Cristina Zenato
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cristina Zenato | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1971 (age 53–54) Italy |
| Years active | 1994-present |
| Known for | Shark diving |
| Website | cristinazenato |
Cristina Zenato is an Italian-born shark diver and conservationist. She is known for her work with Caribbean reef sharks in The Bahamas.
Career
Zenato began scuba diving at age 22 when traveling to The Bahamas.[4] She started training as a dive instructor and working with sharks in 1995.[5] The same year, she began working for Underwater Explorer's Society (UNEXSO). Later, she became both a PADI Course Director and NSS-CDS Cave Diving Instructor.[6] Zenato's cave diving projects have included remapping the underwater caves in the Lucayan National Park.[7] Zenato was inducted into the Women Divers Hall of Fame in 2011.[6] She is known for promoting the conservation of, diving with, removing fish hooks from Caribbean reef sharks around Grand Bahama Island.[8][9] Her work has garnered her the titles of "shark whisperer"[10][11] and "mother of sharks."[12]
Zenato has been featured in films and television programmes including Shark Week's Sharktacular,[13] Against the Current,[14] and Save This Shark.[15] In the late 2010s, she founded the non-profit, People of the Water.[16] She completed her PADI Course Director training in 2016.[4]
Personal life
Zenato first went to the Bahamas in 1994, during which time she decided she wanted to move there permanently.[6]
References
- 1 2 Toorish, Jeff. "A Passion For Diving: Cristina Zenato". www.advanceddivermagazine.com. Archived from the original on 15 September 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ↑ Kovac, Klara (22 October 2020). "Sharks are not a scary as we might think". Kovac Family. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ↑ Burke, Owen James (24 July 2014). "Life in Salt: An Interview with Underwater Explorer and 'First Lady of Sharks' Cristina Zenato". The Scuttlefish. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- 1 2 "Q&A with Cristina Zenato: Technical & Cave Diver". Scuba Diver Magazine. 6 June 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ↑ "Grand Bahama shark handler, Cristina Zenato featured in Marie Claire magazine". The Bahamas Weekly. 8 May 2013. Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- 1 2 3 Kirkby, Sarah (4 May 2011). "Local diver is recognized at 'Women Divers Hall Of Fame'". The Bahamas Weekly. Archived from the original on 12 May 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ↑ Bahamas National Trust (4 January 2018). "Mapping the Underwater Cave System at Lucayan Ntl. Park". www.thebahamasweekly.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ↑ Evans, Mark (4 September 2021). "Cristina Zenato Joins Bite-Back's Media Campaign". Scuba Diver Mag. Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ↑ How one diver became the 'shark whisperer' - CNN Video, retrieved 2 January 2022
- ↑ "This Woman Can Hypnotize Sharks by Touching Them". The Inertia. 30 September 2015. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ↑ Kate, Cary (31 May 2021). "Cristina Zenato is known as the 'Shark Whisperer'". The BL. Archived from the original on 2 January 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ↑ Evans, Mark (12 January 2023). "'Mother of Sharks' Cristina Zenato takes centre stage". Scuba Diver Magazine. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ↑ Helmy, Sam (27 July 2017). "More Women Take Center Stage On Discovery Channel's 'Shark Week' - DeeperBlue.com". www.deeperblue.com. Archived from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ↑ Singh, Rhea (27 March 2019). "Women directors leading in Ryerson's film festival". The Eyeopener. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ↑ Dalton, Trent (29 August 2020). "Mick Fanning faces his demons". The Weekend Australian. Archived from the original on 21 June 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ↑ Ramachandran, Mythily (27 March 2019). "Dancing with the sharks". gulfnews.com. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
