- One of the most comprehensive whale shark movement ecology studies ever, focused on Indo-Pacific whale sharks—which represent around 60% of the global population
- Study details whale shark movements across 13 countries and territories and the high seas, where they spend most of their lives in largely unprotected waters
- Indonesia is a key connectivity hub, with Saleh Bay and Cenderawasih Bay identified as critical, year-round, conservation priorities
JAKARTA, Indonesia (April 30, 2026) – A major new study, has highlighted a handful of sites in Indonesia as critical conservation priorities, representing the only known places that sustain whale sharks year-round. It also details the range of the Indo-Pacific whale shark population – which represents over 60% of the global population – spans 13 countries, territories, and the high seas, areas where these endangered animals remain largely unprotected, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated international conservation.
Published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Marine Science today, the research – led by Konservasi Indonesia, the Elasmobranch Institute Indonesia, Conservation International, and partners –provides one of the most comprehensive pictures to date of how the world’s largest fish uses the ocean — and where conservation efforts must focus.
The paper culminates over a decade of research, representing one of the largest satellite tag datasets for whale sharks ever studied. Seventy whale sharks were tracked, averaging over 400 days per tag, with the longest tag lasting 990 days.
The research revealed:
- Whale sharks move across 13 national boundaries and into the high seas, with males spending 40% of their life in the high seas where they are unprotected.
- Indonesia’s Saleh Bay and Cendrawasih Bay host whale sharks year-round, a rare observation, as aggregation areas are usually seasonal.
- Indonesia is a regional connectivity hub: positioned at the center of Indo-Pacific movement corridors, Indonesia plays a critical role in linking coastal habitats with the high seas.
- Male and female whale sharks — and younger versus older animals — use the ocean in different ways, so conservation needs to be designed to suit these differences, not treated all the same.
International collaboration needed
The research details the sharks’ extensive seasonal movements across 13 countries and territories – including Australia, Christmas Island, Guam, Gilbert Islands, Indonesia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste – and into extensive Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, demonstrating the species’ highly transboundary nature and that the Indo-Pacific population—representing around 60% of the global total—spends most of their lives in largely unprotected waters.
Mochamad Iqbal Herwata Putra, Focal Species Conservation Senior Manager at Konservasi Indonesia and lead author said: “We now understand not only where whale sharks aggregate, but also when, where and why they move across the ocean. This shifts our species management perspective—from isolated sites in Indonesia to a fully interconnected pelagic system.”
Putra added “What’s clear is whale shark conservation cannot stop at national borders. We found over 40% of adult male habitat is in the high seas—areas that function as migration corridors and opportunistic feeding zones linked to seamounts, canyons, and eddies. Protecting these habitats is critical to maintaining connectivity and sustaining the population.”
“Whale sharks have ancient ocean pathways, and we are only just starting to understand them,” said Dr. Edy Setyawan, the lead conservation scientist of the Elasmobranch Institute Indonesia. “From aggregation sites in the Indonesian archipelago, they travel huge distances, guided by food, currents, and environmental cues. Many of these journeys take them into international waters and high seas, where protections are limited. That’s where these Endangered animals face the biggest dangers from unsustainable fisheries and busy shipping routes.”
Indonesia is a connectivity hub
Dr. Setyawan further added “Our research shows where whale sharks go, how they feed, and the places they spend the most time. This new knowledge provides key insights that can guide marine spatial planning and design proper protected areas, to reduce risks to whale sharks and keep them safer. With this, we can collaborate locally and internationally to improve tourism practices, make fisheries more sustainable, and possibly adjust marine traffic to reduce the risks to this species that continue to decline.”
The study identifies Indonesia as a global stronghold for whale sharks, especially in the Indo-Pacific region, with locations such as Cenderawasih Bay and Saleh Bay supporting the sharks year-round.
Putra said “Our research shows that Indonesia plays a central role in whale shark connectivity across the Indo-Pacific, while also revealing how limited their year-round habitat truly is. Only a handful of large bay systems consistently support the sharks—likely serving as important nursery areas and habitat for young sharks. Protecting these high-value habitats is critical to sustaining the wider population.”
Putra noted “Konservasi Indonesia is currently working with communities and government partners to establish Indonesia’s first whale shark-focused marine protected area in Saleh Bay. This bay supports year-round feeding aggregations, and it is now recognized as an Important Shark and Ray Area, plus our recent discovery of neonates (newborns) there has underscored its likely function as a nursery habitat.”
The findings overall show that site-based protection is vital, but not enough on its own.
“Effective conservation must connect aggregation sites with migration corridors and seasonal feeding areas across national waters and the high seas,” said Putra.
The findings follow the Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, in March 2026, where a resolution was made to prioritise the conservation of seamount ecosystems. The resolution encourages coordinated international action and aims to strengthen cooperation across ocean governance bodies to better protect migratory species and their ocean habitats.
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About Conservation International: Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, for biodiversity and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples and local communities to help people and nature thrive together. Go to Conservation.org for more, and follow our work on Conservation News, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
About Konservasi Indonesia: Konservasi Indonesia is a national foundation that aims to support the sustainable development and protection of critical ecosystems in Indonesia. We believe in the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships across sectors and jurisdictions. Working in partnership with the government and others, we design and deliver innovative nature-based solutions to climate change, using a sustainable landscapes-seascapes approach to create lasting impacts for people and nature. To support the sustainable development and protection of critical ecosystems in Indonesia, visit:
