{"id":3109,"date":"2021-11-23T08:39:14","date_gmt":"2021-11-23T08:39:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.madagascarwhalesharks.org\/?p=3109"},"modified":"2021-11-23T08:39:14","modified_gmt":"2021-11-23T08:39:14","slug":"press-release-madagascar-is-a-global-hotspot-for-whale-sharks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.madawhalesharks.org\/fr\/press-release-madagascar-is-a-global-hotspot-for-whale-sharks\/","title":{"rendered":"Press release: Madagascar is a global hotspot for whale sharks"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>Version Fran\u00e7aise ci-dessous<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">New study highlights Madagascar as a global hotspot for endangered whale sharks<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Whale sharks, an endangered species, are the world\u2019s largest fish<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>More than 400 individual whale sharks were identified from Madagascar over a five-year study<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Ecotourism, based on swimming with these placid sharks, is increasingly popular<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Protecting the whale sharks\u2019 habitat is vital for securing local livelihoods<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In a new study published yesterday in the journal <em>Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems<\/em>, researchers have discovered that Madagascar is a globally important hotspot for whale sharks (<em>Rhincodon typus<\/em>), the world\u2019s largest fish. The scientists emphasise the vital need to protect these gentle giants.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.madagascarwhalesharks.org\/\">Madagascar Whale Shark Project<\/a> (MWSP) identified over 400 individual whale sharks off Nosy Be, an island in northwest Madagascar, between 2015 and 2019. Stella Diamant, the Founder of the MWSP and lead author of the study, said: \u201cIt\u2019s exciting to finally have evidence that, as we suspected, Madagascar is a world hotspot for whale sharks.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>All of the identified sharks were juveniles, measuring between 3 and 8 metres in length. \u201cNosy Be is an important feeding area for these growing sharks. We saw 98% of the sharks while they were feeding on small fish at the surface. Some of the sharks are moving through the area quickly, but others seem to come back every year to take advantage of the seafood buffet,\u201d said Diamant.<\/p>\n<p>None of these sharks, which can be individually identified by their unique spot patterns, have been seen elsewhere in the Indian Ocean. \u201cWhale shark numbers have taken a real beating in the Indian Ocean, and they\u2019ve largely disappeared from some countries like the Seychelles. It\u2019s hugely encouraging to discover this big population that we didn\u2019t know about previously\u201d said Dr. Simon Pierce, a Principal Scientist at the Marine Megafauna Foundation and co-author on the study.<\/p>\n<p>Renowned for its unique animals, Madagascar has become a global ecotourism hotspot. International tourism to Madagascar increased by 72% between 2015\u20132019, from 282,000 to 486,000 arrivals. Nosy Be, in the country\u2019s northwest region, has become a popular marine tourism destination due the presence of whale sharks, whales, manta rays, and other marine megafauna species. International tourism arrivals to Nosy Be increased by 91% from 2015 to 2019, with a significant proportion coming to swim with the increasingly-famous whale sharks (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.madagascarwhalesharks.org\/press-release-investigating-the-economic-value-of-whale-shark-tourism\/\">Ziegler et al. 2021<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople travel from all over the world to swim with these gentle giants. That offers a clear opportunity for the ecotourism industry within the country \u2013 it\u2019s already a million-dollar industry &#8211; but efforts must be made to protect these endangered sharks and secure the livelihoods they sustain,\u201d said Dr. Jeremy Kiszka, an Assistant Professor at Florida International University and co-author on the study.<\/p>\n<p>Whale sharks are not protected in Madagascar, and the researchers raised concerns about human threats to this endangered species. 30% of the sharks had scars, with most from either vessel strikes or entanglement in fishing gear. \u201cThe area where most whale sharks feed lies outside existing marine protected areas in the region,\u201d said Diamant. \u201cBy protecting the sharks, and their habitat and food supply, it\u2019s possible to safeguard the whale sharks themselves, the ecotourism industry, and the local economy that this activity supports.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This study was led by the Madagascar Whale Shark Project in collaboration with the Marine Megafauna Foundation, Florida International University, and Mada Megafauna. It was supported by Aqua-Firma, Waterlust, the PADI Foundation, the Lush Foundation, the Vocatio Foundation, and private donations.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<div class=\"page\" title=\"Page 15\">\n<div class=\"section\">\n<div class=\"layoutArea\">\n<div class=\"column\">\n<p>Diamant, S., Pierce, S.J., Rohner, C.A., Graham, R.T., Guillemain d&rsquo;Echon, A., Guillemain d&rsquo;Echon, T. et al. (2021). Population structure, residency, and abundance of whale sharks in the coastal waters off Nosy Be, north-western Madagascar. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 1\u201315. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/aqc. 3743\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/aqc. 3743<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>&#8212; Ends &#8212;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Notes to Editors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>High-res supporting images <\/strong>can be found here:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/drive\/folders\/1esVDLlgH8-0eTaUYLDFfMgq39GePK4wl?usp=sharing\">https:\/\/drive.google.com\/drive\/folders\/1VuguuZ4Es-WtqylE2tV4BcuKS0vqRVQC?usp=sharing<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>For interview requests, questions about this study, additional pictures or to request a pdf copy<\/strong>, please contact:<\/p>\n<p>Stella Diamant, Founder, The Madagascar Whale Shark Project: info@madagascarwhalesharks.org<\/p>\n<p><strong>About the Madagascar Whale Shark Project <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Madagascar Whale Shark Project is a registered foundation and a collaborative project. Active since 2015 and founded in 2019, the foundation aims to further study and protect whale sharks in Madagascar while raising awareness and empowering local communities.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>UNE NOUVELLE ETUDE MET EN AVANT LA FORTE CONCENTRATION DE REQUINS BALEINE EN DANGER D\u2019EXTINCTION \u00c0 MADAGASCAR.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Les requins baleine, les plus gros poissons du monde, sont en danger d\u2019extinction.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Au cours des 5 derni\u00e8res ann\u00e9es de recherche plus de 400 individus ont \u00e9t\u00e9 identifi\u00e9s \u00e0 Madagascar.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>L\u2019\u00e9cotourisme bas\u00e9 sur le \u00ab\u00a0nage avec\u00a0\u00bb devient extr\u00eamement pris\u00e9.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Prot\u00e9ger l\u2019habitat des requins baleine est vital pour le maintien des moyens de subsistance de la population locale.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Dans une nouvelle publication du journal <em>Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems <\/em>publi\u00e9e hier, les chercheurs confirment une forte concentration de requins baleine (<em>Rhincodon typus<\/em>) pr\u00e9sents \u00e0 Madagascar.<\/p>\n<p>L\u2019\u00e9quipe de recherche de <a href=\"https:\/\/www.madagascarwhalesharks.org\/\">Madagascar Whale Shark Project<\/a> (MWSP) a pu identifier plus de 400 individus au large de Nosy Be, une \u00eele au nord-est de Madagascar, entre 2015 et 2019. Stella Diamant, la fondatrice et auteure en chef de l\u2019\u00e9tude nous partage\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0C\u2019est excitant d\u2019avoir enfin les preuves que, comme suspect\u00e9, Madagascar est l\u2019un des endroits recensant l\u2019une des plus grandes populations de requin baleine au monde\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n<p>La totalit\u00e9 des individus identifi\u00e9s \u00e9tant des individus juv\u00e9niles mesurant entre 3 et 8 m\u00e8tres de long. \u00ab\u00a0Nosy Be est une zone d\u2019alimentation importante pour ces requins juv\u00e9niles en pleine croissance. 98% des requins ont \u00e9t\u00e9 observ\u00e9s alors qu\u2019ils se nourrissaient en surface. Certains d\u2019entre eux sont de passage dans cette zone tandis que d\u2019autres semblent revenir tous les ans pour profiter de l\u2019abondance et de la pr\u00e9sence des proies\u00a0\u00bb confie Diamant.<\/p>\n<p>Aucun de ces requins n\u2019a \u00e9t\u00e9 revu (\u00e0 l\u2019aide de l\u2019identification de leurs points individuels, leur carte d\u2019identit\u00e9) ailleurs dans l\u2019Oc\u00e9an Indien. \u00ab\u00a0Le nombre total de requins baleine a grandement chut\u00e9 dans l\u2019Oc\u00e9an Indien. Beaucoup d\u2019entre eux ont disparu des c\u00f4tes de certains pays comme aux Seychelles. Il est donc tr\u00e8s encourageant de d\u00e9couvrir cette population \u00e0 Madagascar, qu\u2019on ne connaissait pas avant\u00a0\u00bb r\u00e9v\u00e8le Dr. Simon Pierce, le scientifique principal de la Marine Megafauna Foundation et co-auteur de cette \u00e9tude.<\/p>\n<p>Reconnu pour ses animaux uniques, Madagascar est devenu un pays renomm\u00e9 pour sa faune et sa flore. Le tourisme international sur l\u2019\u00eele enti\u00e8re a d\u2019ailleurs augment\u00e9 de 72% entre 2015 et 2019, passant de 282\u00a0000 arriv\u00e9es \u00e0 486 000. L\u2019\u00eele de Nosy Be, elle, a vu sa fr\u00e9quentation de touristes internationaux progresser de 91% entre 2015 et 2019. Elle est ainsi devenue une destination populaire pour le tourisme marin en raison de la pr\u00e9sence des requins baleine, mais aussi d\u2019autres requins, baleines et raies mantas ainsi que d\u2019autres esp\u00e8ces de la m\u00e9gafaune marine.<\/p>\n<p>\u00ab\u00a0Les gens traversent le monde entier pour venir nager avec ces g\u00e9ants des mers. Cela offre une opportunit\u00e9 unique \u00e0 l\u2019industrie \u00e9co-touristique du pays \u2013 qui vaut d\u00e9j\u00e0 1 million de dollars \u2013 mais des efforts doivent \u00eatre fait urgemment pour prot\u00e9ger ces esp\u00e8ces menac\u00e9es et s\u00e9curiser les moyens de subsistance qu\u2019ils soutiennent\u00a0\u00bb ajoute Dr. Jeremy Kiszka, professeur \u00e0 l\u2019Universit\u00e9 Internationale de Floride et co-auteur de cette \u00e9tude.<\/p>\n<p>Le requin baleine n\u2019est pas une esp\u00e8ce prot\u00e9g\u00e9e \u00e0 Madagascar et les chercheurs sont inquiets au sujet des menaces humaines qui p\u00e8sent sur cette esp\u00e8ce grandement menac\u00e9e. Actuellement, 30% des requins pr\u00e9sentent des cicatrices caus\u00e9es, pour la plupart d\u2019entre elles, par des navires ou des enchev\u00eatrements dans des filets de p\u00eache. Stella Diamant rapporte\u00a0: \u00ab\u00a0La zone o\u00f9 se nourrissent la plupart des requins baleine se situe en dehors des zones marines prot\u00e9g\u00e9es de la r\u00e9gion\u00a0\u00bb. Elle rajoute qu\u2019\u00a0 \u00ab\u00a0en prot\u00e9geant les requins, leur habitat et leur approvisionnement alimentaire, il est possible de prot\u00e9ger les requins baleine directement, ainsi que l\u2019industrie de l\u2019\u00e9cotourisme et l\u2019\u00e9conomie locale que cette activit\u00e9 soutient.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n<p>Cette \u00e9tude a \u00e9t\u00e9 men\u00e9e par Madagascar Whale Shark Project en collaboration avec la Fondation Marine Megafauna, l\u2019Universit\u00e9 Internationale de Floride, et Mada Megafauna. Elle a \u00e9t\u00e9 soutenue par Aqua-Firma, Waterlust, la fondation PADI, la fondation Lush, la fondation Vocatio, et des dons priv\u00e9s.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Diamant, S., Pierce, S.J., Rohner, C.A., Graham, R.T., Guillemain d&rsquo;Echon, A., Guillemain d&rsquo;Echon, T. et al. (2021). Population structure, residency, and abundance of whale sharks in the coastal waters off Nosy Be, north-western Madagascar. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 1\u201315. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/aqc. 3743\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/aqc. 3743<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>&#8212; Fin &#8212;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Images haute r\u00e9solution<\/strong> ici:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/drive\/folders\/1esVDLlgH8-0eTaUYLDFfMgq39GePK4wl?usp=sharing\">https:\/\/drive.google.com\/drive\/folders\/1VuguuZ4Es-WtqylE2tV4BcuKS0vqRVQC?usp=sharing<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Pour les demandes d&rsquo;entrevue, des questions sur cette \u00e9tude, des photos additionnelles ou pour obtenir une copie PDF<\/strong>, veuillez contacter :<\/p>\n<p>Stella Diamant, Fondatrice, The Madagascar Whale Shark Project : info@madagascarwhalesharks.org<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00c0 propos du Madagascar Whale Shark Project<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Le Madagascar Whale Shark Project est un projet collaboratif actif depuis 2015. Fond\u00e9e en 2019, la fondation a pour objectif d&rsquo;approfondir l&rsquo;\u00e9tude et la protection des requins baleine \u00e0 Madagascar tout en sensibilisant et en responsabilisant les communaut\u00e9s locales. Pour plus d&rsquo;informations, visitez <a href=\"https:\/\/www.madagascarwhalesharks.org\">https:\/\/www.madagascarwhalesharks.org<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Version Fran\u00e7aise ci-dessous New study highlights Madagascar as a global hotspot for endangered whale sharks Whale sharks, an endangered species, are the world\u2019s largest fish More than 400 individual whale sharks were identified from Madagascar over a five-year study Ecotourism, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":3110,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.madawhalesharks.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.madawhalesharks.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.madawhalesharks.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.madawhalesharks.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.madawhalesharks.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3109"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.madawhalesharks.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3109\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.madawhalesharks.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.madawhalesharks.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3109"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.madawhalesharks.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3109"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.madawhalesharks.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}