LAMAVE: Tracking the Philippines' Whale Sharks and Marine Megafauna

Started in 2010 in the Bohol Sea, LAMAVE now runs long-term research programs on whale sharks, sharks and rays, and sea turtles across sites including Donsol, Oslob, Southern Leyte, and Tubbataha Reefs. The institute's satellite-tagging and photo-ID work revealed that whale sharks move between the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia, helping secure the species' listing under the Convention on Migratory Species. LAMAVE also trains local volunteers and communities in stranding response and sustainable marine wildlife tourism.