The Bull Shark Project

Project Animal(s) : Bull shark
Project Category : Fish
Project Region : Africa
Project Type : Conservation
Project URL : http://misiontiburon.org/en/the-bull-shark-project/
Project is timebound? : No

The Bat Islands are located in the Guanacaste Conservation Area (GCA), northwestern Costa Rica. These islands are visited by divers from the entire world, to see the natural congregations (without feeding) of bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas). This specie has a worldwide distribution; it is migratory and live in coastal waters, in marine and freshwater ecosystems. In spite of the critical habitats (probably: cleaning station in Bat Islands,  alimentation area for adults in Nancite Beach, and nursery grounds for juveniles in Potrero Grande Mangrove and Punta Respingue Mangrove) presents at GCA, the ecology, the behavior and the habitat use of bull sharks were never studied in this MPA and its surrounding waters. Scientific research could bring important baseline data to improve the management of bull sharks inside, and especially outside of the MPA, where bull sharks are vulnerable to different fisheries.  Due the above, the aim of this project is promote the conservation of bull sharks in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, toward the local communities and governmental sector, by the study of its population in GCA and its surrounding waters. So, during this project we implement a bull shark tagging program (acoustic and satellite tags) and also we carry out an educational program, thanks to the support of the diving companies and others local stakeholder such as Carlos Hiller, Underwater Scenes Fine Artist (www.carloshiller.com)

Project Agency : Mision Tiburon Conservationist Association

Project Agency Contact : http://misiontiburon.org/en/