- TERIA’s commitment to the protection of marine animals and mammals
- TERIA’s commitment to the protection of marine animals and mammals
- TERIA’s commitment to the protection of marine animals and mammals
- TERIA’s commitment to the protection of marine animals and mammals
- TERIA’s commitment to the protection of marine animals and mammals
- TERIA’s commitment to the protection of marine animals and mammals
- TERIA’s commitment to the protection of marine animals and mammals
- TERIA’s commitment to the protection of marine animals and mammals
- TERIA’s commitment to the protection of marine animals and mammals
- TERIA’s commitment to the protection of marine animals and mammals
TERIA’s commitment to the protection of marine animals and mammals
For many years, TERIA has supported various environmental associations concerned with protecting endangered marine species. TERIA is deeply committed to supporting its partners by carrying out research, education and conservation work on a wide range of species.
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Whale sharks, basking sharks, sperm whales, humpback whales, porbeagle sharks. As well as the 5 most dangerous sharks in the world: the bulldog, the tiger, the longfin mako, the hammerhead and the great white shark.
TERIA is very proud to support its partners MEGAPTERA, APECS & LORDS OF THE OCEAN in their missions.
MEGAPTERA association
Founded in 1998 in Mayotte, the MEGAPTERA association is actively involved in the protection and study of marine mammals. It is developing a wide range of programmes aimed at scientific research, raising public awareness and conserving these species. These initiatives are implemented not only in Mayotte, but also in several other regions of the Indian Ocean, including Madagascar, Réunion, the Seychelles, Mauritius and Djibouti.
The association’s flagship projects includesustainable ecotourism programmes that directly benefit local communities, while being carried out in close collaboration with the authorities of the countries concerned. These programmes aim to encourage responsible management of marine resources, while offering viable economic alternatives to local populations.
The partnership between MEGAPTERA and TERIA was created in 2005, following a meeting between Daniel Jouannet, then Chairman of TERIA, and Michel Vély, Chairman of MEGAPTERA. This partnership has enabled the association to strengthen its capacity to monitor marine mammals using satellite beacons. Since then, TERIA has supported numerous missions dedicated to the deployment of these beacons, contributing to the protection and understanding of the movements of these emblematic species.
MAUBYDICK: observing the movements of sperm whales in Mauritius
In 2014, the MAUBYDICK project was launched for a period of five years (2014-2018). The aim of this project is to study the movements of matriarchal groups of sperm whales around Mauritius, their possible dispersal to neighbouring islands (Rodrigues, Madagascar, Reunion, Seychelles, Comoros) and the movements of large breeding males that come to Mauritian waters to mate.
The first mission, which took place from 19 November to 4 December 2014 on the west coast of Mauritius, involved spotting and photo-identifying sperm whales, taking skin samples, and deploying beacons on certain individuals. At the time, no satellite beacons had been deployed on sperm whales in the western Indian Ocean, and information on their migratory routes was virtually non-existent. Tag tracking, considered to be the most reliable method, proved effective.
TERIA, the main sponsor of the project, financed four satellite beacons, named TERIAsat1, TERIAsat2, TERIAsat3 and TERIAsat4.
SHARKYDJ: in search of whale sharks in Djibouti
Every November, whale sharks gather in the Gulf of Tadjoura in Djibouti, where plankton is abundant. For over 15 years, ecovolunteers have been studying the behaviour and movements of these sharks off the coast of Arta and in the Goubbet.
In 2016, the SharkyDJ mission, led by Daniel Jouannet, was launched with the aim of deploying a beacon to collect new data on the behaviour of whale sharks. Thanks to these beacons, it is now possible to track the evolution of these animals in terms of depth, duration of dives, water temperature and luminosity.
With the support of TERIA, a long-standing partner of MEGAPTERA, these missions take place every year in January. TERIA continues to fund the beacons, contributing to a better understanding of this endangered species.
MEGARA: satellite tracking of megapters
The MEGARA project, initiated in 2014 by the National Nature Reserve of Saint-Martin, ATE and MEGAPTERA, aims to gain a better understanding of large cetaceans in the Indian Ocean sanctuary, established by the International Whaling Commission in 1979. Despite its importance, little information is available on the movements of these whales, raising questions about their migration routes and use of ocean currents.
To shed light on these mysteries, an Argos beacon deployment programme has been set up in Rodrigues, the Comoros and the Seychelles. These beacons, inserted painlessly into the whales’ blubber, track their position as they surface to breathe. The data is then transmitted by satellite to researchers for analysis.
Although these tags are designed to last for several years, they generally remain attached to the whales for a few weeks or months. Of the 7 beacons deployed, 6 have worked successfully, providing valuable information on the movements of these cetaceans.
APECS association
Founded in 1997, APECS (Association Pour l’Étude et la Conservation des Sélaciens) is an association based in Brest dedicated to the protection of sharks and rays, species that are often vulnerable and endangered. More than just an association, APECS plays a crucial role in preserving marine ecosystems as a whole.
The association is renowned for its commitment to developing scientific knowledge about these species. It implements a range of monitoring and research programmes to gather essential data on the state of shark and ray populations, their behaviour and their role in ecosystems. This research is aimed at gaining a better understanding of the challenges facing these species, particularly as a result of overfishing, the degradation of marine habitats and climate change.
At the same time, APECS is rolling out educational and awareness-raising initiatives aimed at a wide range of audiences, from schoolchildren to adults, including professionals in the maritime sector. Through conferences, workshops and communication campaigns, the association strives to ensure that as many people as possible understand the importance of selachians to the balance of marine ecosystems and the need to protect them.
APECS’ expertise is also made available to marine resource managers and political decision-makers. The association advises and supports them in implementing sustainable management measures, based on the scientific data collected over the years. These actions help to influence public policy in favour of the conservation of sharks, rays and, more broadly, marine biodiversity.
Since 2015, TERIA has been working alongside APECS, becoming a valuable partner in the fight to preserve endangered species. Strongly involved in the protection of biodiversity, TERIA particularly supports the PELARGOS programme, which focuses on monitoring basking sharks, an emblematic but threatened species. This partnership illustrates the convergence between scientific efforts and corporate social responsibilities, contributing to a future in which nature conservation is a core concern.
PELARGOS : suivi par satellite des requins pèlerins
Since 2009, APECS has been studying the movements of the basking shark, a giant that can be observed on the surface in some French coastal areas seasonally in spring and summer. These are most often food-rich areas where sharks come to filter plankton. We can then come across them swimming peacefully, most often alone, but also in small groups. Only the dorsal fin and the tip of the tail fin are visible.
By deploying satellite tracking beacons, APECS wishes to study the large-scale movements of this species as well as its dives. The idea is to be able to assess the precision to certain areas of the sharks being tracked, to locate the areas they occupy in autumn and winter, and to better understand how the species uses its habitat.
The PELARGOS program is launched in 2015. It aims to continue the work already underway but also to deploy a new type of tracking beacon that will enable a finer scale analysis of movements in order to understand how (already) tagged sharks use French coastal waters.
This programme is divided into 3 annual phases :
- Year 1: Beacon deployment
- Year 2: Deployment of beacons
- Year 3: Data Analysis
TERIA is pleased to support this organization through the funding of these beacons.
LORDS OF THE OCEAN association
Lords of the Ocean is the adventure of a lifetime for four young people setting out to realise their dream. Their dream: to sail away for six months to meet the sharks that are thought to be the most dangerous to humans.
Passionate about sharks, they wanted to raise public awareness and change the way we perceive these animals. They also took part in a number of scientific programmes. They have taken samples of plankton and DNA while freediving, and recovered data from underwater transmitters.
To immortalise this human adventure, a web series with a young, offbeat tone has been created. Setting sail from Brest in January 2019 aboard Mecton (a 12-metre sailing boat), they covered more than 16,000 km under sail. The places visited: the Canaries, Playa Del Carmen in Mexico, the Bahamas, the Panama Canal, Malpelo Island in Colombia and the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.
In all: 13 species of shark encountered, including the bull shark, the tiger shark, the great hammerhead shark and the longfin mako.
TERIA was in awe of them, and wanted to encourage them in their endeavours by supporting them on their 6-month journey.
