays, dolphins, dugongs, sea snakes, sharks and turtles. Despite making up two sides of one deeply interconnected ecosystem, the gulf is only now beginning to enjoy some of the same recognition – and subsequent protection – as the reef.

Since 2014, Rolex has partnered with non-profit Mission Blue, as part of the company’s Perpetual Planet Initiative, to protect and preserve ecologically important areas of the oceans. Fitzpatrick applied for Exmouth Gulf and Ningaloo Coast to become a Hope Spot to shine a spotlight on the area and show how important it is to the reef’s survival and, in 2019, legendary oceanographer Sylvia Earle welcomed it into the Mission Blue network.

A pair of olive sea snakes mating in Exmouth Gulf, Australia. The entire life cycle of the species takes place under water, including mating. This usually happens on the sea floor but often lasts so long that they have to swim up for air.
A pair of olive sea snakes mating in Exmouth Gulf, Australia. The entire life cycle of the species takes place under water, including mating. This usually happens on the sea floor but often lasts so long that they have to swim up for air. - 打开lightbox

“THIS AREA REALLY ROCKS – LOOKING AT THE WORLD AS A WHOLE, HUMPBACK WHALES HAVE CHOSEN THIS PLACE AS A NURSERY AREA. WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE?”
Sylvia Earle, Mission Blue Founder and Rolex Testimonee

Fitzpatrick has been captivated by Ningaloo Coast and Exmouth Gulf since he was six years old, when his grandfather used to tell him stories about “amazing things, like whale sharks, dugong and spawning coral.” These stories captured his imagination so vividly he pursued a career as a marine scientist, and has been dedicated to protecting the region ever since. In 2003, he was part of a public campaign that saved Ningaloo Coast from development and cemented it as a place of great value globally.

Fitzpatrick has recently undertaken a scientific expedition to Exmouth Gulf – still largely unmapped and undiscovered – to collect evidence of its biodiversity and connection to Ningaloo Coast. Surveying the gulf from the air and below the water’s surface, he hopes to highlight that the world-famous wildlife of Ningaloo Coast is both complimented by and dependent on the health and function of Exmouth Gulf. With the support of the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, Fitzpatrick and his team hope to strengthen the case for expanding the protection around this haven for marine life.

The tail of a humpback whale in Exmouth Gulf, Australia. Humpback whales can live for 80 to 90 years and have some of the longest migrations of any mammals.
The tail of a humpback whale in Exmouth Gulf, Australia. Humpback whales can live for 80 to 90 years and have some of the longest migrations of any mammals. - 打开lightbox

ABOUT THE PERPETUAL PLANET INITIATIVE
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 organizations 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 the Rolex Awards for Enterprise, as well as long[1]standing partnerships with Mission Blue and National Geographic Society.

The Initiative now has more than 30 other partnerships in an expanding portfolio focusing in ocean conservation, wilderness protection and the preservation of the living world. These partnerships include: Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen; the Under The Pole expeditions; the Monaco Blue Initiative; Coral Gardeners; Rewilding Argentina and Rewilding Chile, offspring organizations of Tompkins Conservation; and many Rolex Award for Enterprise Laureates.

Rolex also supports future generations of explorers, scientists and conservationists through education with scholarships and grants, such as Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society and The Rolex Explorers Club Grants.

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