Halmahera walking shark (Hemiscyllium halmahera) in south Morotai, North Maluku and the importance of marine protected areas for endemic species conservation

Abstract

In 2013, Allen et al. discovered the Halmahera walking shark (Hemiscyllium halmahera) in North Maluku, Indonesia. The current known distribution of this species is within Halmahera Island and surrounding islands, such as Ternate, Tidore, Bacan, and Morotai. This study discussed the records history of the species on Morotai Island and the risk faced by this species. Where recently, one individual of this species was recorded opportunistically during SCUBA Diving activity in April 2022 in Southern Morotai, one of Indonesia’s most well-known marine tourism sites for shark diving. Understanding the species distribution, habitat, and behaviour within this area is essential for improving conservation and tourism management, especially for endemic shark species with a limited habitat range.