The team travelled out to the Maldives on 25 April and, until 30 June, are tracking the movements of whale sharks along Maamigili Reef in the South Ari Atoll area, to learn more about the creatures' movements including areas of congregation and feeding.
This should help government policy makers to establish more effective protective measures for the species, including guidelines for whale shark encounters with humans. The animal is listed as a Vulnerable Species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Operating from the scuba centre at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, which has helped sponsor the project, the researchers are embarking on a liveaboard dhoni for five-day stints of work including photography, attachment of satellite tracking tags, and the collection of skin samples for DNA research.
The research team consists of project manager Morgan Riley, who has advised the Maldivian government on sharks management; marine biologist and field researcher John Rhodri Lloyd-Williams; field biologist and equipment technician Mark Tarrant; and marine research videographer Richard Rees. |
