The Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP), as its name suggests, study whale sharks in the Republic of Maldives. However, that aspect of their work is merely the tip of the ice berg.

The programme was created in 2006, when four British university graduates set off to the 1192-island archipelago on a pilot study in search of the whale shark, after learning from the dive industry (already well established in the Maldives) that there were a substantial number of whale sharks throughout the country but not one person was studying them. After a huge amount of research, reality struck – the world knew little about this magnificent species – any data would help to further protection efforts for the already vulnerable species.

The rich ecosystem of the Maldives plays host to a year-round aggregation of the largest fish in the Ocean, a fact very few places in the world can claim – the majority of whale shark aggregation sites, such as Ningaloo Reef in Australia, are only seasonal hot spots. Although the reason the whale sharks inhabit Maldivian waters year-round is still unknown, it is clear that the Maldives is a globally significant site, possibly the best place in the world to see and study these animals.

View slide show of the beautiful Maldivian waters by Alan Betson from the Irish Times

In 2007, the team returned to the picture-perfect chain of islands to continue logging whale shark encounters. This time they secured sponsorship from the resort Conrad Rangali Island, which has, to this day, continued to provide logistical support to make the in-filed research possible. The team also initiated a collaborative genetic analysis study with Dr. Jennifer Schmidt to determine how the whale sharks in the Maldives are related to others in the Indian Ocean.

The team encountered over sixty whale sharks in the two-month expedition and managed to collect sixteen skin samples from different individuals. They also began to realise the very real threats that the sharks and the ecosystem faced, especially in South Ari Atoll. These threats, along with the needs for continued efforts to study and monitor the whale sharks, convinced the team to return the following year.

The year 2008 became a real turning point for the MWSRP. The data collected over the previous two years enabled the MWSRP to bring the issues to the Maldivian government’s attention. Together with the tour and dive industries, the programme developed the “Whale Shark Encounter Guidelines” to help make whale shark tourism more sustainable. The government also pledged their support for the programme and invited the MWSRP to develop a Marine Protected Area (MPA) proposal for South Ari’s whale shark hotspot.

The MWSRP team had also been busy working with the local community members and it was beginning to show tangible results – they were realising the ecological importance of the whale shark. Until recently, Maldivians used to hunt the whale shark for their liver oil. The older generation can vividly remember when a whale shark was caught, “It was a real community event. The whole island would come to the beach to help drag the shark over the reef and onto the beach where it would be cut open”.

Caught whale shark on the beach

In order to re-establish a connection between Maldivians and the whale shark, the issues the local people faced – a lack of employment and educational opportunities, no real way of providing power to their islands sustainably, no waste management systems and no direct benefits from the tourism exploiting their natural resources – need to be addressed.

When asked which career path he would take a fifteen year old student replied, “I want to be a doctor, but I cannot because there are very few higher education opportunities in the Maldives. I will end up working in a resort”. This, in essence, summarizes the reason why MWSRP has identified education as one of the critical areas to focus on in order to support local capacity building and to empower Maldivians to pursue sustainable development.

A whale shark educational day in South Ari Atoll

In 2008, the programme also launched a collaborative initiative with Dr. Brent Stewart of the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute – the first whale shark tagging project in the Maldives. This project proved instrumental in the development of South Ari Atoll’s MPA. Dr. Stewart would also become a trusted friend and integral part of the MWSRP team and advisory committee.

The tag tracks showed that the sharks were highly mobile but always returned to their preferred habitat in South Ari Atoll. This data, combined with three years of photo identification work by MWSRP, suggested that the sharks utilising Maldivian waters may be a resident population.

One of fifteen individual whale sharks tagged with satellite tags

Even with all of the programme’s success, the MWSRP lacked necessary funding and resources, in order to commit one hundred percent to the research work. The draw of doing “what you love doing for a great cause” was too much for two MWSRP members – Richard Rees and Adam Harman – who decided to give up their careers, sell their possessions and pool their resources enabling the programme to exist for another year, with the goal of securing long-term funding.

(Left) Adam Harman (Right) Richard Rees

Richard and Adam returned to the archipelago in December 2008. The goal for the trip: recover the remaining archival tags, attempt to secure some long term funding and to develop the MPA. They also piloted a volunteer scheme which enables the MWSRP to utilise a wide range of expertise while providing each volunteer with research experience – or that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The year 2009 has seen the successful development of South Ari Atoll’s MPA, which is on its way to becoming the first collaboratively managed and regulated, revenue generating MPA in the Maldives, ensuring the local community benefits from their natural resources whilst making tourism more sustainable. Resorts are already committing to sponsoring the initiative following consultations with the MWSRP.

Nearly three hundred whale shark encounters have been recorded in 2009. The team has grown to four, with two voluntary part time staff, Ben Fothergill and Rachel Bott, and a host of dedicated specialist volunteers and companies providing pro bono support – such as the international law firm Hogan and Hartson. The year also brought the MWSRP recognition from the scientific world, and a vast amount of media attention – ultimately helping to raise awareness of the plight of the shark.

In the coming year, the MWSRP will develop, in partnership with Sheppard Robson and the Maldives’ Ministry of Tourism, a 100 % self-sufficient eco-facility, which will enable a year-round presence for visiting researchers, scientists, students, teachers and volunteers. In addition, two international student exchange schemes are in motion, in the UK and in Qatar and a two part feature documentary will be produced by Feel Films.

As the team continue to seek additional funding, support and opportunities, the MPA development will continue with baseline coral reef and species specific studies, and a MPA management specific NGO will be created, strengthening the whale shark research to provide the scientific basis behind the programme’s broader conservation goals. To become involved with the MWSRP or for more information, please visit: MWSRP.org.

Photograph in this article – Copyright of MWSRP