Mexican diving resort Pro Dive International recently announced it had adopted a bull shark that inhabits the waters off the Riviera Maya.
Maria Jose Lledo, Pro Dive’s Operations Manager, said:
“Fittingly, and with a touch of female charm, we have named her IXCHEL, referring to the ancient Mayan Goddess of fertility, motherhood, the moon and healing. Ix means goddess of the feminine, Chel — rainbow or light. In other words, she is the goddess of the rainbow and lady of sacred light. Ixchel is always associated with bodies of water, and anywhere you would be likely to see a rainbow. Join us this winter to check out on her!”
The five-year adoption fee donated by Pro Dive supports research and conservation efforts of the local Saving Our Sharks (SOS) project, a group made up of marine and shark scientists focusing on the protection and conservation of bull sharks at the Mexican Riviera Maya. The group tags bull sharks with GPS transmitters, allowing them to study the sharks’ population and migration patterns, as well as figure out their genetic background and health status.
SOS works with local dive operators and promotes shark conservation with the local and federal government. Additionally, SOS has developed a manual that sets standards for diving among bull sharks in the region.
SOS first registered Ixchel between 2015 and 2016, and out of the 23 bull sharks registered is one of the largest females in that group.
For more information on the project, check out Pro Dive’s website at www.prodiveinternational.com.
