DeepSummary
The podcast episode features an interview with Dr. Alex Hearn, a marine ecologist from Ecuador who works on conservation efforts in the Galapagos Islands. Hearn discusses his deep connection to the ocean, which began during a biology field trip to the Spanish coast when he was a teenager. He talks about the challenges of working in the Galapagos, an environmentally fragile and rapidly growing region, and how his work aims to address these issues on a global scale.
Hearn shares a touching personal story about catching a lobster tagged by his deceased friend Hamish, which he interpreted as a message from the ocean. He also explains his involvement in establishing the Galapagos Marine Reserve, a protected corridor that allows endangered migratory species like sharks and whales to travel safely between the Galapagos and Cocos Island.
Throughout the interview, Hearn expresses his profound love and respect for the ocean, describing it as a source of purpose, joy, and connection with his children. He emphasizes the importance of protecting and preserving the oceans for future generations.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Dr. Alex Hearn is a marine ecologist deeply committed to ocean conservation, particularly in the Galapagos Islands.
- Hearn's work helped establish the Galapagos Marine Reserve, a protected corridor for migratory species like sharks and whales.
- Hearn has a profound personal connection to the ocean, fueled by a transformative experience during a biology field trip in his youth.
- A touching story about catching a lobster tagged by his deceased friend solidified Hearn's spiritual bond with the ocean.
- Hearn views the Galapagos as a microcosm of the environmental challenges facing the planet due to human impact and population growth.
- Hearn's passion for the ocean extends beyond his career, providing him with a sense of purpose, joy, and connection with his children.
- Hearn is motivated by a desire to make a positive difference and leave the planet in a better condition than he found it.
- Hearn's reverence for the ocean is rooted in its mystery, beauty, and the belief that humans are stewards responsible for its protection.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Galapagos is a challenge environmentally it's one of the most spectacular places I've ever been to, both on land and sea but from a human perspective, it's almost like a microcosm of what's happening to our planet today it's not an easy place to work and it's not an easy place to live back in the eighties, there was only 4000 people living there now there's over 30,000 so it's grown a lot in terms of human impact over the years and that poses a lot of challenges to an oceanic archipelago that is extremely fragile and I see parallels how the human population on earth has grown and how fragile earth is.“ by Alex Hearn
- “It's provided me with my purpose here in this short time that I have. It's provided me with fear and pain, provides me with joy. I taken my kids out snorkeling. My eldest has even helped me out with some research. I think that provides me with a connection to my kids that will outlast me. It's just a part of my life that I cannot turn my back on even if I wanted to.“ by Alex Hearn
- “I always wanted to do something as a career that wouldn't just be a job and then go and have fun. I wanted to have a rich experience in my life 24 hours a day, not just before and after work.“ by Alex Hearn
Entities
Person
Location
Organization
Episode Information
Big Deep - An Ocean Podcast
Host Jason Elias
10/17/23
In today's episode, I speak with Dr. Alex Hearn, a marine ecologist at the Universidad de San Francisco in Quito, Ecuador.
Alex's work is focused on marine conservation in and around the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of South America, which is part of Ecuador. Alex is one of the scientists working to establish the Galapagos Marine Reserve, one of the world's largest underwater areas dedicated to protecting migratory pathways through the deep ocean.
This oceanic highway for marine life, as it's sometimes called, creates a corridor where endangered migratory species such as sharks, whales, turtles, and manta rays can travel without fear of illegal fishing.
So, unsurprisingly, I found Alex to be very down to earth and rooted in a deep love for the ocean, and we discussed how he first connected to the ocean a remarkable personal connection to a deceased friend while tagging lobsters, and where he finds meanings in the oceans off the Galapagos.