Hammerhead assessment
We are conducting a long-term collaborative hammerhead assessment in partnership with local dive centres across Fuvahmulah. This project aims to quantify scalloped hammerhead abundance, demographic structure, seasonality, and broader population trends around the island. Seasonally, large shivers of scalloped hammerheads (Sphyrna lewinii) gather offshore, with sightings frequently including pregnant females. These recurring aggregations indicate that Fuvahmulah may function as an important migratory corridor or reproductive hotspot, underscoring the need for focused monitoring and conservation efforts.
A central component of this project is the contribution of local dive guides and recreational divers. Their consistent field effort, ecological knowledge, and submission of encounter data, photographs, and dive logs provide a powerful, community-driven dataset. These contributions form the backbone of our analyses, enabling us to:
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Detect temporal and seasonal patterns
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Identify high-use areas and key habitats
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Track changes in sightings and demographics over time
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Better understand the ecological role and vulnerability of the population
Through this joint monitoring approach, we are building the first long-term, island-wide assessment of hammerhead sharks in Fuvahmulah, helping to generate the scientific foundation needed to safeguard one of the Maldives’ most iconic and threatened marine species.
Want to contribute?
Have you spotted scalloped hammerheads around Fuvahmulah? Help us strengthen our research by contributing your sightings. Submit your information here:
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