Sharks and rays are vital to marine ecosystems, but their populations are dwindling rapidly. Conservation efforts face challenges due to the lack of detailed data on their critical habitats, but in a bid to map these areas, a groundbreaking atlas has been created, drawing from the collaborative efforts of divers, fishers, and scientists. We explore more about Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs) - regions identified as critical for the conservation of shark and ray species based on scientific criteria. Helping us do that are scientists Serena Adam (Marine Conservation Officer, WWF-Malaysia, member of the IUCN) and Assoc. Prof. Dr Amy Then (Senior Lecturer, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Malaya), and also environmental journalist and co-founder of Macaranga, Wong Siew Lyn, who just released an article on this, titled: Divers, Fishers and Scientists Map Sharks and Rays to Save Them. The article also has an accompanying interactive map of Malaysia’s new 10 Important Shark and Ray Areas.

<p>Sharks and rays are vital to marine ecosystems, but their populations are dwindling rapidly. Conservation efforts face challenges due to the lack of detailed data on their critical habitats, but in a bid to map these areas, a groundbreaking atlas has been created, drawing from the collaborative efforts of divers, fishers, and scientists. We explore more about Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs) - regions identified as critical for the conservation of shark and ray species based on scientific criteria. Helping us do that are scientists Serena Adam (Marine Conservation Officer, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.wwf.org.my/">WWF-Malaysia</a>, member of the IUCN) and Assoc. Prof. Dr Amy Then (Senior Lecturer, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Malaya), and also environmental journalist and co-founder of Macaranga, Wong Siew Lyn, who just released an article on this, titled: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.macaranga.org/divers-fishers-and-scientists-map-sharks-and-rays-to-save-them/">Divers, Fishers and Scientists Map Sharks and Rays to Save Them</a>. The article also has an accompanying <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.macaranga.org/where-sharks-swim/">interactive map</a> of Malaysia’s new 10 Important Shark and Ray Areas.</p>

Climate change, ferocious weather and ‘the haze’ are now part our everyday lives. How are our lifestyles connected to them, and what can we do about it? What does the economy have to do with it? Earth Matters engages with activists and experts to explore our changing relationship with the planet that we only borrow from our children.

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