Fuvahmulah cameras reveal a shared refuge for sharks and rays
Unbaited cameras around Fuvahmulah in the southern Maldives detected seven shark and four ray species in a peer-reviewed habitat survey. Across 743 hours of observations, the animals appeared on 60 of 63 days. Different species favoured different sites, giving conservation planning a local baseline while the daytime survey left other parts of the atoll unobserved.
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Eleven species appeared across three sites
Sharks and rays appeared on 60 of 63 observation days at Fuvahmulah in the Maldives’ southern waters. The peer-reviewed survey, published on 25 October, identified seven shark and four ray species using fixed cameras without bait. Between March and August 2022, the cameras collected 743 hours of observations at three sites. Approximately 1.63 million images supplied a detailed view of daytime activity, with at least one shark or ray visible in about 72% of observed hours.[1]
Cleaning stations and reef slopes drew different visitors
Habitat use varied within this small study area. Pelagic thresher sharks spent extended periods at Kedevari, a cleaning station where animals can have parasites removed. Whitetip reef sharks appeared particularly consistently across the observations. At Farikede, a reef site around the same atoll, the largest group distinguishable in a single image contained 21 grey reef sharks. Repeated appearances could involve the same individuals, so these images describe presence and site use rather than the size of the atoll’s population.[1]
Protected reefs also sustain dive tourism
Marine protection status has applied to Farikede since 2020. Conservation and local livelihoods meet here because dive tourism depends on encounters with these animals. The observations provide a baseline for habitat management, although the survey lacked a before-and-after comparison of protection. Daylight sampling and rough conditions that prevented coverage of the western coast also restricted its reach. The influence of nearby tiger-shark feeding activities on the monitored sites remains unresolved.[1]
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