A new peer-reviewed study published in Frontiers in Marine Science, led by BCSS Ocean Observatory
scientist Dercio Maoze and co-authored by Jule Buschmann, Acacio Chechene, David van Beuningen, and Dr. Mario Lebrato, shows how public observations are contributing towards understanding of critical megafauna species inventory and important patterns in the distribution of sharks and rays along the Mozambican coastline. This study represents the first comprehensive assessment of the contribution of iNaturalist open-data science to understanding the species composition, spatiotemporal patterns, and conservation status of elasmobranchs along the Mozambican coast, positioning citizen science as a credible data source for national-scale marine biodiversity insights.
Using records submitted through the global citizen science platform iNaturalist, the research documents a diverse range of 44 elasmobranch species — including whale sharks, manta rays, hammerheads, bull sharks, and stingrays, to name a few — while highlighting the conservation importance of Mozambique’s coastal waters. The species list includes several IUCN Critically Endangered species, making the publication especially relevant from a conservation angle.
The findings demonstrate how citizen science can help fill critical biodiversity data gaps, support marine planning, and strengthen conservation efforts in one of the Western Indian Ocean’s most important marine regions.
The results reveal both biodiversity value and conservation urgency.
The dataset recorded 44 shark and ray species, drawn from a broader list of species historically reported in Mozambique. Importantly, these records account for 32% of the country’s documented elasmobranch diversity, demonstrating that citizen science is already capturing a substantial portion of Mozambique’s known shark and ray fauna.
Among all observations:
- 71% involved threatened species
- Endangered and vulnerable species made up the majority of records
- More than 92% of shark observations involved threatened taxa
- Reporting activity increased significantly after 2019, with peak records in recent years
Notably, 82% of all observations were classified as research-grade, reinforcing the reliability of citizen science open-source data for scientific and conservation applications. These findings suggest that public participation is generating increasingly valuable biodiversity information over time.
Flagship Species Still Being Recorded
Some of the most recognisable and conservation-relevant marine species were documented in the
dataset, including:
● Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) – Endangered (EN)
● Reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi) – Vulnerable (VU)
● Giant manta ray (Mobula birostris) – Endangered (EN)
● Bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas) – Vulnerable (VU)
● Scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini) – Critically Endangered (CR)
● Round ribbontail ray (Taeniurops meyeni) – Vulnerable (VU)
● Bluespotted ribbontail ray (Taeniura lymma) – Least Concern (LC)
The Blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) is a common resident of the Bazaruto seascape open ocean and deep seamounts. Photo Credit: Orlando Miranda & Salvador Colvée
A whale shark (Rhincodon typus) patrolling the shallow waters of the Bazaruto Archipelago. Photo Credit: Orlando Miranda & Salvador Colvée
A scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) patrolling surface waters of the Bazaruto Archipelago open ocean. Photo Credit: Orlando Miranda & Salvador Colvée
The presence of these megafauna species reinforces the critical ecological importance of Mozambique’s marine habitats for residency and migratory corridors, as well as the need to safeguard them.
Where Sightings Were Concentrated
The study found that many records were concentrated in southern Mozambique, with strong representation inside recognised conservation areas. More than half of all observations (52%) originated from Inhambane Province alone, reflecting both the region’s high biodiversity value and the concentration of tourism, diving activity, and research effort.
Large numbers of observations occurred within:
- Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs)
- Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
- The Thongaland Transboundary Corridor
- Bazaruto Archipelago National Park
- Maputo National Park
This highlights the value of protected and priority areas for threatened marine megafauna, while also showing where continued monitoring can be most effective.
At the same time, this pattern highlights important limitations: the dataset reveals pronounced spatial, taxonomic, and conservation-relevant gaps, particularly in central and northern Mozambique, where lower observation effort likely masks existing biodiversity.
Why Citizen Science Matters
Citizen science is becoming an increasingly powerful tool in marine conservation. The rapid increase in observations — especially after 2019 — reflects a combination of factors, including rising environmental awareness, growth in marine tourism and dive activities in southern Mozambique, increased access to smartphones and internet connectivity, and the growing visibility of iNaturalist as a biodiversity documentation tool, alongside a broader public interest in contributing to scientific initiatives.
Platforms such as iNaturalist allow divers, fishers, guides, researchers, photographers, and coastal communities to contribute observations that can support scientific understanding.
In data-limited regions, these contributions can:
- Expand species records
- Reveal seasonal or spatial patterns
- Support rapid biodiversity assessments
- Improve awareness and public engagement
- Strengthen conservation evidence
Every verified sighting adds to a larger picture of ecosystem health.
Why This Matters for Conservation and Policy
For Mozambique, these findings carry practical importance.
When threatened species are consistently recorded in specific coastal areas, it helps guide where protection, monitoring, and management efforts should be prioritised.
The study supports evidence-based approaches to:
- Marine spatial planning
- Protected area design
- Species conservation priorities
- Regional biodiversity policy
- Long-term ecosystem stewardship
It also contributes to growing scientific knowledge across the Western Indian Ocean, where sharks and rays remain conservation priorities.
Crucially, the study also highlights a disconnect between ecological importance and formal protection. While many observations occur within recognised Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs), far fewer fall within legally protected Marine Protected Areas, pointing to a mismatch between conservation priorities and existing protection frameworks.
The System Behind the Science
Research impact is strongest when science, data, and long-term commitment work together.
At the Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies (BCSS) and BCSS Ocean Observatory, marine research in Mozambique contributes to a growing understanding of biodiversity and ocean change across the region. The observatory also has, same as iNaturalist, open-access datasets of various complexities across weather, oceanography, and biodiversity to meet the needs of a variety of stakeholders.
Through collaborations, field research, data platforms, and scientific publication, BCSS continues to help strengthen marine science leadership in Mozambique and the wider Western Indian Ocean.
This broader mission is supported through the Resort-to-Research (R2R) model, developed in partnership with Kisawa Sanctuary, helping connect conservation, science, and sustainable support for long-term research.
Looking Ahead
Aerial panorama of the sandbanks on Benguerra Island. The full breadth of the Bazaruto Archipelago stretches between two oceans in a single breathtaking frame. Photo Credit: Orlando Miranda & Salvador Colvée.
This study offers a powerful reminder that meaningful conservation data does not only come from
research vessels and laboratories.
It can also come from people in the water, on the coast, and in local communities who choose to document what they see. As biodiversity pressures increase globally, tools that combine science with public participation will become increasingly important.
Together, these findings show that citizen science is no longer supplementary—it is becoming a
foundational component of marine biodiversity monitoring in data-limited regions like Mozambique.
For Mozambique, that means every sighting can help shape a more informed and resilient future for sharks, rays, and the ecosystems they depend on.
Read the full publication: Frontiers in Marine Science.
More information:
For questions about this article, please contact:
Ekaterina Kalashnikova, Bazaruto Archipelago – Ocean Observatory Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies ekaterina.kalashnikova@bcssmz.org
To get in touch and collaborate with our research Center , please visit https://bcssmz.org/logistical-support-consultancy/
To learn more about our Scientific Training Program, please see https://bcssmz.org/scientific-training-program/