StAR Project Thailand takes shape
By May Metavee Chuangcharoendee
Program Manager, StAR Project Thailand – WildAid
Originally published in The ReSharker, Issue 4 (August 2024)
Taking the stage at the Thailand Dive Expo to present about leopard shark conservation and citizen science opportunities in Thailand / Photo by Pimpakarn Laongdee
LEOPARD SHARKS IN THAILAND
Thailand is famous worldwide for its tourism, a sector that contributed approximately 11-12% of the country’s annual GDP before the COVID-19 pandemic. The pristine natural environment is crucial for sustaining tourism revenue, with sharks being among the iconic species that attract visitors globally.
Of notable appeal are Thailand’s many diverse dive sites. Among the various shark species encountered, leopard sharks are particularly emblematic to both locals and visitors. However, anecdotal reports from the diving community indicate a significant decline in leopard shark sightings in Thai waters over recent decades.
Sites like Shark Point near the Phi Phi Islands as well as around the Similan Islands, where divers once had a 70-90% chance of seeing a leopard shark more than 10 years ago, now offer only a slim chance of encountering one. Koh Tao, once known for reliable leopard shark sightings, has reported none in the past decade, suggesting a possible local extinction of the species in the wider Gulf of Thailand.
Although sharks in Thailand are generally caught as bycatch, seasonal shark fisheries operating longlines across the country continue to pose a serious threat. According to landing statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives’ Department of Fisheries (DOF), the number of sharks caught has dropped by 90% over the last decade, indicating a sharp decline in the native shark population.
Map of Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs) in Thailand / Graphic by ReShark
An encounter with a leopard shark in Thailand / Photo by Magnus Larsson
CONSERVATION OF LEOPARD SHARKS GATHERS PACE
While many shark hotspots are currently protected through the National Parks Act, Act on the Promotion of Marine and Coastal Resources Management, and Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act, recent surveys suggest that shark populations in Thailand remain critically low.
This decline has prompted the Thai government to propose listing several shark species under the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act. Currently, only whale sharks, manta rays, and sawfish are protected nationally. With local shark research and monitoring efforts still limited — consisting mainly of annual landing surveys by DOF and occasional citizen science reports collected by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) — there is a pressing need for comprehensive research to support species protection.
On May 21, 2024, the Thai government announced that leopard sharks, along with four species of hammerhead sharks, had passed the initial approval stage to be added to the list of protected species under the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act. The amendment is now undergoing the legal process to be officially gazetted, marking a momentous step forward for leopard shark conservation in Thailand.
Following an expert workshop in Bali in January, the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group published a regional compendium of Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs) for Asia. Detailed information on shark and ray data, research, and monitoring from each country’s focal points were gathered. Shark and ray hotspots throughout the region that met specific criteria were also approved and designated as ISRAs. Out of the six ISRAs in Thailand, two in particular were designated in part due to leopard shark sightings — the Phi Phi Islands ISRA and the Similan-Surin Archipelago ISRA — a testament to the ongoing conservation efforts of the species.
StAR Project Thailand team meets with representatives of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources on June 19, 2024 / Photo by StAR Project Thailand
“The StAR Project is a wonderful continuation of WildAid’s commitment to promoting shark conservation in Thailand. After a successful campaign aimed at reducing the demand for shark fin consumption, site-based conservation of threatened shark species like the leopard shark will provide a concrete example of how we can protect and restore shark populations in our waters.”
CITIZEN SCIENCE AND LAUNCHING StAR PROJECT THAILAND
The Spot the Leopard Shark (STLS) initiative, founded by Dr. Christine Dudgeon and Dr. Kongkiat Kitiwattanawong (Phuket Marine Biological Center), aims to assess leopard shark populations in Thailand through photo-identification. Since its inception in 2013, the project has identified 230 unique individuals from the west coast of Thailand, providing critical data for our ISRA proposals and longer-term research.
However, this initiative came to a standstill as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe and lockdowns kept us all home. In 2022, Montse Amores from Ocean Blue Tree (OBT) proposed reviving STLS and establishing StAR Project Thailand, funded by an OBT grant. The team, including Shin Sirachai Arunrugstichai from Thai Sharks and Rays and Dr. Petch Manopawitr, an experienced conservation scientist and technical advisor to WildAid, agreed on the need for this repopulation effort. I was appointed as the Program Manager under WildAid, working closely with Program Director Nuch Nuthatai Chotechuang and the WildAid Thailand team.
Dr. Kongkiat Kitiwattanawong (left) and Dr. Christine Dudgeon (right) in 2014 / Photo by Christine Dudgeon
Nancy Gibson, Sirachai Arunrugstichai, Nat Sumanatemeya, Metavee Chuangcharoendee and Dr. Petch Manopawitr (left to right) at the Thailand Dive Expo / Photo by Pimpakarn Laongdee
Since relaunching STLS at the recent Thailand Dive Expo (TDEX), interest from stakeholders, including recreational divers, dive shop owners, boat operators, and underwater photographers, has been encouraging. Many of them attended our TDEX Divers Talk titled "The Search for Leopard Sharks: The Path Toward Understanding and Conservation" and visited our STLS booth.
Over the short four-day event, we received close to 100 submissions of leopard shark photos and videos from citizen scientists. Early anecdotal reports also suggest a possible resurgence in leopard shark sightings since the pandemic. Our team will soon be analyzing the data in greater detail, as we prepare to conduct a Population Viability Analysis (PVA) of leopard sharks in Thailand.
In an ongoing effort to bolster governmental support for the StAR Project, we have secured meetings with both DOF and DMCR and are seeking similar arrangements with the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP). Both DOF and DMCR have shown enthusiasm for the StAR Project, and we are working on a memorandum of understanding.
Additionally, we are collaborating with 15 local dive shops and boat operators to enhance citizen science involvement through STLS and we are exploring partnerships with aquariums in Phuket for shark nurseries and genetic testing of potential breeders. Next steps include coordinating with the StAR Project Indonesia team and relevant agencies in Thailand to identify potential release sites for the sharks.
I believe this is an ideal year to launch StAR Project Thailand. With multiple ISRAs established around Thailand, the initial approval of national protection for leopard sharks secured, and increased public attention through our citizen science efforts, our team is well-positioned to capitalize on this momentum and work toward restoring these remarkable animals to our waters.
