A few days ago, we received very encouraging news from Lukas Müller, which we would like to share with you. Since he is best placed to explain why research in this region is so critical, we would like to share an extract from his email with you:
‘I wanted to share the good news with you that our study on bull sharks in the Bazaruto Seascape in Mozambique has now been published.
Thank you once again for your support and funding of this project. Without contributions like yours, this long-term work using acoustic telemetry in Mozambique would not have been possible.
The key findings in brief:
We were able to demonstrate that the Bazaruto Seascape is an important habitat for bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas). Some individuals, particularly adult females, exhibited high site fidelity and were regularly detected in the region over long periods. At the same time, the area serves as an important connectivity hub within a larger movement corridor along the southeast African coast. The sharks connected with areas in southern Mozambique, South Africa, and in one case even Madagascar.
Particularly interesting is that a large proportion of the core habitats lie within existing marine protected areas, primarily the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park (BANP) and the Vilanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary (VCWS). At the same time, important habitats extend beyond the current boundaries of these protected areas, and some core zones are located in areas where fishing remains permitted.
From a conservation perspective, this means that while existing marine protected areas are crucial, they are not sufficient on their own. The study recommends, among other measures, a potential seaward expansion of the protected areas and the establishment of buffer zones for BANP and VCWS. Furthermore, stricter and better-enforced restrictions on high-risk fishing gear such as gillnets in key reef habitats are recommended, alongside closer coordination between the protected areas. At a regional level, transboundary management between Mozambique and South Africa is required, as these animals regularly cross national borders.
Overall, the study clearly demonstrates that Bazaruto is not merely a local hotspot for bull sharks, but a critical component for the conservation of the entire population in the Southwest Indian Ocean.
Perhaps the greatest value of the study lies in the fact that, due to the methodology applied – acoustic telemetry – its findings are scientifically highly robust and leave little room for interpretation. This is particularly important because sand and copper mining projects, as well as the oil and gas corporation Sasol in the past, have repeatedly sought permits in the region. Marine park authorities can use this study as a strong argument in legal proceedings to continue defending against such projects.
Thank you once again for your support and your trust in this work. I am very pleased that we now have this project available as a published study, and I hope these findings can feed directly into future conservation measures.’
– From an email by Lukas Müller
The complete study with all detailed results can be found here:
Habitat Use, Residency, and Connectivity of Bull Sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) in the Bazaruto Seascape, Mozambique
Journal Fishes
https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/11/5/291
