This week in Lembongan… With the condition that we have had, we have tried our best to get out to the manta locations as much as possible. Here in Lembongan, there is a manta research team that often joins us for our trips to the manta sites to gather research information.
The Marine Megafauna Foundation was created in 2009 to research, protect and conserve the large populations of marine megafauna found along the Mozambican coastline. ‘Megafauna’ are large marine species such as sharks, rays, marine mammals and turtles.
These animals are key components of marine ecosystems but, as they are long-lived and have low reproductive rates, their populations are usually the first to be reduced by human pressures. Fortunately, they are also amongst the most charismatic animals on the planet and engender a high degree of public interest in their biology and conservation, making them useful ambassadors for the whole marine environment.
The research team on the island was first started by Peter and Helen who also worked and trained under Andrea Marshall who is the founder of Marine Megafauna and was dubbed the ‘Queen of the Mantas’. Peter and Helen first started their research on the island under the name of Aquatic Alliance but as of 2016 they have joined forces, knowledge and research together with the Marine Megafauna.