Marine Megafauna Foundation Explained

Marine Megafauna Foundation
Formation:	2009
Formerly:	Manta Ray & Whale Shark Research Centre
Founders:	Andrea Marshall & Simon J Pierce
Founding Location:	Tofo Beach, Mozambique
Status:	501(c)(3) non-profit conservation organization
Headquarters:	West Palm Beach, Florida, United States
Affiliations:	Manta Matcher, Sharkbook (formerly Whaleshark.org), Galapagos Whaleshark Project, Byron Bay Leopard Shark Project, Madagascar Whale Shark Project
Website:	https://www.marinemegafauna.org/

The Marine Megafauna Foundation (MMF) is a marine biology research and conservation nonprofit known for discovering, researching, and protecting large marine animals including whale sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, whales, and dugongs. MMF has permanent research & conservation sites in Mozambique, Australia, Indonesia, and Florida, as well as other temporary locations.^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]}

History

MMF was founded in 2009 by marine biologists Andrea Marshall and Simon J Pierce in Tofo Beach, Mozambique.

Discoveries, research, and conservation initiatives

• Developed new techniques to use photo identification and artificial intelligence to study and track populations of whale sharks and other marine animals.^{[6] [7]} These are incorporated in Citizen science programs such as Sharkbook^[8] and Manta Matcher.^{[9] [10] [11]}
• Discovered a new type of Manta, the "reef manta ray" (Manta alfredi)^[12]
• Led initiatives to add whale sharks,^[13] reef manta rays,^[14] and oceanic manta rays^{[15] [16]} to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
• Established the Inhambane Province Hope Spot in collaboration with Sylvia Earle's Mission Blue^{[17] [18]}
• Documented the first sightings of the ornate eagle ray (Aetomylaeus vespertilio) in the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park, Inhambane Province, Mozambique^{[19] [20]}
• Documented the first recorded sighting of a live Smalleye Stingray underwater in 2009 and then the first successful tag of "the World's biggest ocean stingray"^[21] in 2023.
• Completed the first study of South Florida manta ray population Luu,^[22] and created what was reported to be the first digital 3D manta ray model with the Digital Life Project and ANGARI Foundation.
• Uncovered illegal Chinese fishing practices after a whale shark named "Hope" with a satellite tag tracked by MMF was killed in Galapagos. This incident resulted in expansion of the Marine Protected Zone around the Galapagos.^{[23] [24] [25]}
• Created “Ocean Guardians” conservation education project in Mozambique recognized by UNESCO.^[26]

External links

• Web site: National Geographic . Jan 24, 2017 . WATCH: Investigating the Mysterious Whale Sharks of Mafia Island . youtube.com . . en . video.
• Web site: National Geographic . WATCH: Andrea Marshall: Queen of the Manta Rays -Nat Geo Live. youtube.com . . en . video . Jul 15, 2013.
• Web site: BBC . WATCH: Andrea - Queen of Mantas - First Ever Encounter with Smalleye Stingray . bbc.co.uk . . en . video . 2009.
• Web site: . Jan 26, 2022 . WATCH: Dr. Sylvia Earle Introduces the Inhambane Seascape Hope Spot . youtube.com . . en . video.

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2019-08-27 . Manta rays form close friendships, shattering misconceptions . https://web.archive.org/web/20210413012621/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/manta-rays-social-relationships-oceans . dead . April 13, 2021 . 2023-02-05 . . en.
2. Web site: 2023-01-24 . A wildlife first: World's biggest ocean stingray tagged in the wild . https://web.archive.org/web/20230124123135/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/worlds-biggest-ocean-stingray-tagged-for-first-time . dead . January 24, 2023 . 2023-01-30 . National Geographic . en.
3. Web site: Will . 2019-11-20 . Marine megafauna accidentally consuming harmful microplastics in Indonesia . 2023-01-30 . Oceanographic . en-GB.
4. News: 2018-08-09 . Whale sharks feeding in the western Indian Ocean - in pictures . en-GB . The Guardian . 2023-01-30 . 0261-3077.
5. Web site: 2019-11-19 . Manta Rays and Whale Sharks Are Consuming a Staggering Amount of Plastic . 2023-01-31 . Gizmodo . en.
6. Marshall . A. D. . Pierce . S. J. . April 2012 . The use and abuse of photographic identification in sharks and rays . Journal of Fish Biology . en . 80 . 5 . 1361–1379 . 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2012.03244.x. 22497388 .
7. Web site: Matthews-King . Alex . 23 January 2017 . Whale sharks' secrets revealed by live-tracking aquatic drones . 2023-01-31 . New Scientist . en-US.
8. Web site: How A.I. is helping to protect the endangered whale sharks of the Galapagos . 2023-01-31 . Fortune . en.
9. News: Klein . JoAnna . 2019-10-14 . The Mystery of the Melanistic Manta Rays . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-02-02 . 0362-4331.
10. Venables . Stephanie K. . Marshall . Andrea D. . Germanov . Elitza S. . Perryman . Robert J. Y. . Tapilatu . Ricardo F. . Hendrawan . I Gede . Flam . Anna L. . van Keulen . Mike . Tomkins . Joseph L. . Kennington . W. Jason . 2019-10-09 . It's not all black and white: investigating colour polymorphism in manta rays across Indo-Pacific populations . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences . 286 . 1912 . 20191879 . 10.1098/rspb.2019.1879 . 6790782 . 31594509.
11. Web site: How A.I. is helping to protect the endangered whale sharks of the Galapagos . 2023-02-06 . Fortune . en.
12. Marshall . Andrea D. . Compagno . Leonard J. V. . Bennett . Michael B. . 2009-12-31 . Redescription of the genus Manta with resurrection of Manta alfredi (Krefft, 1868) (Chondrichthyes; Myliobatoidei; Mobulidae) . Zootaxa . 2301 . 1–28 . 10.5281/zenodo.191734.
13. Pierce, S.J. & Norman, B. 2016. Rhincodon typus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T19488A2365291. . Accessed on 31 January 2023.
14. Marshall, A., Barreto, R., Carlson, J., Fernando, D., Fordham, S., Francis, M.P., Herman, K., Jabado, R.W., Liu, K.M., Pacoureau, N., Rigby, C.L., Romanov, E. & Sherley, R.B. 2022. Mobula alfredi (amended version of 2019 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T195459A214395983. . Accessed on 31 January 2023.
15. Web site: Will . 2020-12-10 . Giant manta becomes first manta ray to be listed as an endangered species . 2023-02-02 . Oceanographic . en-GB.
16. Marshall, A., Barreto, R., Carlson, J., Fernando, D., Fordham, S., Francis, M.P., Derrick, D., Herman, K., Jabado, R.W., Liu, K.M., Rigby, C.L. & Romanov, E. 2022. Mobula birostris (amended version of 2020 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T198921A214397182. . Accessed on 31 January 2023.
17. Web site: Inhambane Seascape in Mozambique Recognized as Mission Blue Hope Spot .
18. Web site: . Jan 26, 2022 . WATCH: Dr. Sylvia Earle Introduces the Inhambane Seascape Hope Spot . youtube.com . . en . video.
19. Web site: Researchers Document the Rare Ornate Eagle Ray . 2023-01-31 . Marine Megafauna Foundation . en-US.
20. Venables . Stephanie K. . Conradie . Janneman . Marshall . Andrea D. . November 2021 . First records of the ornate eagle ray Aetomylaeus vespertilio from the Inhambane Province, Mozambique . Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom . en . 101 . 7 . 1085–1088 . 10.1017/S0025315422000054 . 247379157 . 0025-3154.
21. Web site: 2023-01-24 . A wildlife first: World's biggest ocean stingray tagged in the wild . https://web.archive.org/web/20230124123135/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/worlds-biggest-ocean-stingray-tagged-for-first-time . dead . January 24, 2023 . 2023-01-31 . National Geographic . en.
22. Web site: Steinhoff . Nane . 2022-04-06 . First digital 3D model of a manta ray created . 2023-02-02 . Oceanographic . en-GB.
23. News: 2021-11-03 . Galapagos marine reserve: Conservationists hail expansion . en-GB . BBC News . 2023-02-06.
24. News: Myers . Steven Lee . Chang . Agnes . Watkins . Derek . Fu . Claire . 2022-09-26 . How China Targets the Global Fish Supply . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-02-06 . 0362-4331.
25. News: Collyns . Dan . 2020-08-06 . 'They just pull up everything!' Chinese fleet raises fears for Galápagos sea life . en-GB . The Guardian . 2023-02-06 . 0261-3077.
26. Web site: Ocean Guardians . 2023-02-06 . Unesco Green Citizens . en-US.