Monthly Update for January 2025
Hello!
2025 is well underway, and our teams have been busy! While some of our field teams have been dodging rain and rough seas this month, that hasn't stopped the amazing work.
In Mozambique, our Zavora team made the most of weather delays by building new monitoring infrastructure, while our Florida crew ventured southward to expand our manta research to Miami! Over in Indonesia, the team's been busy strengthening bonds with local schools and sharing exciting findings about Nusa Penida's manta population.
As we kick off 2025, I want to thank all our new monthly supporters!! You are essential for building a strong foundation of regular support. These diversified monthly contributions help us weather uncertain times and plan confidently for the future, ensuring we can maintain and grow our vital research and conservation work.
So, if you've been thinking about becoming a monthly supporter, there's no better time than now - join us today by clicking the "Support MMF" button below.
I'm excited to share these highlights from our recent work around the world. Read on...
Very Best,
Madeleine.
P.S Did you get a chance to check out our 2024 Impact Report? If not, here's a link for later :)
MMF Indonesia
Ocean Talks on Research Findings
Ocean enthusiasts gathered at the Indo Ocean Research and Education Center to hear crucial findings about local manta populations. Janis shared her Master's thesis results, which show increasing manta numbers in the Nusa Penida MPA through individual sight and resight data, while Thania presented evidence that Manta Point greatly exceeds its visitor capacity during peak season - important data for developing sustainable tourism practices.
Schools and Snorkeling: Teaching Conservation
The team kept busy with education work - hosting Wood School Bali students for two days of learning, snorkeling, and turtle data collection, and visiting SDN 2 Lembongan for English lessons and hands-on microplastics research workshops, and giving talks to University of Plymouth students at Scuba Junkie Penida (followed by in-water turtle surveys). These programs are essential to build local support and capacity for marine conservation.
Indo Strategic Planning Session
MMF Indonesia rounded off the year with a team assessment to reflect on our achievements over 2024, discuss ways to improve our performance, and plan for the year ahead. Here’s to a fin-tastic 2025!
MMF Florida
Mantas in Miami: Expanding South
Despite rough winter conditions, the team ventured into Miami for exploratory surveys, finding Stevie Ray (Manta 192) far south of our usual study area. This discovery supports our planned research expansion south into Miami to learn more about manta habitat use in highly-urbanized areas.
Winter Waters Teeming with Life
Recent aerial surveys spotted 7 manta rays, a hammerhead shark, 8 turtles including a leatherback, multiple dolphin pods, and many many manatees! Boat surveys sighted other amazing wildlife as well, including mola mola, more hammerheads and turtles, spotted eagle rays, other sharks, and yet more manatees! On one survey, we also were able to remove a fishing line from an entangled turtle. We identified two new manta rays, bringing our total population up to 212.
Guitarfish Project Gains Momentum
The Atlantic Freckled Guitarfish project encountered 8 individuals this month, adding to our database of over 200 Atlantic Freckled Guitarfish. The team set up 7 new acoustic receivers and tagged one guitarfish, helping us track their movements and identify critical habitat. Divers and snorkelers can now contribute to this research by reporting sightings to florida@marinemegafauna.org with: (1) your photos, (2) date and time of sighting/s, and (3) the location.
3,700 Students Join Ocean Journey
The team reached 3,700 students with lessons about manta rays and marine conservation through 2024, helping build the next generation of ocean advocates.
MMF Mozambique
Zavora Base Station Development
With rough weather keeping the Zavora team out of the water, they grabbed this chance to construct a new base station for receiver deployment. The station will be deployed with a new receiver next month, strengthening our network for monitoring marine life movements along the Inhambane coast.
Growing Our Tofo Monitoring Team
Following that, Ed and Emily from Zavora headed to Tofo to help Nilza with receiver changeovers and to train new research staff Dercio and Simão, who will manage the Tofo array in the future. Ongoing training of our research team in maintaining the passive acoustic tracking network is essential for the long-term success of this array, as our tags are designed to operate for 10+ years.
Persistent Manta Presence
Even with limited diving opportunities due to bad weather and low visitor numbers, both January dives in Zavora had manta sightings, confirming they're still around – yay!
MMF Around the World
Long-Term Friends: Mafia's Whale Sharks
Jens Paulsen just finished this year’s whale shark monitoring season at Mafia Island. Together with Dr Jesse Cochran and the team from KAUST, they identified 33 different whale sharks, including some that have been seen at Mafia Island since our project began in 2012.
Following Mafia's Baby Reef Sharks
Together with Rianne Laan and the team from Thanda Island, we have conducted the first BRUVS survey to count and identify individual blacktip reef sharks within the Shungimbili Island Marine Reserve. The area appears to be important for small pups, and monitoring this site over the coming year will examine this potential nursery area in more detail.
Leopard Sharks in Focus
MMF Research Associate Dr David Robinson and his team at Sundive Research have identified almost 500 endangered leopard (zebra) sharks from Byron Bay, Australia. Read all about it in the Byron Coast Times.
It's been a busy start to 2025 across our projects. From tracking marine giants to teaching the next generation of ocean guardians, every day brings us closer to our conservation goals. But there's still so much more to do.
We can't do all this alone.
Can you join MMF as a monthly supporter?
Your support is crucial in fueling these vital efforts. By joining us, you become a champion for our ocean planet.
Your membership directly contributes to:
Cutting-edge research on endangered marine wildlife
Empowering local communities through sustainable livelihoods
Educating the next generation about ocean conservation
Together, we can create a healthier, more vibrant ocean for all.
Thanks again for your support!
Dr Simon Pierce
Co-founder, Marine Megafauna Foundation
