Underwater timelapse cameras placed on shallow reefs across Fuvahmulah Atoll in the Maldives detected sharks or rays on 95% of days, according to findings from researchers at the Manta Trust and the University of Victoria.
The study analyzed 1.6 million daytime images gathered between March and August 2022 from cameras stationed across three shallow reef locations. The photographic survey revealed that elasmobranchs appeared across 72% of daylight hours, recording a total of 11 distinct shark and ray species. The highest concentrations of sharks were documented within the atoll’s marine protected area.
The observations offer a rare bright spot amid global declines in shark and ray populations. Researchers noted that habitats such as Fuvahmulah demonstrate that these marine species can still thrive where local reef ecosystems are protected and managed.
Sustaining targeted marine protections in key habitats remains critical not only for long term biodiversity conservation, but also for securing local livelihoods that depend directly on healthy marine life, including dive tourism and island-based economies.
