The Unseen World of the Pelagic Thresher Shark with Rafid Shidqi

Few sharks capture the imagination quite like the thresher shark. They are well-known for their cartoonish appearance, “anxious-looking” faces and seriously cool hunting technique. But in scientific terms, we know very little about them – despite their endangered status. Rafid Shidqi is on a mission to change that. For the last eight years, he has led groundbreaking research on the elusive pelagic thresher sharks of Alor, Indonesia, whose preference for deep, pelagic habitats make them extremely difficult to study. In 2018, Rafid started the non-profit Thresher Shark Indonesia, working within remote, shark-dependent fishing communities to better understand and protect the species. Through acoustic and satellite telemetry and socio-economic studies, Rafid has made vital discoveries about not only the movements and behaviour of pelagic threshers, but also the communities who rely on them to make a living. Rafid’s story isn’t just about conserving a cool species – it’s also about empowering communities, opening pathways for local youth through conservation leadership, and finding sustainable solutions for shark-dependent fisheries. Find out more: https://threshershark.id/en/ (@threshershark.id on instagram) and @rafid.shidqi Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast Follow us on socials! @saveourseasfoundation