MWSRP Megaufauna Sightings Report 2011 & 2012

Abstract

Over two seasons in 2011 and 2012, the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme logged all sightings of marine megafauna during the course of their whale shark search transects within the South Ari atoll Marine Protected Area. The species, exact location and number of individuals were recorded at each encounter, with surface weather conditions being noted each day. A total of 14 species were recorded, with each species being allocated to an MWSRP defined class; cetaceans, turtles, billfish and elasmobranches. The MWSRP did not set out to answer any specific questions on marine megafauna, but a wide variation in the abundance of different species within the classes and the number of individuals per species was observed. In the case of the manta ray (Manta alfredi), seasonal variation in distribution over the MPA was marked. The analysis of this data also appears to show that the habitat preference of a species may relate to the frequency of sightings, individual abundance and distribution of the species within the MPA. The MWSRP presents this information to provide observational data for both MPA decision makers and for further study by species experts.