Dates for 2013 Expeditions in Malaysia & Honduras Have Been Released!

Join Biosphere Expeditions and Reef Check in Malaysia or Honduras next year! Four trips have recently been announced, each include Reef Check EcoDiver training.

Reef Check/Biosphere Expeditions EcoExpedition: Malaysia
March 10-22 or March 24-April 5, 2013

The island of Pulau Tioman is located 40 km off the east coast of peninsular Malaysia. It is the Malaysian island named by Time Magazine as one of the world’s most beautiful. Tioman has a relaxed, quiet feel with beautiful, sandy beaches and a densely forested interior. The reefs of Pulau Tioman Marine Park are some of the healthiest and most diverse around peninsular Malaysia and lie just inside the ‘coral triangle’, an area that has been identified as having the highest diversity of coral species anywhere in the world. The reefs in the coral triangle support 600+ genera of reef-building corals, 3000+ species of fish and contain 75% of all coral species known to science. A Marine Parks division of the government is present on the island, however the island’s growing tourist trade, crown of thorns population, booms and developments on land are threatening the reefs’ health and so data on the current biological status of the reefs and of population levels of key indicator species are crucial for park management and educational efforts.

Working in a very small group of five participants, one scientist and one expedition leader, you will assist the local researcher to study and protect the local Marine Park’s beautiful but fragile coral reefs, as well as its marine megafauna such as sharks, dolphins & turtles. For the first five days of training and familiarising yourself with the Reef Check research techniques, you will be based at a beach chalet resort on Tioman island. After this, you will move to a 45 ft sloop rig sailing yacht research vessel, which will take you to remote areas of the Marine Park. The expedition includes training as a Reef Check EcoDiver. Please note that you need to be a fully qualified diver to take part in this expedition (minimum PADI Open Water or equivalent).

For more information and how to sign up, please visit: http://www.biosphere-expeditions.org/malaysia

Reef Check/Biosphere Expeditions EcoExpedition: Cayos Cochinos, Honduras
May 4-11 or May 12-19, 2013

Cayos Cochinos, Honduras is a marine protected area in the Bay Island Archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. The Cayos Cochinos form part of the world’s second largest barrier reef systems, known as the Meso-American Barrier Reef, and have been identified as one of the key sections of barrier reef to preserve. The goals of this trip is to conduct a survey of the Cayos Cochinos reefs so that results can be compared to other parts of the Meso-American barrier reef system and worldwide in terms of the abundance and diversity of corals, algae, invertebrates and fish, and to monitor the health of the reef and its fish and invertebrates so that informed management and conservation decisions can be made by the government and NGOs. Reef Check survey protocols will be used and added to Reef Check’s global database.

Expedition members must be at least PADI Open Water (or equivalent) scuba certified to take part in this expedition but will be trained in diving and survey techniques. Additional training for Reef Check certification is available for those keen on seizing the opportunity in this great locale. The base is the well-equipped Honduras Coral Reef Foundation scientific station on a small coral cay island accessible only to research personnel; accommodation is in comfortable, spacious wooden bungalow cabins by the beach with a lounge, toilets and showers.

For more information and how to sign up, please visit: http://www.biosphere-expeditions.org/honduras