The Island of Giants

04/05/2026

An inspiring story that shows how the presence of a marine species can affect the entire economy and the whole society of one of the smallest islands of the Azores, the Island of Santa Maria. It is the only place in Europe where a large number of whale sharks are sighted and in addition their migration is shrouded in mystery, no one knows where they come from, where they are going … and why they appear surrounded by thousands of tunas. It also accompanies the scientific expeditions that for 11 years have tried to unveil the secrets of these giants and to know if their recent presence is linked to global warming and rising water temperatures around the Azores.