Dozens of blacktip reef sharks were spotted in the famed waters of Maya Bay yesterday morning, four months after the once popular travel destination was closed indefinitely with the goal of restoring the environmental damage caused by tourism.
Last night, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) posted a heartwarming video showing at least twenty sharks swimming near the shores of Maya Bay, already indicating positive results for their restoration efforts.
“This morning an official spotted numerous blacktip reef sharks looking for food near the beach of Maya Bay,” DNP captioned the video.
“This is a good sign for the ecosystem.”
Though the species remain relatively widespread, overfishing and slow-reproduction have led the International Union for Conservation of Nature to categorize blacktip reef sharks as near threatened.
The DNP originally ordered the closure of the bay from June 1 to Sept. 30, but the decision was finally made to close it indefinitely earlier this month.
Before its closure in June, about 4,000 tourists flocked to Maya Bay daily to take pictures of its unique rock formation, best known from the movie “The Beach.”
Due to its popularity, the once-pristine bay had become known as an overcrowded tourist destination.
Hopefully in a few months Maya Beach will become crowded with wildlife instead.
