Gombessa IV – 700 Sharks Into The Dark (2017)

Within the framework of the Gombessa II expedition in 2014, Laurent Ballesta’s team travelled to the southern pass of Fakarava atoll to study the annual reproduction of camouflage groupers. During that expedition, researchers were surprised to note an unusual density of gray reef sharks totaling up to 700 individuals, the largest density of this species ever observed. The team was equally surprised to note their hunting behavior which seemed coordinated. To build on these observations and better understand the ecology and behavior of the grey reef sharks Blancpain decided to award an additional 250'000 euro donation linked to the sale of the first limited edition Blancpain Ocean Commitment watch to Ballesta and his team, added to a full expedition funding from the regular Blancpain Ocean Commitment program for the Gombessa IV expedition. The expedition yielded spectacular footage as well as extensive scientific data shedding light for the very first time on the natural hunting behavior of this species of sharks. In addition, an underwater camera surveillance system has been installed in the pass to contribute to the protection and preservation of its ecosystem.

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