Growing up in South Africa, Jon Slayer’s playground was Sea World in Durban where his father was a marine biologist. His first job was assisting with dolphins, seals and penguins at uShaka Marine World and during his high school holidays participating in field trips to survey the reefs of Aliwal Shoal and corals of Sodwana Bay. His working career has remained adventurous, as an outdoor activities training instructor in a game reserve in South Africa, white water safety kayaker on grade 5 rapids of the Zambezi River below Victoria Falls and more recently as a Commissioned Officer in the Royal Marine Commandos. Since resigning his commission, Jon has returned to his roots and qualified as a commercial scuba diver in order to focus on filming the fascinating creatures that live beneath the surface. His films have focused on the beauty and diversity of marine life around the globe, also highlighting conservation issues and the difficulties facing coastal communities that are reliant on dwindling marine resources. He has set up a branch of the charity Blue Ventures, in Belize, that is integral to the monitoring of a remote corner of the Belize Barrier Reef and works closely with the village of Sarteneja, the largest traditional fishing village in the country, helping this community adjust as the commercial fisheries they rely on succumb to increasing pressure. His films have been used by the Sylvia Earle Alliance and feature in the Explore the Ocean layer of Google Earth. Most recently Jon has been the only cameraman granted permission to film in the Chagos Marine Protected Area, the world’s greatest fully protected No Take Zone, that includes the largest coral atoll in the world, the Great Chagos Bank. Future projects include filming a coral reef Crime Scene Investigation course and community conservation projects around the western Indian Ocean.
“Chagos is marine paradise, nature left to thrive largely free of human degradation. If we let science, reason and long term benefits govern our management of oceans and fisheries this is an example of how productive and resilient our seas can be – a fine legacy for future generations.”
For more of Jon's work visit JonSlayer.net.