ReShark

ReShark is an international coalition dedicated to recovering threatened sharks and rays worldwide. Our pioneering initiative, the Stegostoma tigrinum Augmentation and Recovery Project (StAR Project), aims to repopulate the endangered Indo-Pacific leopard sharks (Stegostoma tigrinum) in regions where they have suffered significant declines or local extinction, such as Raja Ampat, due to overfishing and habitat degradation. The StAR Project has become a successful model for ex-situ conservation, adhering to the IUCN’s One Plan Approach and the IUCN Shark Specialist Group’s guidelines on ex-situ management for species conservation. Our global network includes over 100 partners from academic institutions, public aquaria, governments, and non-governmental organizations, all playing crucial roles in achieving our objectives. These efforts encompass conducting population viability analyses, selecting the appropriate breeders from aquaria, securing permits, safely transporting eggs to local nurseries in Raja Ampat, providing excellent husbandry and veterinary care from birth to release, and conducting thorough post-release monitoring. This work requires extensive international and multi-stakeholder collaboration, which is fundamental to our mission.