~Dutch Comedian Jorgen Raymann is Shark Week Ambassador~
PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – The Nature Foundation will organize St. Maarten Shark Week during the week of June 18-25.
Shark week is part of the DCNA Save Our Shark Project funded by the Dutch National Postcode Lottery. During this event, different activities will be organized to show the importance of sharks for the reefs, island and tourism. The Nature Foundation will show how they perform Shark research around the island; will teach participants to recognize different shark species and explain why sharks are not frightening or dangerous.
“Shark Week will start with an Open Day at the Nature Foundation Office at the Fisherman’s Wharf in Cole Bay on Saturday, June 18 from 12:00pm-4:00pm. We will organize a movie night to show the amazing documentary ‘Sharkwater’ (June 19 at 8:00pm) and people can enjoy listening to our shark expert presentation (June 22 at 8:00pm) at Buccaneers,” said Nature Foundations Project Officer Melanie Meijer zu Schlochtern.
“We will end Shark Week with a Shark Party at Buccaneers (June 25 at 7:30pm) with Electric Shark Cocktails, local Shark videos and Shark Games. Celebrity, Save Our Shark Ambassador and Comedian Jorgen Raymann from the Netherlands will visit our Shark Party and therewith will show his support for Caribbean Sharks,” Meijer zu Schlochtern continued.
During Shark Week there will be plenty of activities for children. “We will organize a Shark Stanley color contest and quiz for kids with amazing prizes all related to the sea with a prize giving being held during the Shark Party at 7:30pm. There will also be shark quizzes and games to play for kids. Shark Stanley will be there with books, and temporary tattoos, kids can get shark face paintings and be a shark in a shark costume,” explained Meijer zu Schlochtern.
Shark experts Jillian and Duncan Brake from the Education Organization Sharks4kids will participate in the activities of the Nature Foundation for Shark Week. Together with the Nature Foundation, they will also visit St. Maarten schools to talk with students about sharks and marine ecosystems during the week.
“If you are a certified scuba diver, you can join Duncan Brake on a special shark education dive during shark week,” the Foundation said. For information about the program go to the St. Maarten Nature Foundation Facebook page.
