The Baa Atoll, with its rich biodiversity and special conservation status as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, boasts countless things to do for the nature lover and ocean enthusiast. In addition, it’s where you can find the world-renowned Hanifaru Bay, known for its gigantic fish residents – the whale shark and the manta ray.
These beautiful giants are endangered but protected under Maldivian and international law, with research and monitoring vital to their continued preservation. The Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP) plays a crucial role in these efforts, and recently, they were stationed in the Baa Atoll. Some of our team at The Nautilus Maldives were fortunate to visit the researchers and discover more about the elusive whale shark’s biology, ecology and behaviour.
Below, Emily Wilson, The Nautilus’s resident marine biologist, reports back on this excursion and shares insights on these incredible creatures – in the second part of a four-part series. Read on to find out about the distribution of the species across our waters and the population types found in different areas.
”Whimsical Whale Sharks – the Gentle Giants of the Open Ocean” (Part 2 of 4)
The Maldives archipelago is comprised of 26 distinct atolls extending over roughly 90,000 km2, making the Maldives one of the most geographically dispersed countries in the world. In between the coral islands is a vast expanse of the ocean, home to the charismatic yet elusive whale shark. Despite decades of research seeking to uncover the life histories of this magnificent and enigmatic megafauna, whale sharks still maintain an air of mystery.
Incredibly, to date, no whale shark residing in the Maldives has ever been recorded anywhere else in the world. The loyal whale sharks exhibit annual inter-atoll migrations, nomadic in search of plankton-rich waters in what appears to be a habitual pattern of movements. Over the years, the MWSRP has identified some of their waters of choice, described below.
Baa Atoll and Hanifaru Bay
The UNESCO Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve is one of the whale shark’s favourite feeding grounds during the months from May to November, when the southwestern monsoon season serves up a bountiful feast of plankton. The unique bathymetry (underwater depth) of Hanifaru Bay creates a reverse eddy which entraps plankton, providing an all-you-can-eat buffet for marine megafauna such as the reef manta (Mobula Alfredi) and whale shark. According to the MWSRP’s research, led by Chloe Darwin, Baa Atoll is the second-largest aggregation spot in the Maldives for whale shark sightings.
The South Ari Atoll
The MWSRP started out in 2006 as a research expedition in the South Ari Atoll, and the team later set up base at the local island of Dhigaru for eight years. In 2009, based upon the MWSRP’s population data, a 22 km stretch of ocean was designated as a protected area – the South Ari Marine Protected Area (SAMPA) – its key objective to preserve this important whale shark aggregation site.
Here, whale sharks are observed cruising insouciantly in the shallows year round. The majority of the sharks measure 5–6 m in length, and the population exhibits a strong male bias. Chloe says, “We believe the waters are being used as a secondary nursery habitat for young juvenile males” – and that they then hunt for prey in the staggering depths and utilise the balmy, tropical surface waters to reheat.
Fuvahmulah Atoll
Towards the southern tip of the Maldives archipelago stands Fuvahmulah, the only one-island atoll in the Maldives. Deep water trenches surround the island, and due to upwelling currents, nutrient-rich waters are thrust into the shallow seas.
Chloe describes the Fuvahmulah population as the opposite of whale shark dynamics observed in South Ari: “Large females of 8 m average length are sighted most.” This bears a lot of scientific value as the MWSRP predict the coastal waters are being used as a refuge for pregnant females and even potentially a birthing place.
If you missed the first part of this story, you can read it here – and do keep a lookout over the next few weeks for the third part.
The Nautilus is just a 15-minute luxury yacht ride from Hanifaru Bay in Baa Atoll, one of the very few places in the world where whale sharks congregate to mate.
Witness these majestic creatures for yourself. Get in touch at [email protected] or talk to us at +960 730 98 18 to begin crafting your Nautilus journey.