GLOVER’S REEF, Belize — As Alex Tilley powers his 15-foot skiff over the
turquoise surface, a dark form slips across the white sand floor below.
“Sting ray,” Mr. Tilley says.
For the next half mile, en route to the Wildlife Conservation Society research station here
at Glover’s Reef in Belize, at least half a dozen rays are spotted
moving beneath the surface. To Mr. Tilley, the presence of so many rays
says a lot about the state of the reef here.
“The fish populations at Glover’s are still very robust,” he said. “This is definitely one of the healthiest reefs in the region.”
Mr. Tilley is the station manager and resident scientist here on Middle Caye, one of six small islands within the Glover’s Reef atoll. A Ph.D. candidate in marine biology from Bangor University in North Wales, Mr. Tilley leads a reef monitoring program sponsored by the Wildlife Conservation Society, a Bronx-based organization that helped establish the reserve here in 1993.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Protected Reef Offers Model for Conservation - NYTimes.com
Author: ERIK OLSEN
