Ana Lucía López

Who I am

For as long as I can remember, I have felt drawn to the sea. Growing up in a country where the coast is always within easy reach only heightened my desire to explore what lies beneath the surface. As soon as I had the opportunity, I obtained my diving qualifications. After all, I live in a country with the world’s second-largest coral reef. Honduras’ offerings to the world inspired me to pursue a career in development communication. Advocating for conservation and development efforts and spreading the word about them became my mission more than 15 years ago.

Where I work

My current work focuses on Honduras, a country that, despite having legislation to protect sharks, lacks readily accessible information for fishing communities, educational centres and the general population. Few people are aware of the species inhabiting the country, their importance in ecosystems and, especially, the threats they face. Given this, it is crucial to develop campaigns and interactive exhibitions that contextualise for the public the importance of protecting these and other species. Creating compelling and far-reaching educational materials is key to conveying the message to future generations.

What I do

As a national coordinator in Honduras, I focus on securing strategic partnerships and identifying actionable opportunities for implementing projects aligned with the conservation of marine megafauna, as well as engaging with coastal communities and educating their members about conservation issues. In addition, much of my work centres on forming partnerships with higher education institutions in the country and establishing agreements to promote professional practices in biology, the environment, communications and related fields.

The project aims to raise awareness among the population, with a particular emphasis on coastal communities and young people, through exhibitions and innovative activities enhanced by new technologies. Collaborating with local leaders and artists who support these conservation initiatives is integral to our approach. An innovative aspect of the project involves the use of virtual reality videos, which are especially useful in inland areas where access to coastal resources is limited and thus they enable people to experience species such as sharks, rays and sea turtles in their natural habitat.