Marine Megafauna Foundation

The Marine Megafauna Foundation (MMF) is a marine biology research and conservation nonprofit known for discovering, researching, and protecting large marine animals including whale sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, whales, and dugongs.

Whale Sharks are the World's Biggest Fish

Giant Manta Ray

Marine Megafauna Foundation

Formation	2009
Founders	Andrea Marshall & Simon J Pierce
Founded at	Tofo Beach, Mozambique
Legal status	501(c)(3) non-profit conservation organization
Headquarters	West Palm Beach, Florida, United States
Affiliations	Manta Matcher, Sharkbook (formerly Whaleshark.org), Galapagos Whaleshark Project, Byron Bay Leopard Shark Project, Madagascar Whale Shark Project
Website	https://www.marinemegafauna.org/
Formerly called	Manta Ray & Whale Shark Research Centre

MMF has permanent research & conservation sites in Mozambique, Australia, Indonesia, and Florida, as well as other temporary locations.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

History

MMF was founded in 2009 by marine biologists Andrea Marshall and Simon J Pierce in Tofo Beach, Mozambique.

Discoveries, research, and conservation initiatives

• Developed new techniques to use photo identification and artificial intelligence to study and track populations of whale sharks and other marine animals.^[6][7] These are incorporated in Citizen science programs such as Sharkbook^[8] and Manta Matcher.^[9][10][11]
• Discovered a new type of Manta, the "reef manta ray" (Manta alfredi)^[12]
• Led initiatives to add whale sharks,^[13] reef manta rays,^[14] and oceanic manta rays^[15][16] to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
• Established the Inhambane Province Hope Spot in collaboration with Sylvia Earle's Mission Blue^[17][18]
• Documented the first sightings of the ornate eagle ray (Aetomylaeus vespertilio) in the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park, Inhambane Province, Mozambique^[19][20]
• Documented the first recorded sighting of a live Smalleye Stingray underwater in 2009 and then the first successful tag of "the World's biggest ocean stingray"^[21] in 2023.
• Completed the first study of South Florida manta ray population Luu,^[22] and created what was reported to be the first digital 3D manta ray model with the Digital Life Project and ANGARI Foundation.^[22]
• Uncovered illegal Chinese fishing practices after a whale shark named "Hope" with a satellite tag tracked by MMF was killed in Galapagos. This incident resulted in expansion of the Marine Protected Zone around the Galapagos.^[23][24][25]
• Created “Ocean Guardians” conservation education project in Mozambique recognized by UNESCO.^[26]

External links

• "WATCH: Investigating the Mysterious Whale Sharks of Mafia Island" (video). youtube.com. National Geographic. Jan 24, 2017.
• "WATCH: Andrea Marshall: Queen of the Manta Rays -Nat Geo Live" (video). youtube.com. National Geographic. Jul 15, 2013.
• "WATCH: Andrea - Queen of Mantas - First Ever Encounter with Smalleye Stingray" (video). bbc.co.uk. BBC. 2009.
• "WATCH: Dr. Sylvia Earle Introduces the Inhambane Seascape Hope Spot" (video). youtube.com. Sylvia Earle. Jan 26, 2022.