31 October 2019 (written by Megan Meyers)
In October, Megan took a trip to the remote village of Labuhan Jambu on the island of Sumbawa, Indonesia. Saleh Bay is located just outside the village and has an aggregation of whale sharks that feed on the fish associated with Bagan fishing boats.
Because whale shark interactions are highly sought out worldwide, small tourism opportunities are beginning to crop up in this area. Megan met with team members from Conservation International to discuss how to best manage this newly established tourism venture. The hope is to create a management plan that will allow for people to interact and appreciate whale sharks, educate the local people about them, while also maintaining the rural lifestyle of this small village.
Sequeira Lab 