Launched in 2020, StAR Project Indonesia is the first country-level initiative established under the StAR Project. Focused in the protected waters of Raja Ampat in Southwest Papua, the project aims to re-establish the region’s declining population of Indo-Pacific leopard sharks, part of the species’ eastern subpopulation.

The project is implemented through close collaboration with national and provincial government agencies, NGOs, local communities, and international partners. Two in situ nurseries operate in Raja Ampat: one in the north at the Raja Ampat Research and Conservation Centre (RARCC) on Kri Island, and one in the south at the Misool Foundation nursery on Batbitim and Kalig Islands. These facilities receive eggs from accredited aquarium breeding institutions in the United States and Australia, where pups hatch and are raised by local aquarist teams.

A comprehensive Population Viability Analysis (PVA) (Traylor-Holzer, 2021) was conducted early in the planning phase to evaluate population growth scenarios, release numbers, survival thresholds, and long-term extinction risk, directly informing nursery placement, release strategies, and monitoring design.

To date, more than 60 juvenile leopard sharks have been released into Raja Ampat’s protected waters. Post-release monitoring combines satellite and acoustic telemetry with visual resightings and citizen science to assess survival, movement patterns, habitat use, and long-term adaptation to the wild.

Beyond rewilding, StAR Project Indonesia places strong emphasis on local engagement and capacity building, including nursery internships for Indonesian youth, nursery tours, school partnerships, and education programs such as food-collection initiatives with Raja Ampat schools. These efforts help foster long-term stewardship and ensure conservation success is rooted in community participation.