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Seychelles
whale shark monitoring newsletter
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June 2004 Vol
2, No. 2
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Did you know?
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Our “Save the Whale Shark
Campaign, India” article (Sagren
vol.2.1) drew several comments which revealed that the
impetus for the campaign originated with the work of
film-maker Mike Pandey.
Mike struggled against great opposition for three
years to make his film ‘Shores of Silence’ to
expose the plight of the whale shark in India to the world. The film was awarded the Green Oscar in Britain in 2000
and his images have ignited the
current campaign in India.
We
would like to thank all readers who contacted us about
this and
wish to congratulate Mike and all those working hard to
conserve this species in often very difficult conditions.
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NOTICE
BOARD |
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Whale
Shark Sightings
April - June 2004
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In-water Sightings
174 reported sightings
78 in-water encounters
28 sharks identified
16 sharks tagged
18 sharks sexed (14M/4F)
15 sharks resighted from this season
0 Sharks resighted from last season
Aerial Sightings
1 partial survey
27 sharks
sighted
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Please
send us any comments or news for inclusion by clicking |
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www.mcss.
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MOZAMBIQUE WHALE SHARKS UNDER ATTACK
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The
remains of the juvenile whale shark left on the
shore at Tofo
Photo: tofoscuba.com
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Whale
sharks in the Western Indian Ocean are being targeted by
local fishermen; a report from Tofo Beach at Inhambane,
Mozambique recently revealed. According to a local report
"a juvenile whale shark was captured by artisanal
fishermen with nets in the open ocean, and dragged to the
shore where it was promptly slaughtered. This is not the
first time that this particular area of Inhambane has
suffered such slaughter as Manta Rays, famous from the
area, are caught on a regular basis."
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Full article>> |
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| The
Power of Healing, whale shark
style
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The whale
shark seen in June 2003 with wounds already beginning
to heal.
Photo Allison Richards |
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Sharks
have long been known to be remarkably cancer free and
anyone familiar with whale sharks has probably had first
hand experience of the impressive healing abilities these
sharks exhibit. Allison Richards has managed to capture a
remarkable time series of photographs from this whale
shark she first recorded off Ningaloo reef, Western
Australia, in April 2003 with two horrendous bites,
probably from a great white shark. Almost the entire
dorsal fin had been bitten off and a large chunk had been
carved from the sharks left side....
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Full article>> |
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| June
Whale
Shark Bonanza in Seychelles |
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A whale
sharks feeding at the surface off North Mahe, June
2004.
Photo Valerie Houmeau |
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June
2004 has broken all records for whale shark sightings in
Seychelles with an early peak of 131 sightings of which a
total of 63 were from the North of Mahe. In past years
there have always been a few sharks seen in June and
sometimes around the North of Mahe, but never anything of
this intensity....
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Full article>> |
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| Ocean-wide
protection a step closer? |
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The
recently reported slaughter of a whale shark off Tofo
Mozambique (see article 1
in this issue) has once again highlighted the need
for ocean wide protection of the species and this may
indeed be a step closer. Over the last year MCSS has been
building a network of partners throughout the Indian Ocean
who have one thing in common, a commitment to conserving
this most magnificent of sharks...
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Full article>> |
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| If
you see a whale shark.... |
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Please let us
know! Please get as much information as possible, where
when, how many, how big, what it was doing etc. then call
us, e-mail us or fill out our on-line sighting form every
sighting is important in building a picture of these
sharks movements and behaviour around Seychelles
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More details>> |
| Adopt
a whale shark.... |
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By becoming
a whale shark foster parent you are ensuring that research
on whale sharks is continued. Your support will assist in
protecting these amazing creatures and ensure that they
continue roaming the world’s tropical oceans.
Adopt
me !
Mazarin
(s275): A 4½ m juvenile male whale shark tagged on
the 25th January 2003 near L'ilôt Island. He has a
distinct scaring pattern and is easily recognized.
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More details>> |
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