At MWSRP we believe in open access data but also in making that data interesting and accessible. The Whale Shark Network Maldives App is 7 years of data rolled into one neat easy to use application, allowing you to keep track of what we’re up to and what the sharks are up to on a daily basis. The following is your guide to the main sections of the app.
Shark Feed
Initially you’ll land on a home page newsreel or ‘Shark Feed’ which will keep you up to date with all the latest encounters, tweets and news stories relating to MWSRP research, outreach projects and volunteer opportunities. Tap any encounter to view all the imagery and details recorded
Shark Stats
‘Shark stats’ gives the geeks among us all the facts and figures we desire! Keep up with whale shark vitals on a weekly, monthly and all time basis:
• In the weekly section you’ll get a feel for how many sharks are being seen, where they are being seen and which of the contributors has been the luckiest!
• As well as telling us about how many new recruits we have to our register, the monthly section gives some indication as to our impact that month… how many new boat strike injuries were sustained and how long were the whale shark happy to swim with us for?
• The All Time records are there to give you an overview of the reach of the network and also give a rough idea as to what chance there is of you seeing a whale shark if you embark on an excursion
Encounter Map
Keep track of where and when ‘your’ whale shark turns up and browse through footage of each encounter as and when it turns up on the Map page. You’ll be able to ‘filter the feed’ (see what we did there) by shark name or by time. For example you can see how the location of whale shark encounters shift between monsoons!
Shark Profiles
Like a whale shark top trumps! Check out each sharks profile to find out its vital statistics and when, where and who found it first, last and how many times it’s been seen in between! Once you have found your favourite, look up the extent of its stomping grounds on the map!
