I moved to the Maldives from the UK in 1983. For 15 years I worked for the Ministry of Fisheries in Malé, initially as a fishery statistician and subsequently as a founding member of the Marine Research Centre (MRC, now the Maldives Marine Research Institute). Then in 1998, with my wife Susan, I set up the Whale and Dolphin Company. Our primary aim has always been to provide exceptional tropical marine wildlife holidays, but the ability to spend many weeks at sea every year also provides a platform to conduct marine research. So, everyone who takes part in our trips contributes directly to marine research and ultimately to marine conservation.
For a summary of some of my research interests, scroll down.
For a list of research publications:
I moved to the Maldives from the UK in 1983. For 15 years I worked for the Ministry of Fisheries in Malé, initially as a fishery statistician and subsequently as a founding member of the Marine Research Centre (MRC, now the Maldives Marine Research Institute). Then in 1998, with my wife Susan, I set up the Whale and Dolphin Company. Our primary aim has always been to provide exceptional tropical marine wildlife holidays, but the ability to spend many weeks at sea every year also provides a platform to conduct marine research. So, everyone who takes part in our trips contributes directly to marine research and ultimately to marine conservation.
For a summary of some of my research interests, scroll down.
For a list of research publications:
I moved to the Maldives from the UK in 1983. For 15 years I worked for the Ministry of Fisheries in Malé, initially as a fishery statistician and subsequently as a founding member of the Marine Research Centre (MRC, now the Maldives Marine Research Institute). Then in 1998, with my wife Susan, I set up the Whale and Dolphin Company. Our primary aim has always been to provide exceptional tropical marine wildlife holidays, but the ability to spend many weeks at sea every year also provides a platform to conduct marine research. So, everyone who takes part in our trips contributes directly to marine research and ultimately to marine conservation.
For a summary of some of my research interests, scroll down.
For a list of research publications:
Much of my research over the past 30 years has concentrated on the cetaceans of the Maldives and the wider Indian Ocean. All cetacean sightings on our trips are recorded, and eventually analysed and published in the scientific literature. Studies of cetacean seasonality in the Maldives led directly to the discovery of the Blue Whale hotspot of southern Sri Lanka. Research on cetacean strandings in the Maldives led to the re-discovery of two species of Beaked Whales (see below). More recent publications include studies of diurnal behaviour in atoll-associated Spinner Dolphins and of population structure in central Indian Ocean Humpback Whales. For a summary of information on cetaceans in the Maldives:
During my early years living and working in Malé in the 1980s, I noticed sudden explosions of dragonfly numbers every year in October. Their annual appearance was well known to Maldivians, but was nevertheless unexplained. Dragonflies need freshwater to breed: they lay their eggs into freshwater and their larvae develop in freshwater. Yet the Maldive Islands are all low and sandy, with hardly any surface freshwater…
During my early years living and working in Malé in the 1980s, I noticed sudden explosions of dragonfly numbers every year in October. Their annual appearance was well known to Maldivians, but was nevertheless unexplained. Dragonflies need freshwater to breed: they lay their eggs into freshwater and their larvae develop in freshwater. Yet the Maldive Islands are all low and sandy, with hardly any surface freshwater…
During my early years living and working in Malé in the 1980s, I noticed sudden explosions of dragonfly numbers every year in October. Their annual appearance was well known to Maldivians, but was nevertheless unexplained. Dragonflies need freshwater to breed: they lay their eggs into freshwater and their larvae develop in freshwater. Yet the Maldive Islands are all low and sandy, with hardly any surface freshwater…
One issue facing conservationists is that wildlife, and nature generally, tends to be unvalued in traditional economic considerations, unless it is extracted for direct human use (as for example in fisheries). Some conservationists contend that wildlife has its own intrinsic value, but that argument has little traction with most politicians, who place more emphasis on economic considerations when making their decisions. So to effect change, to bring about action for conservation, it is sometimes helpful to demonstrate the the non-extractive value of wildlife. Two of my studies have looked at the economic value of diving and snorkelling with sharks and manta rays in the Maldives. The former (with Maldivian colleague Hudha Ahmed) calculated that in 1992 a single Grey Reef Shark could generate about US$3300 per year in tourist revenue, but had a one-time value of just US$32 to a fisherman. A later study found that Manta Rays were worth about US$8.1 million per year to the Maldivian economy in 2006-08. Both studies influenced subsequent Maldivian government decisions to protect both sharks and Mantas.
One issue facing conservationists is that wildlife, and nature generally, tends to be unvalued in traditional economic considerations, unless it is extracted for direct human use (as for example in fisheries). Some conservationists contend that wildlife has its own intrinsic value, but that argument has little traction with most politicians, who place more emphasis on economic considerations when making their decisions. So to effect change, to bring about action for conservation, it is sometimes helpful to demonstrate the non-extractive value of wildlife.
One issue facing conservationists is that wildlife, and nature generally, tends to be unvalued in traditional economic considerations, unless it is extracted for direct human use (as for example in fisheries). Some conservationists contend that wildlife has its own intrinsic value, but that argument has little traction with most politicians, who place more emphasis on economic considerations when making their decisions. So to effect change, to bring about action for conservation, it is sometimes helpful to demonstrate the non-extractive value of wildlife.
Beaked Whales are animals of the deep ocean, occurring far offshore and spending most of their lives foraging for squid at great depths, returning only briefly to the surface to breath. As a result they are the least-known cetaceans. And perhaps the least-known of them all were Longman’s Beaked Whale (previously known from just two skulls) and Deraniyagala’s Beaked Whale (described from a single stranded specimen, long since forgotten). Recognizing stranded specimens of both species in the Maldives allowed me to contribute to the rediscovery of these two extraordinary creatures.
Beaked Whales are animals of the deep ocean, occurring far offshore and spending most of their lives foraging for squid at great depths, returning only briefly to the surface to breath. As a result they are the least-known cetaceans. And perhaps the least-known of them all were Longman’s Beaked Whale (previously known from just two skulls) and Deraniyagala’s Beaked Whale (described from a single stranded specimen, long since forgotten). Recognizing stranded specimens of both species in the Maldives allowed me to contribute to the rediscovery of these two extraordinary creatures.
Beaked Whales are animals of the deep ocean, occurring far offshore and spending most of their lives foraging for squid at great depths, returning only briefly to the surface to breath. As a result they are the least-known cetaceans. And perhaps the least-known of them all were Longman’s Beaked Whale (previously known from just two skulls) and Deraniyagala’s Beaked Whale (described from a single stranded specimen, long since forgotten). Recognizing stranded specimens of both species in the Maldives allowed me to contribute to the rediscovery of these two extraordinary creatures.
The Maldives is not renowned for its diversity or abundance of birds. Nevertheless, there is much of interest. Some species do occur seasonally in large numbers, there are a handful of endemic varieties, and a total of just over 200 species has been recorded. Seabirds are plentiful and seasonally abundant, with regular visitors from elsewhere in the tropical and subtropical Indian Ocean, from the western Pacific and from the Southern Ocean. For terrestrial birds, Maldives lies at the southern end of the great Central Asian Flyway, and every year the islands receive numerous northern birds that have flown southwards into South Asia to avoid the northern winter. I have been recording birds in the Maldives for decades, and with Maldivian colleague Mohamed Shimal recently compiled the most up-to-date national checklist:
For terrestrial birds, Maldives lies at the southern end of the great Central Asian Flyway, and every year the islands receive numerous northern birds that have flown southwards into South Asia to avoid the northern winter. I have been recording birds in the Maldives for decades, and with Maldivian colleague Mohamed Shimal recently compiled the most up-to-date national checklist.
For terrestrial birds, Maldives lies at the southern end of the great Central Asian Flyway, and every year the islands receive numerous northern birds that have flown southwards into South Asia to avoid the northern winter. I have been recording birds in the Maldives for decades, and with Maldivian colleague Mohamed Shimal recently compiled the most up-to-date national checklist:
With colleagues at the Maldives Marine Research Institute, Charles has been maintaining the national checklist of fishes for many years. Over 1200 species have been documented, each catalogued with museum specimens and photographic records. This provides a solid scientific background for other works, including Charles’ best-selling field guide ‘Reef Fishes of the Maldives’, which cover some 500 of the species most likely to be seen while diving or snorkelling, all illustrated with underwater photos taken in the Maldives
With colleagues at the Maldives Marine Research Institute, Charles has been maintaining the national checklist of fishes for many years. Over 1200 species have been documented, each catalogued with museum specimens and photographic records. This provides a solid scientific background for other works, including Charles’ best-selling field guide ‘Reef Fishes of the Maldives’, which cover some 500 of the species most likely to be seen while diving or snorkelling, all illustrated with underwater photos taken in the Maldives:
With colleagues at the Maldives Marine Research Institute, Charles has been maintaining the national checklist of fishes for many years. Over 1200 species have been documented, each catalogued with museum specimens and photographic records. This provides a solid scientific background for other works, including Charles’ best-selling field guide ‘Reef Fishes of the Maldives’, which cover some 500 of the species most likely to be seen while diving or snorkelling, all illustrated with underwater photos taken in the Maldives.
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