#Repost @maestro320 ・・・ "Golden Rays" - A little something from the Philippine Islands shot on location at Apo Island courtesy of LAMAVE Project or Large Marine Vertebrate Project @lamaveproject - The Philippines is often considered the world epicentre of marine biodiversity with approximately 200 species of shark and ray thought to inhabit its waters. However, data on the current status of shark and ray populations in the Philippines is notoriously scant, which is of concern when implementing effective management strategies, especially for species at risk of exploitation. Sharks and rays are experiencing large scale declines worldwide and creating baseline information on remaining populations is crucial in helping to develop the appropriate management tools to aid in their conservation. In 2015, LAMAVE began working with the Tubbataha Management Office to assess the diversity and abundance of sharks and rays in Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park. The teams initial research focused on using Baited Remote Underwater Visual Systems (BRUVS) to gather baseline information on the presence of sharks and rays. In 2016 the BRUVS project expanded into a nationwide shark and ray assessment, and LAMAVE partnered with the Global Fin Print Project as part of an international effort to assess the current status of elasmobranchs in reef sites worldwide. Another focus area of our research is to understand how sharks are using protected areas, and the movements they make within and outside park boundaries. To do this we are using various tags (satellite, acoustic) to track and monitor individuals. #SeaTurtle🐢 #Lamave #Whaleshark #Conservation #Research #Education #Tagging #Philippines #ItsMoreFunInThePhilippines🌴🌊🦈
