Bottlenose dolphins on the House Reef!!

It was just a normal Monday morning in paradise.... I was heading to the house reef by speedboat to do some coral maintenance on the coral frames. On the way we ran into some unexpected visitors.... a pod of about 40 bottlenose dolphins. There was no way that i wasnt go to jump in with them, even if it was just to get a fleeting glimpse, it would be worth it. Well i got more than just a glimpse....  I free dived down to follow them and got about 4m away. It was amazing to see them all swimming together, their tails bobbing up and down. I could hear them clearly too, whistleing away as dolphns do! One of them was definitely checking me out, nodding his smiley head at me. At that moment in time, nothing else mattered, its as if time stopped, oxygen did not matter, i was fully in the moment swimming with a pod of beautiful dolphins. I just wanted to follow them, so down i went, deeper and deeper without even realising or caring how deep i was going, i just wanted to follow them. However, my lungs suddenly released enough was enough and brought me back from my moment. When i looked up to the surface, i was like shit! that's a long way off, atleast 12m maybe more, it was definitely time to go up. I was lucky enough to have my camera with me so i got some nice shots, evidence that it did really happen :) 

Sharks - the natural wonders of the oceans. What is there not to love....

It’s been a shark infested week with lots of sightings, black tip reef sharks, white tip reef sharks, grey reefs and nurse sharks. I am not complaining! Sharks are definitely one of my most favourite marine animals so I thought it was about time I blogged about these awesome predators…

Why is it we have such a fear about sharks? When I was younger I was also scared to death of sharks. The movie Jaws did not help! My fear for the unknown led to a fascination… I was hooked! I wanted to learn everything about sharks and gain a deeper understanding of the thing that frightened me the most. Not a bad thing really, as ultimately as a result, I fell in love with the oceans, which is why I became a Marine Biologist.

I love seeing sharks in their natural habitat, swimming with them is so captivating, they are so graceful and mysterious, but unfortunately not everyone feels the same way as me. In today’s world when you think of shark, one image comes to mind more often than any other…. “Jaws”, a vicious, man-eating, indiscriminate killer. The media does not help, in fact their stereotypic characterisation of sharks are full of misinformation. They portray sharks as monsters of the deep, but this is the myth not the reality, a reputation which is widespread but hardly deserved.

Sharks are one of the oldest living things on earth. They have been here for over 400 million years, 150 million years before the dinosaurs. Throughout this time they have remain unchanged and are still the top predators in the oceans: the lions and tigers of the seas. Sharks are vital for maintaining a healthy balance of life in the oceans. They feed on the sick and dying, and on the larger animals such as the whales, seals and tuna, which have few predators. The oceans remain healthy because every organism in it is part of a complex food web. If sharks were removed then it could be disastrous to the ocean ecosystem. So believe it or not, we need sharks in our oceans.

Statistically, the chances of being attacked by a shark are tiny (about 1 in 11.5 million).  In 2012, there were only 80 shark attacks worldwide, 7 of which were fatal. The fact is, you are more likely to be hit by a car or even struck by lightning than you are to be attacked by a shark. Elephants, crocodiles, even defective toasters kill more people each year than sharks!! Considering how many millions of people use the oceans everyday, and the few attacks that occur every year, is an excellent indication that sharks do not eat people. Most attacks are simply accidental or a case of mistaken identity whereby sharks confuse surfers for prey like seals or turtles.

Sharks, however, need our help. While they kill fewer than 10 people a year, their own numbers suffer greatly at human hands. Scientists estimate that worldwide up to 100 million sharks are killed every year and as a result 50 species are listed as vulnerable or in danger of extinction. One reason that shark populations have declined so rapidly is that many common fishing methods accidentally capture sharks in addition to the targeted fish. Long lines and gill nets are the most destructive. Every year they are responsible for killing millions of sea creatures, which are needlessly drowned in these lines and nets. Not just sharks, but rays, whales, dolphins, albatrosses and sea turtles are also affected This is less of an issue in the Maldives as net fishing is illegal but unfortunately they are used in many parts of the world.

What’s even worse is that sharks are now directly targeted by fishermen, who kill them just for their fins!!! The fins are used to make shark fin soup which is a very traditional dish to eat in China and Asia. It is a symbol of wealth and served as a sign of respect, but unfortunately this delicacy is responsible for decimating shark population all over the world. Fins can fetch more than 450 US$ per pound which makes sharks hot targets for fisherman. Its also very cruel, the fins are often sliced off while the shark is still alive and then the body of the shark is wastefully dumped back into the sea for a slow and painful death. As sharks are slow growing and reproduce at a slow rate their populations cannot handle this high demand from the shark fin trade, with some species on the brink of extinction!!!

As well as being a vital component of our oceans, sharks are also one of the most important attractions for the Maldives tourism industry. According to surveys, about 30 per cent of tourists visit the Maldives for its underwater marine life, viewing sharks and manta rays as their top priorities. Shark populations in the Maldives declined in recent years due to shark fishing. However, since March 2009 a ban on reef shark fishing was implemented followed by a complete ban of both reef and oceanic sharks in 2010. It’s only been 4 years but there are definitely more and more shark sightings which is great.

The Republic of Palau, the Marshall Islands, the Bahamas, Raja Ampat, Egypt, Honduras, Fiji and American Samoa also recognize how important sharks are to healthy marine environments. They have banned fishing of all sharks in their waters to help protect sharks and support local tourism. More recently, in December, French Polynesia and the Cook Islands also joined together to create the world’s largest shark sanctuary. This is fantastic news and could well be the start of a positive trend in shark conservation so hopefully the support for shark sanctuaries will continue to grow. It really is about time that we respect these fascinating animals and give them the space they need to live. Sharks really are beautiful animals…. Once you get to know them!! 

White-tip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus) - the most common shark in the Maldives

White-tip reef shark - grows to about 2m

Black-tip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) - a shallow water shark grows to about 1.8m

Grey reef shark (Carcharhinus Amblyrhynchos) - usually in channels and areas with strong currents. Grows to about 2m

Nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) - a bottom dwelling shark growing to about 3.5m

The Year of the Turtle Hatchlings at One&Only Reethi Rah

This year has definitely been the year of the turtle hatchlings at One&Only Reethi Rah. There have been 7 green turtle nests on the island which were laid during May and June. These nests were probably laid by 3 different turtles as each turtle will usually lay 2 or 3 nests during the season. Unfortunately I never got to meet the mama turtles, they always disappeared back into the sea before I got there just leaving their tracks behind… hopefully one day! One of them actually ended up in a guest villa pool!!! Not sure what she was thinking, maybe she just needed a quick dip to cool off as crawling up the beach can be quite exhausting especially if you weigh up to 400 pounds!! She did need our help to get out of the pool though, it took 2 staff members to lift her out so she could make her way back to the sea. Unfortunately I missed it all again as I was away on holiday, gutted!!

I did get to see most of the nests hatch though so I can’t really complain. Baby turtles are just the cutest little things and I got to see about 250 of them! The first nest hatching was definitely the most memorable for me. When I arrived at the nest there were just a few hatchlings sticking out of the sand all piled up on top of each other. It looked like they were sleeping as their eyes were all closed and they were all so still. There were a few tiny heads just poking out of the sand as well. It was definitely one of the cutest things I have ever seen. It didn’t take them long, after about 10 minutes, one hatchling started to wriggle which disturbed all the others and then boom, the nest erupted. Within about 30 seconds hatchlings were everywhere. All of them were crawling on top of each other to escape the nest and make their way to the sea. It was amazing to watch. They usually follow the light of the moon to guide themselves to the water but we also used torches to light their way. They are actually quicker then you would think and as they got closer to the sea they started to speed up, there little flippers flapping all over the place. It was a funny sight (and very cute!), it’s like they are so excited to make it to the water. After being in the nest and under the sand for 50-60 days I can see why getting to the water asap would be appealing! They do need to be quick though, as they are only 2 inches in size, they make bite sized meals for birds and crabs, and depending on were they are in the world, even crocodiles and raccoons will eat them! And it’s not over, even when they make it to the water, fish, sharks and stingrays will all be lined up waiting to eat then and only 1 in a 1000 hatchlings will make it to adulthood!! Hmmm, not such good odds after all!!

Nest 1 - This was definitely one of the cutest things i have ever seen

Boom!! Here they all come

As you can see very excited to get to the water

In order to increase their chances of survival we collected all the hatchlings before they entered the water and then released them the next day in the open sea were there are fewer predators. Our guests got to participate and help release the hatchlings and as you can imagine loved the whole experience. When they enter the water, the hatchlings undergo a period of hyperactive swimming, termed the frenzy, during which they swim continuously for up to 24 hours to make their way out to sea. They will spend their first few years out in the open ocean were they seek some kind of camouflage, driftwood or algae beds, and then when they reach dinner plate size they return inshore. Scientists call this incredible journey the “lost years”.

Chilling out before being released into the big blue

Or having a quick nap! 

Yep, dont mind me!

Goodluck litle one!!

Bon voyage....

So I was lucky enough to witness one of nature’s most amazing wonders and not just once but 5 times and each time was just as perfect. How lucky am I. And unlike last year, all these hatchling were quite considerate of my sleep and hatched at a reasonable hour, usually before midnight! One nest did hatch in a rain storm though, just 21 that time. The rest were probably too cozy under the sand to come out!

Wait for it...

Another exploding nest!!

The other 2 nests that hatched at Sunrise Beach were nests that we did not know about so we weren’t monitoring them for hatchling activity! At 11pm the hatchlings were discovered all over the road by the buggy drivers who put them all in a pond until I got there…. Not sure how many came out of the nest but they managed to collect 44 of the little guys. They must have been disorientated by the lights and therefore went the wrong way! Hopefully the rest of the nest managed to get to the sea before they were eaten by predators!

So all in all we released about 250 hatchlings into the big blue. It’s been a crazy month but so worth it. I’m sure everyone who’s been involved, with either leading the hatchlings down the beach or releasing them into the sea, will have some very special and beautiful memories that will they will never forget. I know i do. Hopefully some of these hatchlings will make it to adulthood and return to Reethi Rah in the future to lay more nests. This is a remarkable fact about sea turtles. They will always return to lay their nests on the same beach they were born decades before....

The Coral Eating Starfish - Crown of Thorns

Although the Crown of Thorns Starfish (COTS), Acanthaster planci, is not something to be excited about in the slightest, it is worth blogging about, as they are quite interesting creatures. There are actually over 2000 different species of starfish or sea stars. Most have the remarkable ability to consume prey outside their bodies and they can also regenerate entire limbs! The general consensus about starfish though, are that they are nice, pretty, colourful  little animals, but the COTS is far from it. The second largest starfish in the world, it has a diameter of up to 3 feet and up to 21 arms! There bright colours make them quite beautiful and nice to look at, but beneath their fortress of protective poisonous spines is something quite deadly and destructive.

Crown-of-thorns starfish are one of the most damaging creatures of tropical coral reefs. They are corallivores, preying on living coral polyps! COTS especially like to eat the fast- growing Acropora species, particularly table corals. With hundreds of sucker-like tube feet they climb onto living corals and then throw out their stomach through their mouth to digest the coral tissue alive so it can be absorbed! Not so nice! This leaves a white scar of dead coral skeleton. One starfish can consume up to 6 square meters of living coral reef per year. Natural numbers of these starfish on the reef are not a huge problem, however, if there is a huge population boom, whereby their numbers are increased in their hundreds, well they can ultimately devastate entire reefs.

So it was not the best news when one of the dive instructors reported seeing many of them on the outside reef of the atoll! What to do? COTS do have natural predators, titan trigger fish, napoleon humphead wrasse and the huge triton snail, but not so many on the reef as to eat all the starfish. We decided the best plan of action was to collect and remove the starfish from the reef before they wipe it out for themselves. It was the right thing to do. During a 5 minute swim along the reef I counted 300 of them. I have never seen so many before, it was shocking. They had devoured part of the reef leaving just the white skeletons of dead corals in the wake of their feeing path. Our mission was on.... we did back to back dives and managed to collect most of the them so not bad for a days work!!

Though scientists do not know for certain what causes COTS outbreaks, there are a number of possibilities:

• the outbreaks are part of a natural cycle
• overfishing and the decline of the starfishes natural predators
• human disturbance such as agricultural  run-off of nutrients from land leading to phytoplankton blooms which provide more food for the starfish larvae.

Hopefully that will be the last we see of them for a long time. This is definitely one animal that i do not feel guilty about digging a hole and tossing them all in! 

 COTS devouring a large table coral. The white skeleton is the dead coral and the brown is still living, for the time being anyway!

Mission on - collecting as many as possible. We used fins or sticks to pick them up as they are covered in protective venomous spines which can give a nasty sting

So many on the reef consuming all the coral in their paths. It was heartbreaking :(

Greedy buggers! The coral has no chance...

Their sucker tube like feed to move around with a mouth in the middle

 A dead white coral skeleton, Acropora clathrata, which use to be beautiful and alive!

 All the dead white coral skeletons. It was like swimming over a grave yard!

 Bringing them up to the surface

  

Whoop whoop, mission accomplished. They dont smell too good on the surface though

We collected about 250 all together. Was a great team effort