{"id":126917,"date":"2020-07-29T13:59:15","date_gmt":"2020-07-29T20:59:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sunset.com\/?page_id=126917"},"modified":"2025-07-25T15:40:59","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T22:40:59","slug":"wildlands","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.sunset.com\/travel\/wildlands","title":{"rendered":"WildLands"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":117039,"parent":84104,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"landing-page.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"_should_modify_publish_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,31332],"tags":[],"layout":[67],"class_list":["post-126917","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel","category-wild-lands","layout-article"],"acf":{"tout_headline":"","tout_deck":"","display_row_fields":"yes","page_subheadline":"","image_header":{"ID":127716,"id":127716,"title":"WildLands Logo with no Sunset","filename":"WildLands-Logo-with-no-Sunset.jpg","filesize":30210,"url":"https:\/\/www.sunset.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/WildLands-Logo-with-no-Sunset.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sunset.com\/travel\/wildlands\/attachment\/wildlands-logo-with-no-sunset","alt":"WildLands Logo with no Sunset","author":"30","description":"","caption":"","name":"wildlands-logo-with-no-sunset","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":126917,"date":"2020-09-04 20:55:46","modified":"2020-09-04 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03:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2025-06-17 10:00:00","post_content":"\n

Mike Coots is the embodiment of a waterman. The Kauai<\/a> local and ocean advocate has dedicated his life to the sea, crafting images of sharks <\/a>using lenses traditionally used for portraiture that lend an intimate, artistic quality to apex predators. His film with OluKai <\/a>premiered at Turtle Bay\u2019s \u201cMeet the Legends\u201d\u2014a series whose name Coots certainly lives up to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The photographer was first called to shark conservation after an attack resulted in the loss of his leg at just 18 years old. \u201cThe ocean<\/a> has given me far more than it has ever taken away,\u201d says Coots. Here, he shares why protecting sharks continues to be central to his work today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mike

Courtesy of Mike Coots<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Can you talk a little bit about why these animals are so important to ocean ecosystems?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sharks have been around for over 400 million years. They\u2019ve been on Earth longer than dinosaurs, so there\u2019s obviously a huge ecological function. They get rid of the sick, the dying, the diseased, and the weak, and they keep prey and predator populations in check below them. They\u2019re obviously an apex species, but they\u2019re also a keystone species, so they disproportionately help the health of the ocean<\/a> more than others. They\u2019re at the very top. Think of it this way: If you take off the roof of your house, everything below that collapses. If you dive in areas that have a lot of sharks, you\u2019ll notice there\u2019s a lot of fish, biodiversity, and biomass. The reefs are healthy. They go hand in hand. A healthy ocean needs a healthy shark population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Underwater

Courtesy of Mike Coots<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What issues are sharks\u2014especially here in the Pacific\u2014currently facing?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s been estimated that upwards of 100 million sharks a year are killed for shark fin soup. When I first heard that statistic, I had no idea that there were even that many sharks in the ocean! So that\u2019s a huge detrimental effect. And then another issue is bycatch in the commercial fishing industry. The hope is that with newer technology and new types of hooks, they\u2019ll be able to release a lot more sharks alive, but it is still so stressful for sharks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your photography style shows these animals as having so much personality. What are some of the tools you use to achieve that?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a bit unorthodox in the underwater world. If you Google \u201cshark underwater,\u201d nine out of 10 images are from a fisheye or very wide-angle lens. I went to art school and studied portraiture and love shooting people, and I try to apply those same skills underwater. You can just feel the essence and the soul of the animal. And I think if you can maybe see a little bit of yourself in something, it brings that connection closer, and then you learn about it and eventually will want to protect it. You\u2019re really only going to want to save something that you love. I try to create that connection, whether it\u2019s a catch of light in the eye of the animal, just like you\u2019d see a highlight in a human subject\u2019s eye. It adds beauty to the animal, and it makes them just look glorious and gorgeous. It\u2019s really fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Great

Courtesy of Mike Coots<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s your favorite species in the ocean to shoot?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Obviously, the great white. There\u2019s nothing like it on Earth. That they\u2019re just so misrepresented in the way Hollywood portrays them\u2014they\u2019re just always ripping something apart. When you spend a lot of time with great whites<\/a>, you realize that\u2019s maybe one percent of their time. The rest, they\u2019re just swimming around beautifully. And when the sun hits a certain way, they have these beautiful blue eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are some ways that you hope fans of your photography might engage with shark conservation?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

These issues seem so big, and it\u2019s not just shark finning. You\u2019ve got ocean acidification and global warming and coral reef destruction, it goes on. But I really think everybody\u2019s got their own unique skill set, and there\u2019s only one you. Find an issue that you\u2019re passionate about. Mine is sharks. But whatever it is, there\u2019s something that only you can do. Even the little things. If you go to the beach, find a little bit of plastic or twining<\/a>, just stick it in your pocket. To me, one of the purest forms of aloha is going somewhere and wanting to do good.<\/p>\n","post_title":"He Survived a Shark Attack. Here's Why He Wants to Protect Them.","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"mike-coots-protecting-sharks","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-06-16 16:42:00","post_modified_gmt":"2025-06-16 23:42:00","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.sunset.com\/?p=189843","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"stories_row_1_bottom":[{"ID":189535,"post_author":"97","post_date":"2025-06-05 03:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2025-06-05 10:00:00","post_content":"\n

If you're anything like me and put off making campsite reservations<\/a> til, well, now, rest assured there's still a chance to score a good one. While doing so with the state reservations system may be out of reach, Hipcamp<\/a> is an awesome option. And the San Francisco-based company just announced the inaugural list of its 50 Favorite Places to Camp in America Right Now<\/a> to help make the decision simpler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hipcamp analyzed data for more than 500,000 campsites nationwide and narrowed down their favorite spots across private land, public parks, and RV parks to celebrate standout spots in 30 states, including the Navajo Nation. And of course many of them are right here in the West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their list of the 50 best sites took into consideration several factors including positive camper reviews and ratings, regional trends, cultural shifts, and editorial debate. The winners are a robust list of campsites that boast scenic views, convenient amenities, smaller crowds, and unique experiences for solo travelers and families alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Couple

Getty Images<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis list gives campers an opportunity to experience some off-the-beaten-path treasures and a few resilient campgrounds recovering from natural disaster devastation,\" aid Alyssa Ravasio, CEO and Founder of Hipcamp. \"By shining a light on our favorite campgrounds, we hope to make it easier than ever for campers<\/a> to find the right outdoor experience for them they will love.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here's their full list:<\/p>\n\n\n\n