Some of the studies and activities you will get involved in may include:
Reef Health (all year): This involves carrying out underwater data collection on indicator species of coral fish and the condition and cover of coral and echinoderms on the reefs. You will be required to learn to identify a number of different reef fish in order that you can record those which are seen on dives.
Whale Shark (all year): We are lucky to see whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) year-round, though there has been a noticeable decrease in encounters since our monitoring began. Whale shark sightings can never be guaranteed, and in recent years they have been less frequent between September and December. The reasons for these shifts are not yet understood, which makes our continued monitoring efforts particularly important. We continue our regular surveys, and every sighting provides valuable data. Whale sharks are seen mostly swimming near the surface during our Ocean Safari snorkelling trips. Whilst on the boat, we record a range of environmental, temporal, anatomical, and behavioural information to help investigate population trends and potential interactions with local fishing activity. We also take photo-identification images to add to the global whale shark database – Wildbook for Whale Sharks – and you will learn how to individually ID whale sharks, view previous sightings, and track the movements of identified individuals. You will also receive presentations on the latest whale shark research both globally and within Mozambique, contributing to our continued efforts to better understand the largest fish in the ocean.
Manta Ray (all year): Much like the whale shark, our other mega-planktivore, the manta rays, are also available year-round in Tofo. We have 2 species: the reef (Mobula alfredi) and giant/oceanic (Mobula birostris) manta rays. Both species can be seen feeding on plankton whilst snorkelling on our Ocean Safari tours, or being cleaned by reefer fish on the diving reefs on our 25-30m dive sites. We also record a range of data concerning environmental, temporal, anatomical, and behavioural data akin to the whale sharks. We have a database of manta-ray photo-identification images, giving us the opportunity to investigate their population demographics, migration/residency and individual life stories.
Leopard Shark (all year):
Our leopard shark database comprises extensive photo-identification material alongside behavioural observations, diver–shark interactions, health assessments and a wide range of other non-invasive field notes, all of which are well-suited for further analysis. The Marine Research Centre’s leopard shark catalogue has already supported several mini-projects by marine fieldwork students, contributed to a Master’s thesis, and informed peer-reviewed publications. Data collection is ongoing, and leopard shark sightings remain highly likely during the austral summer months.
Humpback Whale (June-October): We monitor the numbers of Humpback Whales on their seasonal migration up and down the coast. This involves sand dune based observations using binoculars and boat-based observations recording the numbers of Whales, the makeup of the pods and the behaviours witnessed.
Remote Camera Trap (all year): Our long-life remote camera trap is periodically left in place for up to five days at a time, making recordings of the megafauna moving through the cleaning station areas while we are not present. As SCUBA divers, we make noisy bubbles and can influence the behaviour of animals. Our remote cameras are used to assess the abundance, frequency, and biodiversity of megafauna life, as well as the dynamics of the cleaning station fish themselves during daylight hours throughout the year. During your stay you may observe our research staff deploying and retrieving the remote camera and may be asked to help with video analysis.
Estuary Environment and Seahorses (all year): Estuary areas are also studied and monitored. We make excursions to the estuary at least once per month and here we are monitoring seahorses. You will be taught how to select a sample area and what type of data to record, then taught how this data is recorded and used in studies and monitoring. We take photographs and measurements of any seahorses we find.
Micro-plastics and beach clean ups (all year): We regularly conduct microplastic surveys of random samples of the beach area and results are submitted to the University of Portsmouth's Big Microplastic Survey, a citizen science research project that is examining the scale and distribution of microplastics and mesoplastics on coastlines, lake shores and riverbanks around the world. As part of general conservation efforts, we organise regular beach clean ups to remove larger plastic waste from the environmnent and try to engage the local population where possible in these efforts as part of a strategy to educate on the importance of conserving our precious marine environment.
