The World's Largest Shark Sanctuary - Living Oceans Foundation

The Largest Shark Sanctuary in the World

The atolls of Tuamotu, especially Fakarava, are world renowned for their shark diving and this means we have been seeing reef sharks on pretty much every dive. In fact, French Polynesia has the world’s largest shark sanctuary at 4.7 million square kilometers. The three most common species of shark we have been seeing are the white tip, black tip and grey reef shark. These are harmless sharks that can be up to 2 meters in length.

Though not agressive, it’s intimidating to see a grey reef shark approach a diver

These sharks are particularly abundant in the channels running in and out of the atolls. In these passes, the strong currents make the waters particularly rich in nutrients, able to support a high abundance and diversity of reef organisms. The southern pass of Fakarava was one dive where the sharks were particularly abundant with over 100 sharks enjoying the currents.

Two nurse sharks wrestle in the sand

(Photos by: 1 Dr. Brian Beck, 2-3 Serge Andrefouet)

From Mangrove Mud to Meaningful Work: Desta’s J.A.M.I.N. Journey

Some students I remember for their grades, their quick answers, or a moment that made the whole class laugh. Others I remember for the way they stepped into the mangroves.

Desta was the kind of student who thrived outdoors. While some students hesitated at the edge of the mud, he walked right in. And when he inevitably got stuck — because everyone does — he didn’t get frustrated. He laughed. Covered in mud, holding mangrove propagules in his hands, he embraced the experience fully.

Even then, it was clear that he was connecting with the environment in a way that went beyond the lesson plan…

From Students to Stewards: A Full-Circle Moment for J.A.M.I.N.

There are certain faces you never forget.

Over the years, hundreds of students have stepped into mangrove forests with us through the Jamaica Awareness of Mangroves in Nature (J.A.M.I.N.) program. I may not always remember every name, but I remember the expressions — the hesitation before stepping into thick mud, the laughter when someone loses a shoe, the look of surprise when they catch that unmistakable sulfur smell rising from the mangrove soil…

The Largest Shark Sanctuary in the World

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From Mangrove Mud to Meaningful Work: Desta’s J.A.M.I.N. Journey

From Students to Stewards: A Full-Circle Moment for J.A.M.I.N.