Whale Shark Trust: Preservation on Kenya Coast

(March 1, 2008 - DTN) -- The East African Whale Shark Trust, in partnerships with research teams from San Diego and a team of underwater videographers from Europe, pitched camp at Diani and Watamu on Kenya’s south coast for a two-week tagging expedition that began Feb. 18. The objective of the exercise was to increase protection afforded to the whale shark, the world’s largest fish, a highly migratory oceanic fish that occasionally ventures to a handful of coastlines.

The Kenyan coast has in the recent past seen an increase in whale shark population and in the months of February-March each year, there is almost guaranteed sightings of them. The East African Whale Shark Trust aims to provide a research centre for collecting and analyzing data on the local whale shark population, its habits and movements.

This year’s event was a landmark adventure in research and education and a huge exciting step for Kenya’s conservation prospects along the coast following the tagging of eight whalesharks, the highest number so far. Visitors staying at the beach resorts along the south coast joined in on daily whale shark safari’s lasting four hours. Because whale sharks are mostly seen on the surface divers and snorkelers can swim with them while watching the research teams go through the delicate tagging process. Trips were scheduled to depart by boat from Pinewood Village in Diani every morning. A spotter plane was available to assist in locating the whale sharks. For more information, visit magicalkenya.com.

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