The Great Fiji Shark Count

Counting Fiji's sharks, rays and turtles

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You are here: Home / Results and data / Why include Rays?

Why include Rays?

This is the Great Fiji SHARK Count; why are we counting Rays?

Sharks and rays are very close cousins; indeed, Angel Sharks or Guitarfish, look as though they are half way between the two.

Sharks and rays are all CHONDRICHTHYES, which is to say that they have skeletons made out of cartilage instead of bone (in the human body, cartilage makes up the “bendy’ part of the nose, as well as other parts of our skeleton that are less easy to see).

They also all have rough scale-less skin, and 5 or 6 gill slits on each side of the head, instead of one gill opening like most other fish.

Manta Ray in FijiRays suffer from the same overfishing pressures as sharks, and their flesh is often used as fake “scallops” and in “crab sticks”.

Like sharks, you usually only see one or two rays at a time, so conventional small scale scientific surveys do not record many of them, and .they are best counted in a large-scale “Citizen Science” count.

Including rays in with their cousins the sharks will provide data on these species about which very little is known.

Manta – Ray of Hope takes the viewer on a breathtaking journey to some of the most remote and exotic places on earth, to personally experience the magnificence of these rays. Through the eyes of naturalists and researchers, the people who know these animals best, we begin to unravel the mysteries of the manta. We experience their joy of new discoveries and also their pain, watching mantas they know fished in front of their very eyes. We then go deep undercover, from the remote fishing villages to the bustling cities, to better understand and expose the trade that is threatening their very future. And, we challenge the medicinal health ‘claims’ that are driving this destructive trade. Finally, as a ray of hope, we meet those who are making a difference, from scientists, to politicians, to local businessmen, and learn how we all can make a difference for these magical creatures too.

Rays

Common Name Latin name
Bluespotted ribbontail ray (brown) Taeniura lymma
Bluespotted stingray (grey) Dasyatis kuhli
Reef Manta Ray Manta alfredi.birostris
Spotted eagle ray Aetobatus narinari
Giant reef ray Taeniura meyeni

 

Manta Ray in Fiji

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Welcome to The Great Fiji Shark Count !

Throughout the months of April and November every year, you have the opportunity to help celebrate and record Fiji’s amazing coral reef biodiversity, show you care about our world’s delicate coral reef systems, and have fun, by taking part in the FIJI-WIDE SHARK COUNT!

Easy to do, this is suitable for visitors and locals alike, whether you like to fish, snorkel, or SCUBA dive. We hope that tourists, school children, scientists and all people with an interest in the marine environment will take to the reefs with us to search for the Sharks of Fiji!

The Great Fiji Shark Count will be held across Fiji every April and November every year.

You can do a single count, or take part as many times as you like during that month, so that you cover different reefs. All data will be gratefully accepted!

So, see your resort, watersports operator or travel agent, get your Shark identification materials and dive into the beautiful blue waters of Fiji, to be a part of history!

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