GLOBAL – This week, on Shark and Ray Awareness Day, ReShark — an international collective dedicated to shark and ray rewilding — announces a new affiliate project. Shark Ray 360 is an emerging conservation endeavor focused exclusively on the critically endangered bowmouth guitarfish (Rhina ancylostomus). This announcement marks the first new affiliate project for ReShark since the launch of the StAR Project in 2020, a conservation reintroduction program for Indo-Pacific leopard sharks (Stegostoma tigrinum) that has since garnered international acclaim. 

Much like ReShark, Shark Ray 360 is a consortium supported by more than 30 contributing organizations spanning four continents. Made up of fisheries leaders, researchers, zoo and aquarium experts and more, the group has been working for the past three years to charter an internationally collaborative approach to safeguarding bowmouth guitarfish. 

While Shark Ray 360 will continue to operate independently, becoming an affiliate project allows the consortium access to ReShark’s deep network and expertise of shark conservationists, unlocks new potential fundraising opportunities and provides greater visibility and storytelling potential via ReShark’s global platform. In return, members of Shark Ray 360 will join ReShark’s leadership team to expand the collective’s species and geographic focuses.  

“For some time now, ReShark has been synonymous with the work of the StAR Project, but our ambitions extend far beyond a single species,” said Dr. Mark Erdmann, executive director of ReShark. “We see ReShark as a global catalyst for shark and ray conservation, bringing together the right people and projects to accelerate conservation action where it is needed most. Welcoming Shark Ray 360 as an affiliate project of ReShark is an important next step toward realizing that vision." 

Like the StAR Project, Shark Ray 360 formed following a conservation planning workshop of global leaders from the research and fishery communities, hosted by Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium in 2023. Since then, the collective has been focused on bringing new partners onboard and learning as much as possible about this elusive species to inform a global conservation approach. 

Currently, it is estimated that the species has declined 80 percent in the last 45 years. In fact, researchers believe the bowmouth guitarfish to be the most evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered jawed vertebrate on the planet.

“Shark Ray 360 is building a safety net for bowmouth guitarfish — a species that is facing a growing list of threats to survival,” said Dr. Steve Kessel, director of marine research at Shedd Aquarium and co-chair of the Shark Ray 360 Steering Committee. “By joining ReShark as an affiliate project, we can bring additional resources and attention to a remarkable species that needs our help.” 

To support global bowmouth guitarfish conservation efforts, Shark Ray 360 recently published a population viability analysis (PVA) in partnership with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Conservation Planning Specialist Group (IUCN CSPG). This is the first PVA for this species, meant to help prioritize where there is the greatest opportunity for interventions to bolster wild bowmouth guitarfish populations. The report found that aquariums caring for and breeding bowmouth guitarfish could help fuel a reintroduction effort for the species in the Indo-Pacific area. 

“For both the StAR Project and now for Shark Ray 360 — aquariums have really been the key to powering reintroduction efforts,” said Erdmann. “While there are many biological differences between the two species, there is a lot we can apply from the success of the StAR Project to help inform and enable the work ahead for Shark Ray 360.”

Both ReShark and Shark Ray 360 benefit from the knowledge and expertise gained from ex situ populations managed in accredited aquariums. By understanding and closely observing biological needs, reproductive cycles and nutrition, these aquariums are directly contributing critical conservation infrastructure that informs in situ reintroduction and conservation efforts in the wild. This mirrors the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s position statement on the growing contributions of zoos, aquariums and botanic gardens to species conservation. 

Any future reintroduction effort would be contingent upon adequate primary and secondary conservation measures being in place. Consistent with ReShark's rewilding framework, candidate release sites must demonstrate strong, long-term protections, including effectively managed and enforced marine protected areas, sustainable fisheries management, supportive legal frameworks and the capacity for robust post-release monitoring. Together, these measures help maximize survival and improve the likelihood of long-term population recovery. 

Shark Ray 360 has since developed a conservation program plan, built on the PVA findings, to move the work from concept to reality. While experts expect it may take years before new animals are reintroduced to the Indo-Pacific, the collective is optimistic and eager to learn from the previous success of the StAR Project via ReShark. 

“It’s not a rosy picture out there for bowmouth guitarfish right now, so it can sometimes feel like a race against the clock,” said Kessel. “But this species has never had this level of international conservation attention before either. And we believe that’s something worth celebrating.” 

Anyone interested in following and supporting the work of Shark Ray 360 can do so via ReShark’s website, newsletter, and social media pages.

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Media Assets

High-res images of Shark Ray 360 and bowmouth guitarfish can be viewed and downloaded here.

About Bowmouth Guitarfish

Bowmouth guitarfish (Rhina ancylostomus) are a critically endangered species of shark-like rays native to the coastal waters of Asia, Australia and east Africa. Despite their wide range, due to their elusive nature, bowmouth guitarfish are not well studied and there is not much scientific literature on their biology or behavior. Alongside warming oceans and habitat degradation, major threats faced by bowmouth guitarfish include illegal wildlife trafficking and incidental bycatch from the fishing industry. 

About Shark Ray 360 

Shark Ray 360 is an international conservation collective advancing the scientific understanding, care and conservation of critically endangered bowmouth guitarfish both in human care and throughout their native ranges. Shark Ray 360 is made up of more than 30 contributors across four continents representing zoos and aquariums, universities, global conservation groups, researchers, fisheries experts and more – all focused on creating and implementing innovative conservation strategies for bowmouth guitarfish. https://www.reshark.org/shark-ray-360

About ReShark

ReShark is an innovative, international collective of aquariums, NGOs, governments, academics, and local communities dedicated to scalable shark and ray rewilding through its affiliate project model. ReShark links ex situ and in situ shark and ray conservation efforts through breeding and conservation translocations. https://www.reshark.org