Report Thailand Launches Landmark Initiative to Boost Endangered Shark Population

[snoop1130]

Leopard sharks | photo via StAR Project/Phuket News

 

Thailand has launched its first endangered shark rewilding initiative in Phuket, aiming to restore the Indo-Pacific leopard shark population. This effort, launched on May 16, marks a significant milestone in marine conservation through a collaboration involving government bodies, conservation groups, and international partners.

 

The STAR Project Thailand (Stegostoma tigrinum Augmentation and Recovery), led by ReShark, is an international coalition focused on reviving threatened shark and ray populations globally. Initially launched in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, in 2022, the project now extends to Thailand, recognising the leopard shark as a protected species.

 

Dr Mark Erdmann of the ReShark Council endorsed the Thai government's commitment to leopard shark conservation and noted the swift action by StAR Project Thailand partners as a promising aspect for the project's success.

 

Key Thai government agencies, such as the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), and the Department of Fisheries (DoF), collaborate with private entities like Aquaria Phuket and WildAid. This partnership reinforces Thailand’s commitment to biodiversity and sustainable tourism, according to DMCR Director-General Pinsak Suraswadi.

 

The initiative began with the transfer of nine juvenile leopard sharks, bred at Aquaria Phuket, to a sea pen at Maiton Island Resort for acclimatisation, simulating natural conditions to prepare them for the wild. This effort builds on previous projects like Spot the Leopard Shark ‒ Thailand, which has monitored shark populations through citizen science since 2013.

 

The Indo-Pacific leopard shark, listed as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List and Thailand's Red Data list, is vital for ecological balance and diving tourism. A Population Viability Analysis is underway to guide conservation strategies, supported by genetic testing confirming the juveniles’ suitability for reintroduction.

 

At Maiton Resort, caretakers encourage natural foraging behaviours, feeding each shark four to five kilogrammes of shellfish daily. Upon release, the sharks will be equipped with tracking devices, facilitating survival monitoring. Plans for the next phase include tagging the sharks, determining optimal release sites, and expanding the programme to the Gulf of Thailand.

 

Athapol Charoenshunsa, DNP Director-General, hailed the initiative as a model for integrating science, policy, and community collaboration to protect marine life. Bancha Sukkaew, Director-General of the Department of Fisheries, affirmed the commitment to sustainable rewilding according to Thailand’s National Plan of Action for Sharks.

 

Now over 60% complete, the StAR Project Thailand aspires to serve as a benchmark for future marine conservation efforts, contributing to global ocean sustainability and species recovery objectives.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-05-19

 

 

[stevenl]

Please note that this is notTriakis semifasciata, known in other areas as leopard shark, but Stegostoma tigrinum, locally known as leopard shark, in other areas called zebra shark.