It was 10 years ago that I moved to the Philippines. The reason? To dive daily with thresher sharks! I was an aspiring marine scientist and conservationist, and I wanted nothing more than to do my Divemaster and Master Scuba Diver in Malapascua Island – a small island north of Cebu famous for its predictable thresher shark diving.
There are three known species of thresher sharks: the common thresher Alopias vulpinus, the pelagic thresher A. pelagicus and the bigeye thresher A. superciliosus. All of them occur in tropical and temperate waters, with the common thresher penetrating into colder temperate seas seasonally (e.g. UK, South Africa, south Australia). These big eyed, small mouthed sharks are notorious for their uniquely long caudal fin (tail). The reason why they visit Malapascua is simple: to get cleaned. The threshers approach cleaning stations at a nearby seamount, known as Monad Shoal, and circle or figure-eight around the cleaning stations where cleaner wrasses rid them of parasites and dead tissue. The threshers visiting Monad Shoal are primarily pelagic thresher sharks, A. pelagicus. These sharks have been documented to use their long tail to stun their prey, thus accessing an easy meal.
I have witnessed them breaching out of the water at Monad Shoal, and the general vicinity, from above and below the water! Quite a spectacle for the eyes. I have been lucky to spend many hours underwater observing these majestic predators, and can honestly say it is one of the best underwater sights I have ever seen. I have seen them cruising just off the reef at other sites, but the opportunity to get close and personal to them at Monad Shoal is quite spectacular.
All three thresher shark species are listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Appendix II, and the pelagic thresher is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List. All species are protected in the Philippines and thresher shark tourism in Malapascua has brought significant economic success to the island and neighbouring towns. It is a booming dive destination, with divers visiting from all over the world.
As divers, we can play our part in supporting responsible tourism operations and destinations, like that of Monad Shoal. As a rule of thumb, following GreenFins‘ diving practices is a great start, as these are designed to reduce pressure on the ecosystem and host species, whilst maximising your underwater experience. In Monad Shoal a strict code of conduct is enforced, not only for boats, but also for divers. It is crucial that divers act responsibly at sensitive sites, like Monad Shoal, as the threshers depend on a healthy reef that supports healthy cleaner fish communities.
Join me onboard Atlantis Azores in December 2022 for a unique diving experience around the Central Visayas and Southern Leyte, where we will visit Monad Shoal and experience first-hand the uniqueness of the pelagic thresher sharks. A portion of the proceeds of this trip will be donated to Mareco, the charity I started to facilitate marine conservation interventions through collaborative work.
I am thrilled to share my knowledge and experience with you, join us on board!
Written by Dr. Gonzalo Araujo
