DeepSummary
The podcast episode features an interview with Jamal Galvez, a conservation biologist from Belize who works with the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute to protect the Antillean manatees. Jamal recounts how growing up near the ocean in an impoverished coastal village in Belize fostered his deep connection to the sea from a young age. A chance encounter with a research vessel studying manatees as a child sparked his passion for marine conservation.
Jamal describes a profound moment when a young manatee calf embraced him, expressing gratitude despite humans being the reason it needed rehabilitation. This experience solidified Jamal's lifelong commitment to protecting manatees, which he believes saved him from negative influences in his community. He sees his work not just as saving the animals but repaying a debt for how they changed the course of his life.
Jamal expresses that the ocean means life itself to him, a constant source of love and the greatest reservoir of life on the planet. His role is to give back to the ocean that has provided so much, by advocating for marine species and creating safer spaces for them to thrive. Despite the challenges of conservation work, Jamal remains driven by his determination to be a voice for these voiceless creatures.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- A chance childhood encounter with manatee researchers sparked Jamal Galvez's lifelong passion for marine conservation.
- Jamal feels a deep sense of gratitude and indebtedness to manatees for saving him from negative influences and enabling him to find purpose.
- Protecting endangered Antillean manatees in Belize through his work at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute is Jamal's way of repaying a debt to the species.
- Jamal has a profound spiritual and emotional connection to the ocean, perceiving it as the greatest source of life deserving of reciprocal love and ethical stewardship.
- Despite challenges, Jamal remains dedicated to being a voice for voiceless marine species like manatees and creating safer spaces for them.
- A pivotal experience of being embraced by a rehabilitated manatee calf cemented Jamal's commitment to protect these forgiving creatures impacted by humans.
- Growing up near the ocean in an impoverished coastal Belizean community fostered Jamal's deep ties to marine environments from a young age.
- Jamal sees his conservation work not just as protecting animals but fulfilling a sense of purpose and destiny.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “For me, the personal connection is a sense of I'm in debt to them for saving my life. So saving their lives is repaying my debt to the species that have kept me alive all these years and to not have fallen short of my destiny, to not have ended up in prison or in jail.“ by Jamal Galvez
- “What the ocean means to me is not what I can take from the ocean, what I can give to the ocean. Because the ocean has given to us things that we would not be able to give to ourselves.“ by Jamal Galvez
- “And the calf literally put his clippers around me as if I'm giving you a hug. I stood for a second, fascinated, and I wonder, how could they find it within themselves to still love us humans? When were the reason that they were there?“ by Jamal Galvez
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Episode Information
Big Deep - An Ocean Podcast
Host Jason Elias
10/24/23
In today's episode I speak with Jamal Galves, program director at Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute and National Geographic Explorer and Edge Fellow.
Jamal's work focuses particularly on the Antillean manatee of his native Belize. Jamal's passion for marine wildlife runs deep and, in particular, his connection to manatees reaches back to when he was a kid, growing up in the rough, impoverished neighborhoods of coastal Belize.
We spoke from his home in Belmopan, the capital of Belize, and Jamal spoke about how a chance encounter with a research vessel started his interest in marine conservation, how that led directly to his work at the incredible Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute in Belmopan, and how his first interaction with manatees shaped the course of the rest of his life.