i recognize all of my sharks they look
to me different as what a classroom full
of students
there's
nothing that makes me more relaxed and
happier than have one of the girls
coming and rest in my lap
i think it's an extreme privilege that a
wild animal is feeling comfortable
enough
to relax at that level
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my name is cristina zanato i work as a
diving professional and i specialize in
working with sharks in the wild
specifically caribbean reef sharks
i have received many nicknames through
the years
it's usually shark denser just because
of the a gentle and soft interaction
that i have with them
and
mother of sharks because i have this a
protective attitude towards them
so i came to the bahamas about 26 years
ago to learn how to scuba dive
and now take people down one-on-one with
me
and we talk about shark behavior and
especially
interacting with caribbean resharks
i've been in the same location working
with a group of sharks for 26 years and
so i've been able to watch them through
the years
with time i actually can recognize them
as they swim towards me from a distance
they have very different personalities
your body language the way they approach
me the way they interact with me each
one of them has their unique way of
doing
the bahamas um are a special place for
sharks
i created a petition in 2009
asking the government to start
protecting the sharks and ultimately in
2011 the bahamas were declared a shark
sanctuary no sharks can be killed within
our waters
on no import export nor use of any of
the shark products something i'm very
proud to
have contributed by being one of those
people that has attracted
the world to come here and see our
sharks and dive with them
not every shark not even sharks that i
work with for the last 10 years likes to
be bad and then some other sharks
sometimes put themselves to sleep at
just coming up to me nuzzling up into my
either my stomach or my back or my leg
and just sitting there
when they do that out of me surges love
i absolutely love my sharks
the acceptance
and the trust that they give me is
it's a privilege it's so beautiful
they are
nature's masterpiece
one of the most beautiful masterpieces
ever created
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you