Diving With Taylor Ladd-Hudson: Teenage Shark Advocate Changing the Ocean Narrative

PT Hirschfield chats with the teenage marine life educator and shark advocate who counts Valerie Taylor as her mentor

A Diary Entry That Sparked National Attention

Here’s an excerpt from teenage marine life educator and advocate diary of Taylor Ladd-Hudson. She’d just filmed a whale calf with her drone, entangled in a ‘shark net’ off her local waters at Noosa Main Beach on 3 October 2023:

‘I got the text at 6:20 am. In less than three days, another whale had fallen victim to the ‘shark control programme’. There was a big pod of humpbacks very close, breaching in a distressed way. I launched the drone, but couldn’t seem to find a whale caught in the nets. I brought the drone back for landing and started packing the equipment.

‘Just before Dad and I headed back to the car, I received a message confirming a whale was entangled. I sent the drone up and out 500 metres to the shark nets I used to paddle around on my kneeboard while training at the surf club, determined to find the truth.

‘The contractor had just arrived. I saw a small, dark back emerge from the water. My heart dropped into my gut. I continued to film, finally positioning the drone close to the contractor’s boat.

‘I flipped the angle of the camera directly below, confirming a baby humpback whale was entangled. It looked exhausted, coming up only occasionally to exhale deep breaths. No wonder I hadn’t seen it the first time I’d launched.

‘The bright orange and yellow buoys I used to paddle around at Nippers training were now strung across the baby whale’s body. The ropes connecting the net cut deeper and deeper into the distressed animal.’

Growing Up in the Water

When Year 11 student, Sunshine Coast-based shark and marine life advocate Taylor Ladd-Hudson isn’t diving or on the frontline of ocean advocacy, you’ll probably still find her in the water. She’s a volunteer Surf Life Saver at her local Life Saving Club, plays water polo, and loves surfing waves alongside her mates.

Taylor’s also been working as a deckhand for Sunreef out of Mooloolaba for over a year. She started diving when she was 12 and plans to complete her Advanced Open Water training in the coming months. Her favourite dive site to date is ex-HMAS Brisbane, a shipwreck off the Sunshine Coast.

Taylor was born in Sydney in 2008 to parents who loved to explore and travel. As a toddler living for five years in Singapore, Taylor made it her mission to rescue and rehabilitate every bird she found on the ground that had crashed into apartment windows. Her family moved to the Sunshine Coast in 2018, and at age 12, Taylor started volunteering for local wildlife rescue groups and Sea Shepherd.

From First Shark Encounter to Full-Time Advocacy

Since encountering her first shark on Lady Elliot Island and learning how sharks could disappear from the oceans in her lifetime, Taylor’s dedicated her life to protecting and conserving sharks, and to educating those who hold misconceptions about them.

Through volunteering with Sea Shepherd, Taylor became heavily involved in their Nets Out Now shark campaign, centred on the removal and replacement of the shark nets and drumlines.

She’s also volunteered with Wildlife Noosa, North Shore and Column Coast Care, Surfrider, ENVOY foundation and Shark Champion Valerie Taylor’s String Of Pearls campaign.

Featuring alongside her Valerie in the upcoming documentary How to Save a Shark, Taylor recognises her as ‘not only a conservation icon, but a generous and encouraging mentor who genuinely believes in lifting up the next generation’.

The ocean-related issues that concern Taylor the most are the rapid decline of shark populations, habitat destruction and lack of effective protections for marine species that are crucial to healthy ecosystems

Educating the Next Generation

Now aged 16, Taylor says starting early in advocacy work has been both empowering and eye-opening: ‘One of the biggest advantages has been growing up with a strong sense of purpose. I’ve had the chance to build knowledge, confidence and a network over the years. This has allowed me to contribute meaningfully to conservation efforts’.

After initially dreading public speaking, Taylor discovered that ‘as soon as you start talking about what you love, the fear disappears’. Now she spends much of her time presenting educational talks about marine life conservation at schools, events, State Parliament and other forums.

‘Kids are taught about rips and dangerous swell, jellyfish stings and what to do if bitten by a snake or spider. But they rarely get information on how to co-exist with sharks. Now I love public speaking and presenting, especially to youth groups’.

The ocean-related issues that concern Taylor the most are the rapid decline of shark populations, habitat destruction and lack of effective protections for marine species that are crucial to healthy ecosystems: ‘Sharks, in particular, are often misunderstood and feared. This makes it even harder to gain support for their protection, despite the fact that they play such a vital role in keeping our oceans balanced and thriving’.

Taylor believes in collaboration and education as key tools to drive meaningful change. She shares updates on her social media platforms at least twice a week to keep the conversation going. Taylor acknowledges that one of her biggest frustrations in ocean advocacy is seeing how slow change can be, especially when it comes to policy or shifting public perception.

‘It can feel disheartening when you’re working so hard to protect something you love, yet harmful practices continue. Another challenge is balancing the emotional weight of this work. It’s tough to constantly witness the threats marine life faces and not let it affect you personally’.

Tackling Shark Nets and Outdated Policy

Taylor believes the recent decision to remove shark nets earlier in the season is a step in the right direction, allowing more marine animals to thrive without the threat of being trapped. But she asserts: ‘There’s still a lot of work to do in shifting to non-lethal, effective alternatives like smart drumlines, drone surveillance, and tagging technology. These can provide increased safety for swimmers without harming the ecosystem’.

‘A combination of stronger legislation, better enforcement, and greater public awareness is needed. But just as importantly, we need to shift the narrative, helping people understand that ocean conservation isn’t just for scientists or activists, it’s for everyone. A drop becomes a ripple, a ripple becomes a wave, and waves change tides’.

You can learn more about Taylor’s ocean advocacy on her social media platforms @taylor_x_ocean on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

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