Conservation Divers

Hammerhead sharks (credit: Conservation International(

The international organization Conservation International (CI) has assisted the rescue and radio tagging of whale sharks to monitor their movements and population dynamics. The organization notes that sharks are under threat everywhere from massive and illegal overfishing to supply their fins for a soup prized in Asia. With low reproduction rates, shark populations are declining in many regions. The ancient fish has values more important than a tasteless soup such as supporting island economies from conservation diving tours, helping in coral reef recovery, and maintaining the ecological balance of marine life.

Efforts are underway in many countries to protect these ancient fish. CI supports a whale shark monitoring initiative in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The goal is to help maintain a healthy population of these amazing marine creatures by involving the local people. A video explains the program. WHB

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