A unique opportunity to advance tropical marine research in Belize

Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime experience at Gladden in Belize. Based on idyllic Ranguana Caye, a remote paradise within Belize’s southern barrier reef and the Gladden Spit & Silk Cayes Marine Reserve, this expedition immerses you in one of the Caribbean’s most vibrant marine ecosystems.

Here, you’ll help monitor key populations of Caribbean reef and nurse sharks, rays, turtles, and large predatory fish such as snappers and groupers. Working alongside our researchers and traditional fishers, you’ll collect invaluable data on population size, abundance, density, and habitat preferences, information essential to evaluating the success of Belize’s protected areas and the ban on fishing nets in restoring marine life across the southern seas.

During the course of the week, the field work will be complemented by presentations by our research team, where we will share our findings with you.

Immerse yourself in the following scientific techniques:

• In-water Visual Transect: Transects are a non-invasive method for assessing the diversity and relative abundance of marine megafauna. Each transect involves four swimmers positioned in the water and spaced 15 meters apart. Transects are 1km in length, and throughout the transect, each swimmer is responsible for recording species, quantity, distance estimation, and size estimation for the sharks, rays, turtles, and piscivorous fish they see within their area. You will learn species identification and size estimation techniques to accurately record data. Following field work, you can help to transcribe data to provide indices of species diversity, abundance, demographics, and size frequencies according to the different habitats sampled.

• Baited Remote Underwater Videos (BRUVs): BRUVs are structures made out of PVC pipe or metal that contain a GoPro camera and an extended arm with a bait cage. BRUVs are deployed at various sites around the Bay Islands for at least 60 minutes at a time in order to record species that are attracted to the bait. These videos are later analyzed to record the species and relative number of individuals and assess diversity and relative abundance.

• Longline Capture and Tagging of Sharks and Rays: Scientific longlining is another method to assess shark and ray diversity and abundance, especially over long periods of time. This technique involves setting a line of 50 baited hooks in order to capture individuals and collect more specific measurements, tag the animal with a marker that will identify them in future captures or sightings, and collect a tissue sample for DNA and contaminant analysis. You will assist with baiting and setting the longline, collecting environmental data, and learn proper handling techniques for safely tagging and releasing sharks and rays.

Join us on this unparalleled Expedition, where each moment promises discovery, adventure, and a profound connection with the mesmerizing world beneath the waves.