“Truly transformative”: Our inaugural StAR Project intern reflects on his experience in Misool

Faccettarial Cylon Marchel Marlissa (Rial), a veterinarian from Sorong and our first StAR Project intern, recently completed a three-month internship at our Misool Foundation nursery from April to July 2024. He reflects on his experience during his internship:

Rial arrives in Misool to commence his StAR Project internship. Photo by Faccettarial Marlissa.

My daily interactions with sharks during the course of my StAR Project internship have completely transformed my perspective. I now see them as incredibly fascinating and friendly creatures. My journey began in 2022 when I stumbled upon ReShark’s Instagram. The content was so educational that it sparked my interest in one of Indonesia's endangered shark species, the Indo-Pacific leopard shark, also known as the zebra shark.

Due to overfishing and shark fin hunting, the population of leopard sharks—and other shark species—has been declining, negatively impacting their status throughout Indonesian waters. Thankfully, the government has enacted new legislation prohibiting the hunting of sharks and rays to help preserve these species. Additionally, my time with ReShark has helped me understand the crucial role sharks play in maintaining the balance of ocean ecosystems.

I vividly recall wondering if ReShark might be looking for interns. My curiosity was answered in early 2024, in February, when I saw an announcement for internship opportunities. I was thrilled and immediately gathered all the necessary documents to complete the online application. After submitting my form, I received an email a month later—I'd been accepted as an intern at the Misool Foundation nursery in Raja Ampat!

The trip to South Misool was unforgettable, with stunning marine life visible from the boat. I traveled with Ms. Virly Yuriken (Chairperson of Misool Foundation) and Ms. Leah Neal (Chair of the StAR Project Husbandry Working Group and Curator of Fishes and Invertebrates at Georgia Aquarium), two impactful individuals involved in ReShark. We first arrived at Kalig Island, where one of Misool Foundation's ranger posts is stationed. We dropped off some gear before heading to Batbitim Island, home of the Misool Eco Resort which also houses our shark nursery.

One of the highlights of my time at Misool was meeting and learning from the people there. Agi Zalma, a full-time shark aquarist responsible for the care of the leopard sharks at the Misool Foundation nursery, taught me many things on my first day, including how I could assist in caring for the sharks. My daily tasks included feeding the sharks, cleaning their tanks, measuring their growth weekly, and inputting data. It took me a week to fully adapt to my responsibilities as an intern. I also learned a great deal from Leah. She taught us how to properly maintain nursery equipment and supplies, such as pumps, flow meters, and water tanks. We also tested water quality, conducting nitrite, nitrate, pH, and phosphate tests to ensure the environment was suitable for the sharks.

Learning all-things husbandry from Misool Foundation aquarist Agi Zalma (left) and Georgia Aquarium's Leah Neal (center). Photo from Georgia Aquarium.

One of the most fun and challenging tasks was gathering food for the sharks. We provided both live and frozen food, including small and large snails (locally known as "bia") as live food, and prawns and squid as frozen food. The most difficult task was collecting small snails, which required swimming between the villas where they were found. It took me three weeks to learn to swim, and I'm grateful for the help I received from Agi and the diving guides.

Finally, I was able to collect small snails without much fear. Another memorable aspect was interacting with visitors, sharing information about the leopard sharks, and seeing their reactions when they saw the sharks for the first time. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and many expressed hopes of encountering a thriving population of leopard sharks on future dives around the protected waters of Misool.

May was an especially exciting month during my internship. We received two new leopard shark eggs from SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium in Australia. To my surprise, one of the eggs hatched during transit. The hatchling was named Spotty Dotty and she was acclimated well before being transferred to the egg tank. Three days later, the second egg hatched. The pups measured 30 cm in length and weighed 150 grams upon hatching. A few days later, they were able to find their own food, with “bia” being their favorite.

Hanging out with these guys became a daily affair! Photo by Georgia Aquarium.

As a veterinarian with a passion for wildlife, I was eager to learn more about sharks. There were many things I didn't know. Leopard sharks, which are a type of carpet shark, live in shallow coral reefs and have unique physiological traits. Unlike many sharks, they can exchange oxygen by simply lying down and opening their mouths without needing to swim much. These nocturnal hunters typically seek food at night, though they can also hunt during the day. Leopard shark pups are born with dark coloring and white stripes that transition to a light yellowish-brown as they mature. When they reach sexual maturity, their bodies are covered in dark spots with flower-like patterns.

In June, we had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Mark Erdmann, Dr. Christine Dungeon, and Ms. Nesha Ichida, all of whom are marine scientists with vast experiences in elasmobranchs. During their visit to Misool, we learned how to collect blood and fecal samples from sharks for genetic testing. This is part of the StAR Project’s broader research aims, which will help inform the ecology and conservation of the species.

My internship with ReShark was filled with many other exciting experiences which I’m immensely grateful for. I sincerely hope that through the StAR Project and other initiatives, ReShark will succeed in recovering threatened species of sharks and rays around the world. I also hope that people will come to understand the important role sharks play in the ocean and take steps, however small, to protect and conserve them. ReShark provides a valuable opportunity for youths in Indonesia to learn more about sharks and get a hands-on conservation experience. Through the StAR Project internship, I hope other young professionals like myself can similarly attain these meaningful experiences and make a positive impact on the conservation of wildlife in Indonesia.

Preparing to head into the sea pen to feed the pups with my team comprising aquarists Agi Zalma and Aisya Ramadhani and my fellow StAR Project intern Annisa Fathya (left to right). Photo by Aisya Ramadhani.