Overview

• Researchers cataloged 268 individual whale sharks across the Bird’s Head Seascape from 2010 to 2023 using long-term photo ID and citizen images.
• An estimated 62% of sharks bore scars from preventable human causes, with severe trauma documented in 17.7% of individuals.
• Of the 206 sharks recorded with injuries, 80.6% showed wounds attributed to human activity, chiefly contact with bagans and vessel strikes.
• The aggregation was dominated by juvenile males roughly 4–5 meters long, with 90% of identified sharks being male and sightings clustered near bagans.
• The team is working with marine protected area managers on low-cost fixes—removing sharp edges from bagans, enforcing slow speeds, routing boats, and tightening tourism practices—to reduce harm.