Our days were spent surveying the South Ari Marine Protected Area (SAMPA) on a smaller research vessel, recording sightings of notable marine life like turtles, dolphins, and manta rays; collecting data on plankton in feeding zones; measuring environmental variables; and, of course, searching for whale sharks.

The whale shark (Rhincodon typus), the largest fish in the ocean, can grow over 18 metres long. Despite their size, they are docile plankton feeders and completely harmless to humans. In the Maldives, they are most commonly seen in SAMPA and are beloved by both locals and tourists. Each shark in the Maldives is given a name in Dhivehi, the local language, as well as an ID number.

Our first sighting came toward the end of the day: a male named Bajiyya, a type of Maldivian samosa. I’ll never forget seeing a whale shark up close for the first time. It didn’t seem real. My brain couldn’t quite comprehend that the massive, beautifully patterned creature swimming by me was alive. For a split second, it even felt like an animatronic.

We continued to be lucky, spotting whale sharks a total of nine times and identifying six individuals, with a few repeat sightings. On our best day, we had four separate encounters.

But with the joy of seeing these animals came the sobering reality of the threats they face. One day, while in the water measuring a shark from a respectful distance, we were suddenly surrounded by numerous boats.

We watched as tourists were instructed to jump in, nearly landing on top of the animal. Over ten boats crowded the area, speeding toward the shark, both of which are illegal under SAMPA regulations.

We also saw multiple sharks bearing scars from boat propellers. One especially tragic case was a young male named Hudhu Velhi (White Sand). In 2021, a propeller injury took a chunk out of his second dorsal region. When he was seen again in March this year, he had lost his tail fin, sustained severe lacerations to his first dorsal fin, and had several additional wounds. Before that, his only known injury was from 2021.

I hope that this story helps people to think about choosing to see whale sharks ethically, in a manner that prioritises the safety of the sharks over anything else. One of the main threats to whale sharks in the Maldives is injury from boat strikes. As a highly migratory species that moves between coastal and open ocean areas, protecting them is a complex global and regional challenge.

Within the Maldives’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), whale sharks benefit from policy protections against threats like targeted fishing and bycatch. However, once they move into international waters, their safety is much less certain.

MWSRP has gained valuable insights into local whale shark movements using non-invasive photo-identification techniques, but significant knowledge gaps remain, particularly regarding their migration beyond Maldivian waters.

Excitingly, MWSRP is also part of a scientific collaboration with the Djibouti Whale Shark Project, the University of Insubria, and MARECO. Together, they are researching the ecotoxicology of plankton, the primary food source for whale sharks, across Indian Ocean aggregation sites. Ecotoxicology is the study of how toxic substances, both natural and synthetic, affect ecosystems. ľhis research will help scientists better understand the threats faced by these gentle giants.

I’m incredibly grateful to MWSRP for inviting me to be part of this trip, and proud to know that such passionate Guardians are working to protect these incredible creatures here in the Maldives.

To celebrate International Whale Shark Day, MWSRP is holding a competition to name a new female shark discovered during our expedition. The competition closes at 15:00 MVT (10:00 GMT) on Sunday, 31st August 2025. To enter and learn more about MWSRP’s work, follow them on Instagram: @maldiveswhalesharkresearch.

Written by by Sophia Nasif (@sophianasif) - OCL Connector, The Maldives