Megafauna Monitoring Initiative (MMI) – February 2020

This month the Tokoriki Diving team encounters were quite consistent with other months for practically most species with a few exceptions. Of these include our highest number of White Tip Reef Shark (Triaenodon obesus) and Great Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) to date with 89 and 40 individuals respectively, and lowest number of Milkfish (Chanos chanos) with a single sighting. It is however important to note that the Milkfish was only encountered for the first time last month.

The most significant change in observations was with the Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas). This species was encountered 150 times in contrast to 55 and 63 times in December and January respectively.

7 species were absent throughout February, that is the Zebra Shark (Stegostoma fasciatum), Tawny Nurse Shark (Nebrius ferrugineus), Marbled Ray (Taeniurops meyeni), Tahitian Stingray (Pateobatis fai), Narrow-barred Spanish Mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson), Bumphead Parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) and Brassy Trevally (Caranx papuensis). All of these species are rare encounters and therefore their absence in the February MMI are not surprising with the exception of the Narrow-barred Spanish Mackerel. February marks the first month of the commencement of the MMI in July 2019 that this species has not been encountered. I

nterestingly, 3 new species were encountered in this month’s MMI, 1 Porcupine Ray, a school of 40 Mackerel Tuna and 1 Giant Trevally. See below the list of specific species and sighting numbers;

89 x White Tip Reef Shark (Triaenodon obesus)

25 x Black Tip Reef Shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus)

26 x Grey Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos)

150 x Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)

11 x Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate)

2 x Bluespoted Ribbontail Ray (Taeniura lymma)

3 x Coral Sea Maskray (Neotrygon kuhlii)

2 x Whitespotted Eagle Ray (Aetobatus ocellatus)

1 x Porcupine Ray (Urogymnus asperrimus)

10 x Humphead Wrasse (Cheilinus undulates)

40 x Great Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda)

15 x Brown Marbled Grouper ( Epinephelus   fuscoguttatus )

1 x Milkfish (Chanos chanos)

40 x Mackerel Tuna (Euthynnus affinis)

1 x Giant Trevally (Caranx ignobilis)

Thank you (vinaka vakalevu) for reading and please join us next month to see what we encountered throughout March!