Global Initiative to Rehabilitate Endangered Shark Species in Indonesia
The "ReShark" group has launched a worldwide program to breed and release juvenile zebra sharks (Stegostoma tigrinum) into protected waters off Kri Island in the Raja Ampat archipelago, Indonesia, after the adult population fell to about twenty individuals in 2019.
Program Details
Named the Stegostoma tigrinum Augmentation and Recovery (StAR) project, it focuses on raising juveniles in aquaria worldwide before releasing them into reserves in Indonesia and Thailand. Around 60 international aquariums participate, supported by the "Perpetual Planet" initiative of Rolex.
Mark Erdmann, CEO of ReShark, notes that most shark conservation efforts rely on marine protected areas, whereas his project concentrates on active species restoration through breeding and release.
Context and Need
Zebra sharks, also called spotted houndsharks, inhabit coral reefs across the Indian and western Pacific Oceans but have declined by 50‑79% over three generations due to overfishing and habitat loss. Left to recover naturally, they could need 100‑200 years.
The species lays eggs, making it suitable for captive breeding and re‑introduction, as confirmed by David Ebert of California State University, Sacramento.
The initiative aims to attract public support through the shark’s charismatic appeal and stresses that these sharks pose no threat to humans.
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