Reef Rescue Review
BY FARRAH LEONE
If you have never heard of a coral reef before, this is the perfect film to spark your interest in the world of Coral Science. I was immediately drawn in by the question posed by Dr. Ruth Gates: “What’s the risk of doing nothing?” Normally, there is no risk of doing nothing. There’s no risk in not trying out for that team or not asking that person out. But in the world of dying reefs, preemptive action is key. The film ends with the statistic “in the last 50 years, 50% of all reefs have been lost”. That is the risk of doing nothing.
Photo by Madeline St Clair Baker (@mads_ocean)
Its comprehensive overview of what a coral is, how they spawn, its importance to the ecosystem, and the challenges they face make the material easy to digest while still being scientifically engaging. Not only is the verbal content good, but the visual as well. Instead of focusing on images of fish swimming around the coral, the viewer gets to see the coral acting as an animal. The film provides clips of their spawning behavior and movement which reminds the viewer that this stagnant creature is actually alive. In my opinion, that gives the coral its own intrinsic value outside of its necessity to the ecosystem.
Reef Rescue also does an excellent job at giving intel as to what coral science actually is. The film follows multiple researchers and their multiple experiments aiming to find a solution in a world of warming waters. It dives into the multiple techniques researchers in this field use, such as selective breeding, controlled bleaching, simulation tanks, 3D imaging, and much more. There is a world of opportunity for different skill sets to help make a difference.
Photo by Mads St Clair Baker (@mads_ocean)
The most impactful part of this film to me was the scientists themselves as people. There were moments in the film where the way they spoke or the look in their eyes told the viewer that this is something they were truly passionate about. Those are the people we want working in ocean science: the ones who’s veins are filled with sea water. I commend them for being vulnerable when talking about their feelings on the state of the ocean as well as the passing of their dear colleague, Dr. Ruth Gates. The love for the ocean seems to truly bring all of these scientists from different areas of the world, Hawaii, Christmas Island, Florida, & Australia, together.
I would like to send my personal condolences to the friends and family of Dr. Ruth Gates. Her dedication to creating a better future shines through this film and her work alongside her bright spirit will forever be appreciated.
You can watch Reef Rescue on March 6th at 9PM (NT) and online on CBC Gem. https://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episodes/reef-rescue