Whale Shark - Mozambique

The Mozambique Channel is an extension of the Indian Ocean sandwiched between the East African coast and the island of Madagascar. It is 1,600 kilometers long and 416 kilometers wide at the narrowest point. The channel contains several islands belonging to the Comoros, France, and Mozambique.

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Rhincodon typus - The whale shark is the largest fish in the world. A specimen with an 12 meter length has been verified near Baba Island, Pakistan. Whale sharks feed primarily on crustacea and small fish. Food is drawn into the shark as it swims through the water with its enormous mouth agape. The water is strained out by gill rakers and the food is passed to the throat. The whale shark does have teeth; 15,000 of them. These teeth are not used for biting or chewing, but help keep a secure hold on whatever is scooped into the mouth. 

Scalloped Hammerhead - Pakistan

The first use of buttons is attributed to the Indus Valley. Buttons were carved from seashells and used primarily as an ornament rather than a fastener. An individual’s social or political status could be determined by the buttons attached to their clothing. Gold buttons obviously ranked higher than those made from seashells.

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Sphyrna lewini - The Sphyrnidae family consists of 11 known hammerhead shark species; “sphyrna” is the Greek word for hammer. The scalloped hammerhead is the most common shark in this family and can be found throughout the world’s tropical and temperate coastal waters. The eyes and the nostrils are set on opposite ends of its elongated head. The unusual design of having the eyes set on the side of the head provides the hammerhead shark the advantage of being able to search for prey with a wider field of vision.

Monkfish - Malta

As an official language of the European Union, Maltese, is the only Semitic language in the European Union. It is also the only Semitic language written in the Latin script. Maltese is derived from Siculo-Arabic, a language spoken on Sicily and Malta during the 9th century. The language has evolved into modern Maltese.

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Squatina squatine - The monkfish, a member of the shark family, is an ambush predator. The flattened body and camouflage coloration allows it to lie partially buried along the sea bottom watching for a prey animal to venture close. The historical range of the monkfish had been along the coastal waters of the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, and the Northeastern Atlantic Ocean, but its range has been drastically reduced. Over-fishing and low reproductive rates have contributed to a sharp decline; females produce one litter every two years.

Basking Shark - Isle of Man

The islands of Man, the Firth of Clyde, and the Hebrides had been part of a entity known as the Kingdom of the Seas. Founded by Vikings in the 9th century as a loose confederacy, it was eventually absorbed by the Kingdom of Scotland in the 13th century. The Isle of Man is now a self-governing dependency of the British Crown.

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Cetorhinus maximus - The basking shark is one of three extant plankton-eating sharks; the other two are the whale shark and megamouth shark. Adults range from 6 to 8 meters in length and weigh up to 5 metric tons. The basking shark is the second largest fish in the world and found primarily in temperate water zones. It is a filter feeder. Swimming along the surface at a casual pace with mouth wide open, water and plankton enters the mouth and passes through the specialized gill rakers; the water is expelled and the plankton is retained.

Tiger Shark - Marshall Islands

The Bikini Atoll, meaning “place of coconuts,” has been the site of 23 atomic detonations. The atomic testing began on July 1, 1946, and lasted through 1958. The original 157 Bikinians were relocated to neighboring islands. The lingering radiation from these atomic tests has made the Bikini Atoll unsuitable for general habitation.

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Galeocerdo cuvier - The tiger shark, named for the prominent stripes covering the body, is a solitary animal found in the warm coastal waters of the world. The tiger shark is known as an apex predator, an animal having no other animal above it in the food chain. The threats facing the tiger shark are over-fishing and the practice of “finning,” removing the fins and throwing the shark back into the water. Without fins, the shark is unable to swim with the necessary speed for water to pass effectively through the gills; the shark dies by suffocation.

Giant Oceanic Ray - Micronesia

The Federated States of Micronesia is a collection of over 600 islands spread across 2,900 kilometers of the Pacific Ocean. The total land area consists of slightly more than 700 square kilometers. The country is divided into four states: Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap. Pohnpei is the largest in area and population.

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Manta birostris - The giant oceanic ray, measuring up to 9 meters in width and weighing 1,350 kilos, is the largest of the rays. It has huge pectoral fins, yet a relative short tail and dorsal fin. Similar to most giants of the ocean, the ray feeds mainly on tiny planktonic creatures. The krill, shrimp, and crabs are filtered from the water after passing through a specialized structure in the animal’s mouth. The oceanic ray usually bears one offspring after a 12 month gestation period. The pup is hatched inside the female and born fully developed.