Shark research scientist and conservationist, Gador has dedicated her life to understanding and protecting our oceans
"I saw a shark for the first time during my first dive and it was love at first sight. They're a masterpiece of nature that has filled me admiration and respect."
What do you enjoy most about diving?
COEXISTING. I feel like we’ve lost this ability living in the modern and urbanized world. Out of the water we feel like we rule the world, and underwater we remember that we actually don’t own it and that there’s so many other living beings with the same rights we have. Diving is the closest I can feel to nature. When I’m down there I feel like one piece of the puzzle, coexisting in peace and balance. That’s something which is getting more and more difficult to experience in our everyday lives on land.
How do you approach non-divers to get them excited about learning to dive?
I tell them that ¾ of the world are made of water, so how can we say we know our planet if we don’t cross the surface line? I also tell them about all the benefits you can get when you dive! Relaxation, stress relief, learning, happiness, emotional well-being, visiting beautiful places, getting to know amazing people, helping marine conservation….it’s a never ending list!
Dream dive: where and with who?
Galapagos with Sylvia Earle would be awesome! Dr. Earle is my biggest inspiration. She’s an exceptional woman who has done a lot for saving our oceans so diving with her would be a dream come true! And Galapagos is one of the best diving places in the world with a huge biodiversity and lots of sharks!
Favorite piece of Aqualung equipment?
Is difficult to choose only one! I’ve been using Aqualung material for a very long time and I’m super happy with every single piece of my gear. But I’m really in love with my BCDs! They are super comfortable, especially for my back, even in its traveling version!
What steps are you taking to improve the health of our oceans?
I use science as a marine conservation tool to generate data and studies to change protection strategies. I believe that science must go hand in hand with communication, which is probably the most powerful marine conservation tool in my current work. Informative lectures in schools, universities, documentary projects, citizen science trips, social media, collaborations with companies... all of this helps to spread the message of the importance of caring for and protecting our oceans, on which our survival and that of the entire planet depends.
Personally, I also try to live an increasingly sustainable lifestyle, reducing consumption of everything (plastic of course, but also clothes, technology, etc.), recycling and reusing as much as possible, and trying to have the smallest footprint possible.
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