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A harmless snake eel known as Harlequin Snake Eel or Ringed Snake-Eel (Myrichthys colubrinus, Boddaert, 1781) was spotted at the BCSS dive site “Kingfish Alley” – a 14-18m deep reef outcrop situated off 2-mile reef in the central part of the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park. This species is known to occur in East African coastal […]

In light of the global increase of greenhouse gases, blue carbon habitats been shown to play a crucial role in sequestering carbon dioxide, with experts stating that the most efficient carbon-storing habitats are coastal environments that support continuous plant production.  Mozambique’s coastline boasts a rich variety of blue carbon stocks, including the largest mangrove forest in

My time at the Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies (BCSS) was nothing short of extraordinary, and I can confidently say that it was a life-changing experience. From the moment I set foot on the island, I knew that BCSS was the place where I was meant to be. After missing out on the opportunity the

While out for a dive in the Bazaruto Archipelago on the 27th of May, the team came across a very rare sighting: an endangered Ornate Eagle Ray (Aetomylaeus vespertilio). Marine Operations Manager Mauro Jije was conducting a routine research equipment inspection on the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP), recently installed under the auspices of the

A major research project whereby BCSS is providing the research logistics & organizing the fieldwork, ReMoTURB, is facilitating learning about biogeochemical dynamics of the ocean in the Bazaruto Archipelago. It is also facilitating research on the correlation between chemistry and biology factors derived from areas around moorings in the pelagic deep waters off Bazaruto Archipelago

BCSS has partnered with the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) in the form of an institutional membership, supporting the organisation’s mission to promote marine science, conservation, education, and sustainable development of marine environments and its resources. As a regional, non-profit organisation, WIOMSA has been dedicated to supporting all aspects of marine sciences in

This article is written by Iris Uijttewaal, with contribution of Dr. Mario Lebrato. Extreme or catastrophic events in the natural environment are rare opportunities to study and understand ecosystems pushed to the limit. These occasions facilitate the understanding of how life adapts to a continuous changing world, where fundamental events can disrupt normality. A series

This article is written by Iris Uijttewaal, with contribution from Dr. Mario Lebrato. Lasting over 5 weeks, and traversing the Indian Ocean from Australia to Mozambique, C4 Cyclone Freddy hit Mozambique two times in 2023; the Bazaruto Archipelago and Vilankulos at the end of February, and again mid-March, making landfall northwards, near Quelimane. Sustained winds

For nearly two decades, the United Nations member states negotiated on a legal framework that would protect large areas of the ocean, and on the 4th of March, finally an agreement has been reached during the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). The treaty represents the crucial legal mechanism that needed

Encountering a manta ray is a magical experience, and not uncommon in the Bazaruto Archipelago seascape. Both the reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi) and giant manta ray (Mobula birostris) are found in these waters. With manta season around the corner, we are already seeing aggregations of reef mantas feeding on the surface on trapped plankton fronts during expeditions, while