The azure waters and vivid reef failed to grab our attention. As we gazed into the crystal clear abyss, the mayhem slowly unfolded before our eyes. Perhaps a sensory overload? The grey reef sharks now serving as a shy backdrop to their bolder white-tipped friends. Hiding the stunning reef from our focus. Schools of bannerfish and pulsating anthias added the [...]

Crystal Bay, Nusa Penida, Bali Hovering motionless, gazing into the blue abyss. Praying for Lady Luck. Hoping. We waited. Under more normal circumstances, the vibrant reef life, pristine corals, deep drop offs and crystal clear waters would be enough to capture our attention. This is certainly no normal place though. Finally, as if in slow motion, our dreams were realised. [...]

Five commercially valuable shark species, manta rays & freshwater sawfish gain increased protection Bangkok, 14 March 2013. CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) plenary today accepted Committee recommendations to list five species of highly traded sharks, the oceanic whitetip, porbeagle and three species of hammerheads (great, smooth & scalloped hammerhead) under the CITES Appendix II. Both types of manta [...]

In a matter of days, officials from countries around the world will have an historic opportunity to protect a record number of sharks and rays – including oceanic whitetip sharks, hammerhead sharks and manta rays – from the unsustainable international trade that threatens their survival. International trade in wild plants and animals is worth billions of dollars a year and [...]