Beyond the 1,000 Rufiyaa note: the fight to protect Maldives' whale sharks

Despite spending much of my life in the water, I had never seen one. Manta rays, reef sharks, parrotfish, triggerfish, even the occasional turtle, yes. But the Maldives’ most famous gentle giant always eluded me.

That changed in April, when I joined a 10-day research trip with the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP) in South Ari Atoll. Over the course of nine encounters, I saw six different whale sharks, a reminder of just how extraordinary these waters are.

Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) can grow to over 18 metres. They are docile plankton feeders, harmless to humans. In the Maldives, they are most commonly sighted in the South Ari Marine Protected Area (SAMPA). They’re not just a scientific marvel, they’re also a huge draw for both locals and visitors.

But for the MWSRP, encounters like these are about much more than awe. The charity and NGO is dedicated to understanding and protecting the endangered species. By combining scientific research with community and industry participation, they push for conservation policies that protect not only whale sharks, but the fragile marine ecosystems that underpin life, livelihoods and culture in the Maldives.

Current projects stretch far beyond Ari Atoll. One ongoing collaboration with the Djibouti Whale Shark Project, the University of Insubria and MARECO is examining the ecotoxicology of plankton, the tiny organisms that whale sharks feed on across Indian Ocean aggregation sites. Studying the toxic effects of natural and synthetic pollutants will help scientists understand the threats faced by these highly mobile giants.

Protecting whale sharks is no easy task. As a migratory species that moves between coastal and open ocean habitats, their conservation depends on coordinated international effort. In the Maldives, MWSRP has pioneered the use of non-invasive photo-ID techniques to track local movements. Yet beyond the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone, the animals are more vulnerable to human threats, from targeted fishing to bycatch.

For all the challenges, there are also moments of celebration. MWSRP maintains a database of identified whale sharks, each with a name. A new addition will soon be named through a public competition. The winning choice is required to be a Maldivian word or name.

On a day dedicated to whale sharks, it’s a reminder that conservation is as much about science as it is about community, and that safeguarding these gentle giants ultimately means protecting the ecosystems we all rely on.