As part of a massive international research effort aimed at protecting the ocean’s most vulnerable wildlife, Mizzou researcher Michael Byrne contributed vital data on mako sharks to a landmark study recently published in Science. The work highlights critical migratory routes and habitats for marine megafauna — including whales, sea turtles, sharks and large seabirds — and assesses how well current marine protected areas (MPAs) are safeguarding these species.
Byrne, an associate professor of wildlife ecology in the School of Natural Resources at Mizzou, was one of 377 researchers whose data helped fuel the study. His contribution stems from earlier tracking work on mako sharks, a species now listed as endangered.
“I was essentially the person who helped put some of the data together,” Byrne said. “It’s based on work I’d done previously with mako sharks, and that dataset was rolled into this larger analysis.”
The study is part of the MegaMove project, a UN-affiliated international consortium that aggregates tracking data on marine megafauna — large, mobile ocean-dwelling animals — to inform global conservation policy.
Researchers compiled and analyzed telemetry data from dozens of independent studies, making it the largest marine tracking datasets ever assembled. The species tracked include whales, dolphins, sharks, polar bears, seabirds and manatees, among others.
The team overlaid the animal movement data with current marine protected areas and threats such as commercial fishing, shipping routes, plastic pollution and climate impacts. Their findings show that even if the world meets the United Nations’ 30 by 30 conservation target — protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030 — it would still fall short of safeguarding the migratory and residential habitats essential for marine megafauna survival.
“Increasing MPAs by 30% is a great start, but it’s not nearly enough,” Byrne said. “That alone won’t prevent biodiversity loss in these species. We need additional conservation strategies beyond just expanding protected areas.”
The study provides an important touchpoint for Byrne’s ongoing work with mako sharks. While the new analysis doesn’t break down findings by species, it does include data from endangered animals like makos and highlights regions where protections may be most urgently needed.
“This doesn’t just affect whales or sea turtles,” Byrne said. “Sharks like the mako are part of this ecosystem too and understanding where these species move and how they’re threatened is crucial to any conservation effort.”
Byrne now finds himself linked to an elite network of global researchers working to influence international policy on marine biodiversity.
“I became involved in an unexpected way, but I’m proud to be part of it,” he said.
To learn more about the MegaMove initiative, visit megamove.org.