REEF's inaugural Field Survey Trip to Thailand was held in April 2018, and the survey results of the trip were recently processed into REEF's marine life database. We are excited to share that during this trip, REEF citizen scientists conducted 305 surveys at 24 sites throughout the Andaman Sea, and reported a total of 649 species! These surveys represent the first REEF data from Thailand, which is a valuable addition to REEF's database, currently containing more than 225,000 surveys. Although Thailand is part of REEF's Central Indo-Pacific (CIP) survey region, many of the species found in this area are also found in the Indian Ocean, an area to which REEF is currently expanding.
The trip was a ten-night adventure aboard the Thailand Aggressor, with diving around the Phi Phi Islands, Similan Islands, and as far north as Richelieu Rock, near the border of Myanmar. The surveyors were lucky enough to have several Whale Shark encounters throughout the trip, and even got to see some bucket-list fish species, such as the Ornate Ghost Pipefish! You can view the full list of species reported on this trip by checking out the batch report here.
Interested in being a part of conservation-based trips like this? Divers and snorkelers can join in on a REEF Field Survey Trip to have fun while making a difference through surveying. Click here for more information and to see upcoming REEF Trips.