Whale Shark Ecology Expedition Madagascar

Whale shark Ecology Expedition Madagascar

The expeditions dedicated to the Ecology of the Whale Shark scheduled for next autumn are in progress, the 2 groups, already selected, will carry out numerous activities between November and December. This is the period of maximum presence of specimens of the population that frequents the waters surrounding Madagascar and in particular Nosybe, destination of our Expeditions.

Supported by Mantadiving, with which the CSS has signed a technical-scientific partnership, for a month, we will take care of continuing the collection of zooplankton samples which will also be aimed at investigating aspects of an ecotoxicological nature, highlighted in the thesis recently discussed by the newly-elected Patrizia Romano at the University of Siena under the supervision of Prof. Marsili, member of the “Shark Whale Food Ecology” Project coordinated by the CSS of Massa Marittima.

The number of samples we will have to acquire will be more important than the number collected in 2018 to provide an even clearer picture of the health status of the Whale Shark’s food. We will continue to collect data on the feeding behaviors of the individual specimens, to try to highlight the presence of relationships between preferred zooplankton families, sizes and dimensions, as well as a complete characterization of the zooplankton populations carried out primarily by the graduate student in Magistrale Paolo Bava of the Bicocca University of Milan under the supervision of Dr. Buttino of the ISPRA of Livorno.

To deepen the behavior we will also use an impermeable Drone that will allow us to increase the time of aerial observation and that is the result of the Donation bestowed on us by Mrs. Veronica Gatelli in memory of Miguel Verdecchia great lover of sharks.

Soon the complete list of participants will be published. The 2 Groups on dispatch.

We recall that the Project “Ecology Food Whale Shark” scientifically coordinated by the Sharks Studies Center (Scientific Institute), involves the following institutions: University of Calabria, Siena, Federico II of Naples, I.s.p.r.a Livorno and Anton Dohrn Napoli. Pending further information, we will again present videos of the activities carried out in December 2018.