Story Behind This Mural
Artist Statement
My grandmother (Paw Paw) recently showed me photos from when her and my grandfather (Goong Goong) met 70 years ago. They got married 3 months after meeting and created a wonderful family! Their love is inspiring and they have done so much for me in my life so I made this picture as a dedication to them. I painted them as Whale Sharks because we were trying to raise awareness about the endangered Whale Sharks and Manta Rays who migrate through Isla Mujeres every year.The Focus
Whale shark and manta ray conservationTake Action
Help conserve shark and ray populations by:
- Refraining from consuming shark fins, manta ray gill rakers and their meat
- Purchase cosmetic/health products that don't contain squalene (shark liver oil)
- Avoid pet food that list 'white fish' as an ingredient as it likely is shark
- Support responsible shark tourism operations and experience the animals in their natural habitat
- Participate in citizen science and support research focused on better understanding their ecology and conservation strategies.