Decade-long study maps whale shark routes in Indonesia

April 30, 2026 / 10:33 AM

Sharjah24 - AFP: A decade-long scientific study has mapped the migration patterns of whale sharks off Indonesia’s coast, identifying key movement routes and major aggregation areas. Researchers tagged 70 Indo-Pacific whale sharks across multiple locations in Indonesia and tracked their movements for up to three years in some cases. Findings published in Frontiers in Marine Science show the species travelled across waters in 13 countries and through the open ocean, revealing previously undocumented long-distance migration behaviour.

Two Indonesian bays confirmed as year-round aggregation sites

The study identified Cenderawasih Bay in Papua province and Saleh Bay in Sumbawa as year-round gathering areas, rather than seasonal habitats as previously believed. Scientists involved in the research described these locations as critical habitats supported by food availability and protection from predators, with some evidence suggesting they may also function as nursery areas.

Cenderawasih Bay benefits from national park protection

Cenderawasih Bay is already designated as a national park, which has helped limit large-scale tourism impacts and preserve the marine environment where whale sharks gather.

Saleh Bay is experiencing increasing environmental pressure due to tourism growth, agriculture, and aquaculture, which can contribute to pollution, sedimentation, and declining water quality.

Conservation efforts underway to establish protected marine area

Marine scientists have reported multiple whale shark strandings in Indonesia in recent years, with pollution and vessel strikes among the suspected causes. Conservation groups are working with Indonesian authorities to establish the country’s first dedicated whale shark marine protected area in Saleh Bay, with implementation hoped for in the near future.