Bamboo Shark Nursery & Conservation Center at JW Marriott Khao Lak

Bamboo Shark Nursery

JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa and JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort Suites, the pioneering beachfront retreats in southern Thailand, continue our commitment to preserve the natural world and fragile local marine ecosystems in a new collaboration with the Oceans For All Foundation (OFA) to launch Bamboo Shark Nursery & Conservation Center on June 29, 2023.

The Bamboo Shark Nursery & Conservation Center, located in the newly opened second phase of JW Marriott Khao Lak, is a dedicated marine sanctuary that connects guests of all ages with the Andaman Sea’s threatened bamboo sharks. As Southern Thailand’s leading luxury MICE destination, we see real potential from our corporate clientele who wish to give back as part of their own CSR initiatives and elevate the facility into a powerful conservation hub here in Khao Lak.

The Background:

Bamboo sharks are native to the Andaman Sea and a keystone species. As small predators of the shallow reefs around Phuket and Khao Lak, bamboo sharks play an important role in the ecosystem by maintaining the balance of all species below them in the food chain and serving as an indicator for the reef’s health. 

They became an endangered species due to their popularity with fish collectors and exotic food enthusiasts, as well as pollution and overfishing, which pose a big threat to their survival. Nowadays, these beautiful species are listed as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List due to their rapidly declining numbers.

Since 2019, non-profit OFA and the Phuket Marine Biological center (PMBC) joined forces to help breed bamboo sharks and hatch the eggs in an aquariums and nurseries rather than in the open sea where they are vulnerable to other predators.

Inside the Bamboo Shark Nursery & Conservation Center:

Our Bamboo Shark Nursery & Conservation Center is the first of its kind, providing a unique and uplifting experience for our guests, where they can observe and take part in the preservation of the Andaman Sea’s underwater ecosystem and the protection of it marine life.

Starting from the registration area, guests are taken on a journey through an interactive learning center where they will experience first-hand the life cycle of bamboo sharks through video and exhibitions before entering the aquarium nursery to meet OFA’s resident marine biologist and shark expert and learn how they nurture the sharks in various stages, from the incubation of eggs all the way to the time of release.

Bamboo Shark Nursery

The center also features an inspiring zone for guests to rest, relax, and expand their imaginations with a variety of creative, sustainable activities on how to preserve our planet. The visit ends with a bamboo shark gift shop featuring souvenirs and memento of our Bamboo Sharks that will continue to inspire a lifelong passion for conservation long after returning home.

In addition, guests also have the opportunity to join our shark release ritual where we release six-month old bamboo sharks back to their natural environment to provide them with a size-advantage, which results in their increased lifespan and a much needed boost to the local population.

Bamboo Shark Nursery & Conservation Center

https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/hktkl-jw-marriott-khao-lak-resort-and-spa/experiences/good-travel/

JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa and JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort Suites.

41/12 MOO 3 KHUK KHAK, TAKUA PA DISTRICT, PHANG NGA, THAILAND, 82220
FAX: +66 76-584 999

https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/hktkl-jw-marriott-khao-lak-resort-and-spa/overview/