By Emanuel Mimila Herrera | Project manager
In the last months, we have been immersed in intensive work in the habitat of the majestic whale sharks—a task made possible thanks to the support of our allies and local tour operators. Without their collaboration, our efforts in the Mexican Caribbean would not be the same.
As many know, the whale shark sighting season in this region runs from May 15 to September 17. During this period, we conducted four aerial surveys in partnership with the managers of the marine protected area. From the air, we were able to count whale sharks and tourist boats and record their locations—key actions for monitoring and regulating tourist swimming activities with these big sharks. As a result, we observed a total of 121 sharks, with an average of 30 sightings per flight, an encouraging figure that exceeds the records of the last three years. In total, we flew for 366 minutes and covered a whale shark searching area of 1,181 km².
In addition, we carried out five marine trips with the support of local guides and captains. These trips allowed us to count 130 whale sharks, and, even more excitingly, to collect samples of zooplankton and fish eggs—the main food source for whale sharks. These samples will be analyzed in the laboratory to estimate food availability and evaluate possible changes in the amount of zooplankton in this region of the Caribbean, for which we have data from 2009 to 2024. We will also perform DNA analysis on the fish eggs found in the samples, allowing us to identify their species and investigate potential risks to their populations.
Our work, however, goes beyond research: we seek to involve the community and share knowledge about these emblematic animals. On August 30 of this year, to celebrate International Whale Shark Day, we participated in the Holbox cultural and conservation festival. There, we presented a photo exhibition about whale sharks and brought a microscope that allowed community members to see up close the fascinating forms of zooplankton organisms. Additionally, we recognized local captains and guides for their participation in training sessions earlier in the year and provided them with waterproof guides with information about whale sharks—an important tool to share this knowledge with visitors.
These months have been filled with hard work and meaningful connections with the communities, which motivates us to continue our upcoming actions. Every advancement we achieve is possible thanks to your support and donations, and we are deeply grateful for your trust in our project. Thank you for helping us protect and learn more about whale sharks!
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
