Latest news with #SharkWatchProject
Bangkok Post
10-07-2025
- Science
- Bangkok Post
158 blacktip reef sharks spotted in Maya Bay
Thai marine researchers have reported a remarkable sighting of 158 blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) off the coast of the southern province of Krabi. The sighting was made in Maya Bay, part of Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, said the researchers from the Marine National Park Research Centre Region 3 (Trang). The presence of so many sharks is another encouraging sign for Maya Bay, which has become a model for successful marine conservation after years of ecological restoration efforts. The site gained fame — and notoriety — as the locale for the hit movie The Beach 25 years ago. The discovery was made during a survey conducted from July 2-8 as part of the Shark Watch Project. It marks the highest number of blacktip reef sharks observed at one time in the bay, according to the research team. The peak occurred on the morning of July 3 when researchers spotted all 158 sharks simultaneously using aerial drones and BRUV (baited remote underwater video) units to count and study their natural behaviour. Th large gathering of sharks is seen as a positive sign of a healthy marine ecosystem, the researchers said. As apex predators, blacktip reef sharks play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance. The findings will support future conservation planning and sustainable ecotourism in Maya Bay, which continues to recover after years of environmental restoration, said the research team.
Miami Herald
09-07-2025
- Miami Herald
Famed Thai bay once decimated by tourism is now teeming with sharks. See them
Researchers in Thailand have documented the largest school of blacktip reef sharks ever recorded during an annual shark survey. Up to 158 sharks, all part of the same group, were recorded in Maya Bay during the Shark Watch Project survey that took place between July 2 and 8, according to a July 9 Facebook post from Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. The research team used drones to count the number of sharks and underwater cameras to observe their behavior, according to wildlife experts. The presence of the school indicates the ecosystem within Maya Bay is healthy and able to sustain a large population, according to the post. Decimated ecosystem rebounds According to the conservation group OceansAsia, decades of unregulated tourism to Maya Bay decimated its ecosystem, leaving the seafloor 'devoid of any life.' The bay was closed in 2019 to allow for conservation efforts and natural restoration of the habitat. Thailand national park staff and volunteers planted coral for nearly a year and a half. About 16 months later, a group of over 100 blacktip reef sharks returned to the bay, which they used as a nursery, according to the group. Maya Bay, which can see up to 4,000 visitors per day, was reopened in 2022 but now closes from Aug. 1 to Oct. 1 each year for conservation efforts, according to government officials and travel websites. Maya Bay is on Phi Phi Leh Island, located off the southeast coast of Phuket. Google Translate was used to translate the Facebook post from Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.
