Above: Blacktip Reef Sahrk in Watamu Marirne National Park. Courtesy A Rocha Kenya marine team
Sharks have suffered bad press with ‘Jaws’ sending shivers down the spine. Yet not all species are blood-thirsty human-seeking predators and many are actually harmless. Little is known about the sharks that swim in the Kenyan waters of the Indian Ocean but here’s marine researcher Peter Musila of A Rocha (Portuguese word for The Rock), the Christian conservation organization, enlightening us about these ocean creatures.
1. Whitetip Reef Sharks
Listed as ‘Critically endangered’ in the recent IUCN Red List, it means they are one step away from being listed as extinct in the wild. These nocturnal sharks are rarely seen during the day, preferring to spend the day resting under rocks and crevices in coral reefs and shallow water. They come out at night to hunt when their prey is asleep or off guard like octopuses, squid, fish, and crustaceans like crabs and lobsters.
They are very shy of people and will quickly swim away when they see a diver approaching and are quite harmless to humans.
Whitetips are not large sharks. Most are about five feet rarely reaching seven feet. You can see them along the Western Indian Ocean and the larger Indo-Pacific region.
2. Blacktip Reef Sharks
Blacktips are also not big sharks and grow to lengths of five feet and found along the coastlines of Pacific regions, such as Thailand, Japan, the Philippines, New Caledonia and northern Australia. They are also found in the Indian Ocean from South Africa to the Red Sea. Although they are listed ‘Near threatened’ on the IUCN Red List, Blacktips are common in Watamu Marine National Park and can be seen swimming in big numbers along the inner reef.
“Blacktips are not a threat to people, considering that Watamu gets thousands of tourists swimming in the intertidal shallow beaches where we see most of these reef sharks and no shark attack has ever been recorded here,” states Musila.
The A Rocha marine team is monitoring this species to study its behaviour, habitat, and threats.
Related to sharks are rays. Look out for these in Watamu:
3. Marbled Electric Rays
These beautifully patterned rays are found in deeper waters along the coral reef, and also sometimes near the shore in rock pools and caves in shallow lagoons. Small compared to other types of rays, they can grow to about 50 cm in length. They are nocturnal and hunt at night. They spend the day buried in the ocean floor, so if you are really lucky, you might see one during the day.
“They have electric organs at the base of their pectoral fins that generate a strong, electric discharge to subdue prey like eels and fish and to drive off predators,” explains Musila.
“They are one of the most fascinating creatures in the ocean,” continues the marine researcher. “They move very slowly, yet they can produce 10-200 volts of electricity (depending on the species) either to protect themselves from predators or to catch their food. Afterward, it would take them several days to recharge their glands.”
4. Honeycomb Whiprays
Classified as ‘Vulnerable’ which means population decreasing on the IUCN Red List, they are seen in the park’s shallow sea grass beds and sand patches. Reaching up to six feet in length, they have beautiful spots that get crowded as they grow which gives them their name – honeycomb.
“They have a very long whip-like tail and hence the name,” says Musila. “But their sting is not lethal. However, there are other species of rays (stingrays) that have a sharp spine in their tails that can produce a very painful sting if accidentally stepped on.”
Also tells Musila, “Rays are often caught by fishermen in Watamu because they are actually tasty.”
A Critically Endangered species close to becoming extinct in the wild, the Halavi guitarfish is found in the sea grass and sandy beds of the marine park.
“These are quite rare to see,” informs Musila. “They are called guiterfish because of their shape which is an elongated body and a wedge-shaped snout that resembles a guitar.”
Best way to see these creatures?
“It’s by snorkeling/scuba diving in the reef or patrolling the sandy beaches along the marine park,” says Musila.
How you can help conserve these creatures?
“The biggest threat to sharks and rays range from overfishing and habitat destruction to pollution and unsustainable human development,” says Musila. “You can help conserve them by just being curious to learn, participating in restoration activities like beach clean-ups and tree planting, and being a little less wasteful because so much ends up in the ocean as trash.”
Words of Wisdom
“Be respectful to marine life, do NOT touch anything, whether live or dead, do NOT step on corals and do NOT feed the fish. Learn about marine life and the ecosystems so you can help with their conservation.”
Stay at A Rocha’s Mwamba Conservation Centre
A few metres from the beach and the marine park, it offers clean and simple accommodation to anyone who loves nature including longer-term resident researchers. It is a Christian organization, so do respect etiquette.
Rupi the African Trotter 