Indonesian Conservation
By: Ary Pratiwi
On the quiet shores of Saleh Bay, stories about whale sharks or Pakek Torok – as the people of Labuan Jambu Village, Sumbawa Regency, West Nusa Tenggara call them – have become part of everyday life. Over time, the relationship between the community and this iconic species has developed, from a mere habit of meeting to a proud conservation effort.
"In the past, whale sharks could be seen only 10 meters from our stilt house," recalled Ismail Marzuki, familiarly known as Meo, a resident of Labuan Jambu Village who comes from Makassar. Meo, who migrated with his parents to Sumbawa Island, admitted that since childhood he often fished with his friends in the waters around Gili Bakau. He clearly remembered his first encounter with this large, charismatic species.
"At that time, we were fishing in a small boat, then suddenly a whale shark measuring about nine meters appeared. We immediately left because we were afraid of being eaten," Meo laughed, remembering the childhood moment that is now a sweet nostalgia.
A similar story came from Muhammad Iqbal Hidayat, a native of Labuan Jambu. He still clearly remembers his first encounter with the world's largest shark decades ago. "In 1991, I first saw a whale shark not far from land. We call it Pakek Torok, meaning deaf shark. We call it that because they often get caught in fishermen's nets and are difficult to direct out," said Iqbal.
At that time, whale sharks were considered “mother fish” by the local community. Their appearance was believed to be a sign of abundant fortune, although their presence in fishermen’s nets sometimes caused frustration. However, in recent decades, the problem has shifted towards harmony thanks to conservation initiatives involving local communities.
The story of Meo and Iqbal's initial introduction to the species with the Latin name Rhincodon typus is indeed an interesting history to be retold by the people who lived in Labuan Jambu more than three decades ago. Moreover, during that period, they were in the dark times of the whale shark's life. The big fish often looked helpless in the hands of irresponsible people.
“I used to see whale sharks with their fins cut off. Some even had their tails tied or speared,” Meo said. After decades of witnessing the horrific incidents, Meo and the local community’s views changed. Konservasi Indonesia (KI) – which was then called Conservation International Indonesia – came to Labuan Jambu in 2017 to invite residents to get to know whale sharks better.
KI's socialization of the importance of whale sharks for the ecosystem around Saleh Bay successfully touched the hearts of Meo and other people. "From there I began to realize the importance of preserving them," said Meo. Now, he is also one of the front guards in efforts to protect this species in Sumbawa Besar.
Along with Iqbal and Meo, there is also Zainuddin, a 28-year-old young man who is familiarly called Chen, who took part in this conservation effort. "From the training provided by KI, I learned science, data collection, and species ID photos. Because of my hobby of photography, I also create content for social media to promote whale shark ecotourism in Saleh Bay," said Chen.
Since 2022, the Sumbawa regional government together with KI has developed community-based ecotourism and made whale sharks a global attraction. Chen is now one of the tour operators whose job is not only to take tourists swimming with whale sharks, but also to provide education on the ethics of interacting with this charismatic species.
However, all of this is not without challenges. Meo, Iqbal, and Chen continue to campaign for the importance of protecting whale sharks, which have an undeniable role in building the economy of local residents. They hope that ecotourism in Saleh Bay can continue to run and remain community-based. "Starting from accommodation, transportation, to fishing nets should be arranged in rotation. All access should also be through one door in Labuan Jambu so that the benefits can really be felt by the local community," said Meo, which was nodded by Iqbal and Chen.
The whale shark is now not only a symbol of the rich ecosystem of Saleh Bay, but also a great hope for sustainability. "We really want Saleh Bay to always be a comfortable home for Pakek Torok," Iqbal hopes.
