The inauguration of the Banyan Tree Marine Lab in 2004 marked a major milestone as the primary resort-based institution within the Maldives devoted to safeguard the pure surroundings and marine ecosystem.
Working below the guiding philosophy of conservation, restoration, schooling, and analysis whereas catering to each Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru and Dhawa Ihuru, previously generally known as Angsana Ihuru, the pioneering Marine Lab has been instrumental in supporting important fieldwork carried out by visiting consultants.
Over time, the Marine Lab has expanded its function to turn out to be a number one advocate for sustainability initiatives carried out by each resorts, akin to spreading consciousness about marine conservation in native colleges and close by communities.
Marine Discuss
The first goal of the Marine Lab is to enlighten visitors in regards to the indigenous marine ecosystems. By a weekly schedule of Marine Discuss, lasting for 20-Half-hour, visitors are educated on matters akin to coral reefs, the present challenges they confront and proactive measures to safeguard them.
Citizen Science
Twice weekly, snorkelling periods with the resident marine biologists are carried out to doc varied species and monitor native populations residing in the home reefs.
Inside this course of, the staff meticulously file three distinct classes of marine life: megafauna, groupers, and butterflyfish. These embody an array of fascinating creatures, together with reef sharks, nurse sharks, eagle rays, turtles, trevallys, peacock groupers, crown of thorns starfish, and racoon butterflyfish.
The presence and abundance of megafauna populations play a pivotal function as indicators of the general marine ecosystem’s well being. They provide insights into prey availability, water high quality, and the general ecological integrity of the realm.
Groupers, sadly, have confronted appreciable decline in inhabitants attributable to overfishing, primarily pushed by their excessive worth in fish markets. Nonetheless, they serve an important ecological operate by controlling the populations of herbivorous fishes, thus stopping overgrazing of corals, and selling reef restoration.
Butterflyfish, generally known as ‘bioindicators,’ have a symbiotic relationship with coral reefs. By carefully monitoring their populations, the staff achieve helpful understanding of the impression of coral bleaching, air pollution, and habitat degradation on the well being and vitality of the reefs.
Reef Cleanup
Guaranteeing the cleanliness of the reef is essential to reinforce the survival prospects of corals and shield the general reef ecosystem.
Two predators are actively eliminated – the crown of thorns starfish (COTS) and the pincushion starfish (PINS), each infamous for consuming coral polyps, leading to important coral loss all through the reef.
These species are known as ‘corallivores’ attributable to their main weight loss plan consisting of corals. The crown of thorns starfish can devour as much as 75 sq. ft of corals yearly, far surpassing the speed at which we will develop and replant corals.
Coral Nursery
On the Marine Lab, one of many main initiatives revolves round coral restoration, aiming to breathe new life into the reefs.
The coral rope nurseries provide a promising resolution for giving a second probability to coral fragments that break off from the principle constructions. These fragments, also called coral recruits, are rigorously collected, and affixed to rope nurseries, which generally span 10 metres in size and a pair of metres in width.
Skilled divers staying at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru and Dhawa Ihuru are invited to affix the resident marine biologists on this significant endeavour.
Electrical Reef
To reinforce the preservation and restoration of native biodiversity and coral reefs, three electrical reefs have been carried out and strategically positioned throughout each islands. This modern strategy fuses know-how with ecology, yielding extra environment friendly conservation outcomes.
An electrical reef includes a sizeable metallic framework linked to a low voltage energy supply, producing a localised digital area that facilitates elevated calcium deposition on the metallic floor.
The Banyan Tree Basis pioneered the combination of this know-how into the Maldives’ reefs with the development of the Barnacle in 1996, manner earlier than the Marine Lab was constructed.
Subsequently, the Necklace and the Lotus have been put collectively in 1998 and 2001, respectively, additional extending the community of electrical reefs to amplify our conservation efforts.
Over the previous 19 years, the Banyan Tree Marine Lab has been a beacon of conservation and sustainability within the Maldives,” mentioned Nicholas Hardman, Regional Marine Lab Supervisor. “We’re extremely pleased with the progress we now have made in coral planting, defending home reefs, and selling eco-friendly practices. Our dedication to fostering environmental consciousness by means of academic actions stays steadfast as we proceed to encourage optimistic change in our visitors and the broader neighborhood.”
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Be within the know. Discover extra about dwelling a “sustainability tradition” or obtain the Marine Lab Data and Exercise Information.