About me

  



I moved from Berlin to Egypt in April 2004 after having finished my Ph.D. thesis in biology (animal behaviour) in September 2002. Since then, I am working on live-aboards as a diveguide & biologist. Regular encounters with Oceanic Whitetips Sharks first occurred in Abu Hamra [Elphinstone] in October 2004. And they spured the interest to learn more about them...
Being familiar with using photo-identification techniques for research purposes, it wasn't a long stretch to apply that to the natural markings of these oceanics.
So in the end of 2004, I initiated the Longimanus-Project, by summer 2005 a first webpage was launched, and I did not really look back after that...

Dr. Elke Bojanowski

on a personal note...

"My first encounter with Carcharhinus longimanus dates back to November 2003, on a live-aboard in Egypt, in an area called Fury Shoals...
The last three divers coming back to the vessel after a generally uneventful dive were basically ellbowing each other away from the dive ladder NOT to be the last in the water. The source of the commotion quietly circled in and out of sight behind the dive platform: an Oceanic Whitetip Shark.
Having missed it under water, some people - including myself - were arguing to go back inside. Held back by the organizer of the live-aboard, who then grudgingly agreed to one person at a time entering the water with a mask, but only after promising never to let go of the ladder.
The shark was medium-sized at max, carefully estimated to be 1,50 - 1,70 m long. Most impressive was its behaviour though. Cruising along just underneath the surface, it very self-confidently and closely approached the dive ladder a couple of times, allowing us to view its colour markings and escort of pilot fishes. Being more acquainted with seeing shark silhouettes disappearing into the blue (if at all!) this inquisitiveness was exciting but also slightly unnerving..."