Thresher Shark Project Indonesia was the first conservation initiative that focuses on thresher sharks in Indonesia. Since the past year, thresher sharks have been incredibly overlooked despite their endangered status, and continuous population decline, yet research and conservation actions have been lacking to help their population in the wild.
Our project was based in Alor Island, Indonesia, where communities were targeting endangered pelagic thresher shark as livelihoods. Our project has highlighted the importance of conserving this endangered species in Alor Island, resulting in increased awareness among communities in Alor. Right now, we are in an effort to solve the livelihood conflicts to solve the targeted fisheries, working together with local communities to alternative livelihoods.
We would like to highlight more good news for the species in Indonesia, as well as providing an example of how close engagement with local communities, can solve the livelihood conflicts for Indonesian communities who depend on them. Sharing with wider audiences would bring more optimism and stories about thresher sharks, and would showcase the progress that is being made to conserve them.