Megalodon Project Azores

Sharks exist since more than 450 million years on our blue planet. The biggest one that ever lived was the Megalodon . He was not only the biggest shark in the world, but one of the largest fish ever to exist. Estimates suggest it grew to between 15 and 18 meters in length, three times longer than the largest recorded great white shark. While often referred to as living fossils, sharks have evolved many different guises over the hundreds of millions of years that they have been swimming the oceans.

But will they survive human being?

We are all aware of the threats of the Ocean and it is later than 5 minus before twelve to take action. Our initiative is a cooperation between the Dive and Whale Watching industry, NGO´s and private donors combined with scientists and scientific projects. It is our aim to create awareness and collect evidence thru science to motivate politicians to create marine reserves and protect species. Therefore we run various programs to collect funds to finance the scientific work and to change peoples mind and governments minds.

All life is connected in the ocean.

As a species, our survival is dependent on our oceans being healthy and full of life. Until today only four percent are protected. This means that important areas are left unregulated and vulnerable to the increasing human pressures. Unsustainable fishing, irresponsible waste management and climate change are some of them and desasters like in Fukushima are some of them. The consequences are clear. If we don’t protect marine life from destructive human activities now, the oceans face a ‘sixth mass extinction’; an extinction caused by humans.

Our ocean giants hold the key.

Sharks play a critical role in the health of our oceans’ vast ecosystems and the survival of all marine life. A major decrease in the shark population — or even extinction — would trigger things like outof- control algae or the extinction of smaller animals that rely on sharks to eat their predators. The problems have never been bigger for these ocean giants, which is why the Megalodon Project is on a mission to save them using pioneering research, education, and sustainable conservation solutions. We conduct pioneering research on marine megafauna and want to use scientific evidence to educate the public and government to influence long-lasting conservation strategies. The survival of the marine Eco systems are the base to create food for a big part of the world population in the future. Only if we protect the remaining hot spots in the Ocean we will be able to feed the worlds growing population. Sustainable management is needed to protect the resources and guarantee the reproduction in our hot spots.

The main target species for our ongoing science are
Blue sharks, Mako sharks, Whale sharks, Mobula Rays, Sunfish. 

In 2021 we want to speed up science in the mid Atlantic and finance 30+ satellite tags which quote including the running satellite costs around 5.000 USD pp . We want to inspire a wide network of supporters to finance this science and approve that the Azores and the Mid atlantic ridge are a hot spot for life that needs to be protected to secure the survival of marine life. We call for Tour Operators of the diving industry, dive shops, dive equipment branches and each diver to become part of the project.

Contact:

Pico Sport Lda. Frank Wirth
Porto Velho 33
9950-334 Madalena – Ilha do Pico
Portugal

whales@gmx.net
tel. +49 171 9565535

Picture Credits: Okeanos-UAc/CIBIO/MBA shark tagging collaborative effort.