Happy 200th birthday to ZSL from the Marine Science team!
ZSL scientists and conservationists have been an integral part of the Marine Science programme since it began in 2017, including managing the programme and supporting students, conservation projects, and fieldwork.
With a long existing legacy of marine science and conservation, we look forward to see what the next 200 years will bring 🤿 🌊!
#zslat200
Congratulations to Prof Nick Graham from @lancasteruni for being awarded the @officialzsl ZSL Marsh Award for Marine and Freshwater Conservation last night. Nick leads the island-reef connections research within the @bertarellifoundation Indian Ocean Marine Science programme. Wonderful to see his amazing work recognised through this prestigious award - very well deserved!
And we’re off! Our National Geographic Society – The Last Archipelago Meridian Project team is on an expedition to one of the most remote archipelagos in Africa — St. Brandon. This expedition is in collaboration with @odysseooceanarium_mauritius , @saintbrandonislands , and @officialzsl .
Scientists from our Indian Ocean Marine Science Programme supported by the Bertarelli Foundation were recently at the West Indian Ocean Marine Science Association symposium in Mombasa. A brilliant showcase of regional science and conservation projects and a very friendly and collaborative meeting in spite of its large size (>1,100 delegates!). Lots of opportunities to connect with collaborators and friends and make new ones!
As well as a range of excellent talks, special sessions curated science to policy recommendations. Programme lead @heather.koldewey presented at special sessions on plastic pollution and regional connectivity.
(While making time to spend in, on and under the ocean 🤿)
Five years ago, a bunch of lockdown-weary but knowledge-hungry scientists and conservationists gathered online to hatch their next mission: study the whales & dolphins of the Chagos marine reserve. A key question was whether this remote Indian Ocean archipelago was home to the rare Omura’s whale- an elusive baleen species that was first described in 2003 and only recorded live in 2013! Previous acoustic recordings from Chagos suggested it might be around, but solide evidence was still missing.
This week, the team woke up to exciting news- we have confirmed sighting of Omura, near Eagle Island!!
This is an important data point since this small species (~12m) is probably the least known of the rorqual and has a conservation status of ‘Data Deficient’.
It lives primarily in tropics/subtropic with confirmed sightings off Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Japan, Thailand, Australia, and now, Chagos.
Its fun when science comes full circle 🥳🐋🙏
Thanks to @beth_seastheocean for great 📸s and excellent field observations!
@ashadevos@clareembling@dr.dolphinsoup@bioacoustic_bebe@udayanga_zampath@dvharris_1@plymbiomarsci@iomarinescience@officialzsl #charlesanderson @marinevertscru
New paper ‼️ Led by Dr Alice Trevail @exetermarine , an interdisciplinary team of scientists from our programme found that highly mobile and threatened sea turtles, manta rays, and seabirds were all protected by the very large marine protected area around the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean.
With @ruth_edunn@swanesteban@manta_joanna@mantaguy@officialzsl@plymbiomarsci@marcel_swansea@mantatrust and funded by @bertarellifoundation
Read more here: /faculty-of-environment-science-and-economy/chagos-study-highlights-value-of-vast-marine-protected-areas/
Fantastic to see these amazing scientists from our Marine Science programme graduate! Congratulations Drs @seaholly_@explorermel@jessonmcsavage 🎉🙌🏽!
Highlighting the diversity and impact of our Indian Ocean research programme, their research covers sea turtle biology, ecology and conservation; development of drone technology for monitoring and enforcement; and the impact of plastic pollution on reef manta rays.
We’re all very proud of you! With special thanks to the @bertarellifoundation for their support of early career scientists!
#womeninscience #womeninconservation
This week #plasticstreaty negotiations kick off in Geneva. Our recent paper led by @jessonmcsavage with programme scientists @manta_joanna@heather.koldewey@tomletessier show shockingly high levels of microplastics (mostly clothing fibres) in important manta feeding grounds in a remote protected area of the central Indian Ocean - the Chagos Archipelago. Such findings highlight the importance of global cooperation and an ambitious Treaty that recognises the impact of plastic pollution on wildlife.
Full paper here: /doi/full/10.1111/csp2.70059
📷 Feeding mantas @leilascheltema@mantatrust
Dive into the mysteries Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems hold! Join @dr_clara_diaz as she talks about MCEs including the tools being used to study them in the Chagos Archipelago, Indian Ocean.
When: 5 Aug 1pm-2pm BST
Sign up for free here: /e/mesophotic-coral-ecosystems-reefs-from-the-twilight-zone-tickets-1348496111169
#FreeWebinar #MarineBiology #MarineConservation #MesophoticCorals
Meet some of our senior researchers in the programme!
Our researchers work across different areas of the marine world and these researchers look at a mixture of turtle ecology, shark genomics, oceanography and social science
@shaili_johri
#MarineScience #MarineBiology #Scientists
Our Indian Ocean marine science programme supports established researchers and has a major focus on training the next generation of ocean scientists. A big congratulations to all our recent PhD Graduates for 2024!
@manta_joanna@explorermel@seaholly_
Students were lead authors on eleven of the scientific papers published last year, as well as presenting at many national and international workshops and conferences and participating in fieldwork.
#PhDGraduates #Doctor #MarineScience #MarineBiology #Scientists
In 2024 scientists from the Marine Science Programme published 39 papers, bringing the total number of published papers to 213 since 2017. Of the 39, five were published in journals with an “excellent” impact factor (>10) and a further 24 in journals with a “good” impact factor (>3).
#MarineScience #MarineConservation #MarineBiology #ConservationScience #Publications #OpenAccess
