Gujarati fishermen and Forest Department staff rescue a whale shark accidentally caught in a fishing net

Whale sharks were once brutally hunted across the shores of the west Indian state of Gujarat. To stop this slaughter, the species was listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 in May 2001, according it the highest level of protection in the country. It also receives international protection due to its inclusion in Appendix II of the Convention in International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The widely-acclaimed Whale Shark Campaign spread awareness on the plight of the species and its protected status, in Gujarat. It helped convert the fishermen into protectors of the fish and brought about a change in the perception and attitude of local people.

School children throng the life-size whale shark inflatable used to spread awareness on the species, as part of the Whale Shark Campaign in Gujarat

Yet, very little scientific knowledge is available on whale sharks in India. Long-term conservation of the species will require generation of baseline data on its population, ecology and migration.    

Underwater photograph of whale shark taken for photo-identification of the species in India. The turbidity hampered identification of this individual.

The Whale Shark Conservation Project attempts to generate baseline data on the whale shark to aid its long-term conservation in India.

A joint venture of the Gujarat Forest Department, Tata Chemicals Limited (TCL) and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), the project activities involve scientific studies of whale sharks through photo-identification, genetic analysis and satellite tagging. The project also explores establishment of whale shark tourism in India, to benefit coastal communities who play a critical role in marine wildlife conservation.

The project receives significant support from the Australia-India Council (AIC) particularly in exchange of knowledge between the two countries, which is vital for the establishment of the project in India considering the expertise of Australia in whale shark science and tourism.

Evolving from the Whale Shark Campaign, the Whale Shark Conservation Project was formally launched in November 2008, beginning with the formation of a Scientific Advisory Council (SAC) and a Governing Council (GC) to facilitate its implementation. While the SAC includes Indian and international marine experts, the GC includes the project implementers and senior Gujarat Forest Department officials.

The Scientific Advisory Council (SAC) members of the Whale Shark Conservation Project in Porbandar, Gujarat

The project is currently being implemented by the field personnel of the Forest Department and WTI, with the support of the fishing communities. Gradually, efforts will be made to build capacity of the fishermen to facilitate their direct involvement in whale shark studies.

Manoj Matwal, Assistant Field Officer, WTI undergoes training in underwater photography of whale sharks for photo-identification

Photo-identification:
Implemented with the aim to contribute in population estimation as well as study of whale shark migration, photo-identification entails underwater photography and comparison of the photographs in a global database. The photo-identification being carried out under this project contributes whale shark photographs to the database managed by ECOCEAN. Whale sharks are identified using the pattern of spots, which are unique (equivalent to stripes in tigers) in each individual.

Genetic analysis:
Whale sharks are found in shores of India among many other countries across the world. Genetic analysis will help shed light on the genetic diversity of whale sharks as well as help establish the relationship between different populations, which can also contribute to understanding the species migration.

Satellite tagging:
Satellite tagging will be used to study movement of the whale sharks. Once tagged, marine conservationists will be able to track their movement to understand their migratory pattern and their habitat preference, in addition to other behavioral aspects of the species.

Whale shark tourism:
Value of the whale shark in terms of revenue generated through tourism is much higher as compared to that generated by its hunt. This has been established in Australia, known to be among the countries with best whale shark tourism practices. The project is exploring the possibilities of establishing whale shark tourism in India to provide incentives to coastal communities for their contribution in conservation of marine wildlife and habitats.

First individual whale shark identified in Indian shores, through photo-identification carried out under the Whale Shark Conservation Project

-- India began contributing to global whale shark research with the initiation of photo-identification in 2010. The first individual from Indian shores was identified in April. It has been labelled as I-001 and was a new entry to ECOCEAN’s global database.

Dhiresh Joshi, Coordinator, WTI, undergoes training at CSIRO, Hobart, Australia, to fix satellite tags

-- March 11, 2011: The last five days proved extremely busy for the whale shark rescue team in Gujarat. Five individuals trapped in fishing nets were freed between March 5 and 10. During these operations, two whale sharks were visual-tagged and their genetic samples were collected.

--The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, has granted permission to carry out genetic analysis of whale sharks as well as deployment of satellite tags on rescued whale sharks to enable the project implementers to track their movement.

-- Supported by the Australia-India Council, conservationists and Gujarat Forest Department officials visited Australia in May this year to observe and learn about whale shark research and tourism practices in the country. The delegates met authorities at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation (WADEC), who have assured technical support for the project. WADEC has identified an Australian expert to carry out a whale shark tourism feasibility study in India.