OUR TEAM

SCIENTISTS. STORYTELLERS. SHARK CONSERVATIONISTS.

LEADERSHIP

  • CO-FOUNDER /
    CONSERVATION SCIENTIST

    A National Geographic Explorer and graduate of the Oxford University Seascape Ecology Lab Arzucan is a political ecologist, human geographer, conservation scientist and expedition leader specialising in human-wildlife encounters and anthropogenic shark issues, such as illegal wildlife trafficking and charisma. Supported by Rolex and OWUSS she has recently returned from a year of marine science focused on sharks and human-shark interactions in the Red Sea, Indian Ocean and Caribbean. In her thesis at the University of Oxford she conducted a social-ecological systems assessment of whale shark tourism. She is an Extended Range CCR Diver, HSE Class IV Commercial Diver and Sailor with experience leading field expeditions at sea which has earned her Fellowship of the Royal Geographical Society.

CO-FOUNDER RESEARCH MANAGER

  • MARINE BIOLOGIST

RESEARCH MANAGER

  • CO-FOUNDER / SHARK GUIDE AND SAFETY DIVER

    Hamna is the first female scuba instructor from Fuvahmulah and only active female local shark guide currently. She is an Ambassador for Girls that Scuba and an inspirational force for many local women. Born and raised on Fuvahmulah, she learnt scuba diving with sharks and feels very at home in the water. A true trailblazer underwater she is an emerging talent in the underwater community of the Maldives. Having overcome many hurdles on her own path, her vision is to better understand the shark populations of the Maldives, to help build scientific capacity on her island and to involve the local community in generating this knowledge. By working closely with local schools her objective is to inspire more young Maldivians to pursue a path in shark science and to protect the globally significant area that is her island home. Hamna is most known for her ability to supervise divers while safely managing multiple tiger sharks on one dive and her infectious passion for our planet’s apex predators.

CO-FOUNDER / OUTREACH MANAGER

RESEARCH ASSISSTANTS

  • RESEARCH ASSISTANT

  • FIELD RESEARCHER /
    UNDERWATER MEDIA

    Mizzy is a Dive Instructor born on Muli Island. He developed a profound connection with the ocean from an early age. Fascinated by marine life and buoyed by his mother's encouragement, he aspired to be a mermaid pirate—an adventurer of the seas. An encounter with a lemon shark during a surfing excursion deepened his curiosity and respect for these majestic creatures.

    Driven by his passion, he embarked on a lifelong journey to explore and understand the ocean's wonders. While pursuing his diploma, he immersed himself in various activities like surfing, fishing, and exploration. Eager to realize his dream, he left his corporate job and embarked on a Tuna Fishing boat from Dhaalu Atoll.

    His interest in sharks, nurtured by his grandfather's tales from his fishing expeditions, further deepened. Over the years, he has witnessed notable changes in the abundance of sharks and marine life, indicative of global shifts impacting the Maldives. This realization compelled him to advocate for the preservation of our oceans and the protection of our way of life. He strives to contribute and acquire knowledge, hoping to inspire others to cherish and safeguard our invaluable ecosystems. He remains steadfast in his belief that it is never too late to make a difference.

    His ultimate aspiration is for future generations, including his own offspring, to witness and appreciate the beauty of the ocean. Through his endeavors, he seeks to inspire individuals to protect what they love—the oceans, the sharks, and the Maldivian way of life—before it is too late.

  • COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE OFFICER

  • PARTNERSHIPS OFFICER / RESEARCH ASSISTANT

  • MARINE BIOLOGIST

    Carlo is a Natural and Marine scientist with a passion for shark conservation. Born and raised in Italy away from the ocean, he started his studies on shark-human interaction with Shark School Bahamas. Funded by the University of Milano-Bicocca, he ventured to Indonesian waters to become a scientific diver at Indo Ocean Project, where he studied coral reef communities by deploying baited cameras. His travels later brought him to develop his master's thesis in South Africa, where he once again deployed cameras and analyzed 150+ hrs of footage in order to investigate seasonal variations in shark and ray diversity in a remote Marine Protected Area with SharkLife Conservation Group.

    Currently covering the role of marine biologist at a luxury resort in the Maldives with Reefscapers, Carlo directs his efforts towards tourist education and outreach as well as data collection on coral reef ecology.

    A divemaster and freediver, Carlo's mission is to apply his scientific knowledge and water skills to collect valuable data circa the behaviour and distribution of endangered shark species in Maldivian waters, with the end of developing new and tailored management measures which hold shark conservation and stakeholder involvement at their heart. His passion lies at the intersection between the shark and the human dimension

MEDIA & STORYTELLING

  • UNDERWATER MEDIA

    Originally from Australia, Jono is an underwater photographer, wildlife guide and filmmaker driven a by a desire to capture powerful visuals and catalyse change. Jono’s work is guided by one motivation: to inspire action by facilitating unique connections with wildlife. He has gained extensive experience working with both terrestrial and marine megafauna across Kenya, Tonga, Mexico, Fiji and the vibrant reefs of his ocean home, Australia. With a deep love for non-intrusive forms of research and expeditions, he is a passionate freediver and sailor. His work has been featured in world-class underwater photography competitions and has been solicited by leading sustainable brands. Jono’s life changed in Fuvahmulah when he rescued an entangled whale shark together with Ahmed “Lonu” Rasheed, one of Fuvahmulah’s first shark divers. He co-founded the Fuvahmulah Marine Foundation with Lonu to address plastic pollution around the island.

  • MARINE JOURNALIST & WRITER

CO-FOUNDER

  • CO-FOUNDER / FIELD RESEARCHER /
    OUTREACH & EDUCATION OFFICER

    Bas is a shark conservationist, freedive instructor and young community leader in the Maldives. After serving as Vice President of the Rotaract Club in Male and active member of Project Damage Control carrying out beach clean-ups, he joined the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme, coordinating infield operations of research expeditions in South Ari Atoll and Fuvahmulah. He is passionate about building scientific capacity in the Maldives by creating lasting partnerships with local stakeholders, bringing in voices from the government as well as island communities. Able to dive beyond 40m on a single breath-hold, Bas is also recognised for his ability to collect vital photo-ID data, conduct microbiome sampling on moving sharks and his talent for memorising spot patterns of whale sharks by heart. His goal is to push for the creation more effective management strategies for areas with high shark biodiversity.

ARE YOU AN INDIVIDUAL PASSIONATE ABOUT SHARK CONSERVATION, CONDUCTING INTERDISCIPLINARY research AND scientific exploration? GET IN TOUCH.

We are looking for Maldivian as well as international individuals with diverse backgrounds and experience in the fields of marine science, law, environmental governance, technology, blue anthropology, fisheries management, photography and design to join our team - both on the ground and remotely.

Note: At the moment all of our team members are supporting the development of the Miyaru Programme on a volunteer-basis. We are working hard to change this.