Our survey team were lucky enough to spot four juvenile Common Stingrays and two stunning Bull Rays last week. Analysis showed that this large female and another smaller Bull Ray were brand new individuals for our database, never before spotted in Malta!

Some Shark, skate and ray public education this morning at the Malta National Aquarium with Sharklab Malta

My first Bull Ray sighting of the season (and ever) on one of our surveys at Sharklab Malta . Such beautiful creatures that are in dire need of protection, with a global IUCN Red List status of Critically Endangered as a result of bycatch by industrial fisheries

My photo from yesterday's game between Germany and Bulgaria featured on the Official LEN page! A new milestone reached 🪨

Finally got my website up and running again 🎉 Check out my portfolio over at: michaelparisvisuals.com

And just like that Shark Awareness week is upon us 🦈🦈! I had the opportunity to speak about the Fly with Bullrays project with Sharklab Malta at the Malta National Aquarium

Known for their beautiful metallic blue skin, the Blue Shark is one of Malta's more common resident sharks although they can be found worldwide and they are known to migrate long distances. They are viviparous, giving birth to live young, and may have up to 100 pups at a time! 👶

Although one of the largest White Shark ever caught was landed in Malta many people have no idea this species is a resident of the Mediterranean. These highly adapted predators have such sensitive electroreceptors they can detect variations as small as half a billionth of a volt.

Sold as Mazzola in Malta, they're among the most commonly eaten sharks in Europe. Despite this the Longnose Spurdog is also the only shark in the Mediterranean listed as Data Deficient by the IUCN. They have spurs on their dorsal fins which can be used to predict age and maturity

These sharks have been the focus of my research since arrivving in Malta; the scale at which they come into the market compared to all other elasmobranch's is insane! If anyone knows of researchers working with this species currently, let me know! #spurdog

These incredible sharks have one of the largest brain to body ratios and are adept predators. Relying on excellent vision and speed they lunge at prey from below and are known to leap high out of the water. To maintain high activity levels they eat 3% of their body weight daily!

World Photography Day 🎉 I picked up my first camera in 2018, and haven't looked back since

Lovely to see Fried Egg (Cotylorhiza tuberculata) jellies making an appearance this summer 🪼🪼 This species of jellyfish has a very mild sting and isn't harmful to humans, so you can admire it from up close 🤿 Photographed in Għadira at sunset 🌅📸 michaelparisvisuals.com

The Super Blue Moon was not blue at all! 🌕 The term "blue moon" refers to the appearance of a second full moon within a single calendar month. The orange colouration was further heightened by the haze being blown from the wildfires in Greece 🔥🌳

🌊 Watamu Marine Reserve left me awestruck! 🐠 I'd love to see such practices implemented in Malta 🇲🇹—investing in ecotourism, protecting our marine biodiversity, and rewilding our natural spaces for a sustainable future! 🌊🦈 #SustainableTourism #RewildMalta #ProtectOurOceans

A weekend full of shark education and awareness, from Science in the City to Malta National Aquarium's 10 year anniversary! Sharklab Malta

It's impossible to go for a swim without encountering plastic #plasticpollution #marinelife

The sun sets over Brighton, and tomorrow marks the first day of the EEA Conference 🦈 Looking forward to meeting lead researchers in the field!

#EEA2023 what a week! Immense thanks to all of you who made the event so memorable! Thanks again to our sponsors Save Our Seas Innovasea Lotek for their generous support, & all our speakers. Watch this space for a final wrap-up video.

It's been a week since this year's #EEA2023 conference! Still so impressed with the speakers and their research! I feel very motivated to apply what I've learnt throughout this experience on a local level with Sharklab Malta. Thank you to The Shark Trust and EEA!