The Maldives is famous for countless reasons, not the least of which is its gentle giants of the deep: the manta ray and the whale shark.
Recently, The Nautilus Maldives’ resident marine biologist, Emily Wilson, water sports and PADI instructor, together with other members of The Nautilus team, had the privilege of visiting the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP) team at a neighbouring island.
In this first of a four-part series exploring the many sides of the whale shark, Emily reports back on their specialist research.
”Whimsical Whale Sharks – the Gentle Giants of the Open Ocean” (Part 1 of 4)
Whale sharks, or fehurihi as they are known in the local language Dhivehi, are a signature species in the Maldives. The ocean’s big friendly giants are listed as Endangered under IUCN Red List and protected under the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) Act since 2003.
But even before that, the species was recognised as ecologically and culturally significant by our ocean-dependant, coral-built nation and has been protected by Maldivian law since 1995. At present, whale sharks are being re-evaluated, moving from the Fisheries mandate to the Ministry of Environment under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which will permit even greater protection of whale sharks in their Maldives sanctuary.
The MWSRP and the Big Fish Network
The research conducted by the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP) is essential to understanding the intricate details of the elusive whale shark’s biology, ecology and behaviour, before the shark’s global population is put under greater threat. Chloe Darwin, Lead In-Field Coordinator for the programme explains the urgency of the research work: “It is a race against time to find out where whale sharks give birth and pinpoint important nursery habitats to create sanctuaries and limit human activities in these areas.”
By tracking the resident whale shark population through their photo identification survey methods, bolstered by citizen science data, Chloe and her team have an in-depth knowledge of the sites that whale sharks frequent in the Maldives. Currently, the MWSRP database, known as the Big Fish Network, lists over 10,000 encounters and 700 identified whale sharks.
How does one measure an ocean giant?
Chloe describes how she and other field volunteers scale up the length of a whale shark: “As you can imagine, it would be quite difficult to run a measuring tape alongside a 6m whale shark in motion while breath-hold diving.” Instead, her team harnesses the power of lasers with a technique called laser photogrammetry.
The method involves projecting two laser pointers onto the flank of the shark while taking a photo to provide a scale bar. Using photo software, they then determine the distance between the laser points and compare it with the measurement from the shark’s fifth gill slit to the dorsal fin.
Chloe explains: “This basic calculation can accurately determine the whale shark’s full body length in a completely non-invasive fashion. Recording body length is an important tool to reveal the dynamics of whale shark populations; it’s related to their health, age and sexual maturity and, over repeated encounters, can be useful in predicting growth rates over time.”
The MWSRP team takes on Baa
During the most recent leg of their project – undertaking surveys in Baa Atoll – the MWSRP team increased by two. Rio, the in-field assistant, and Fithu, their newest intern, are both of Maldivian nationality and feel a deep connection to marine life due to the Maldives’ rich biodiversity – and the unique and intimate opportunities to observe marine megafauna unlike anywhere else in the world.
Rio was previously based in Baa, where he spent six years conducting coral reef restoration and REEF check surveys, and collecting data on nesting titan triggerfish and disease prevalence. Rio explains how his inspiration behind pursuing a career in marine conservation began at an early age: “Since I was a child, I always wondered how it would feel to navigate the ocean like a fish and see the world from their perspective. After watching the documentary Sharkwater, the seed was planted for my deep love of sharks and my personal mission to protect shark species in the Maldives.“
Fithu pursued working in the conservation sector via an alternate path. As a dedicated artist, she finds creativity from observing ocean creatures, especially “the enigmatic nature of whale sharks with their colossal size yet graceful presence.” She adds: ”They captivate my imagination and are the muse behind many of my art pieces.”
Look out for the next article about these gentle giants, coming soon.
The Nautilus is just a 15-minute luxury yacht ride from Hanifaru Bay, 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.