Unraveling the Mysteries of the Saba Bank: DCNA Tiger Shark Expedition 2021

Press Release by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance
Aboard Caribbean Explorer II – learn more about the liveaboard itinerary.

July 31st – August 7th, 2021 – For the first time on the Saba Bank, an expedition team was able to successfully assess the shark diversity by attaching five satellite tags and confirming pregnancy stages by ultrasound of two species of sharks. This research advancement resulted in assessing 56 sharks, including 16 Tiger sharks with one confirmed early-stage pregnancy, and the first tagged male in the region. These details inform us that the Saba Bank’s important role in the shark populations of the North-Eastern and wider Caribbean Region have yet to be unlocked. This information is crucial to better protect sharks within the Dutch Caribbean’s Yarari Marine Mammal and Shark Sanctuary as well as beyond.

Read all about the expedition on the Saba Bank! –>

UNRAVELING THE MYSTERIES OF THE SABA BANK: DCNA TIGER SHARK EXPEDITION 2021

Read all about the shark training session in St. Maarten! –>

Ground-breaking Shark Research Conducted in St. Maarten Waters

Read about Caribbean Explorer II, DCNA’s Saba Bank expedition mothership! –>

Caribbean Explorer II – The only liveaboard to dive Saba!

Caribbean Explorer II cruising Saba, Explorer Ventures Fleet.

Liveaboard Caribbean Explorer cruising in Saba.

Saba, the Unspoiled Queen, is known for its offshore pinnacles and deep underwater seamounts. The 5 square mile top of a dormant volcano, it towers 3,000 feet above the surface surrounded by warm volcanic sand. The abrupt and jagged topography above the sea is mirrored below, with dramatic dive sites and a profusion of marine life that attests to the early institution of the Saba Marine Park ‘SMP’ in 1987. Saba is Caribbean diving at its best. Although the regular itinerary does not include the off-shore Saba Bank, there are many favorite sites where sharks may be spotted on your trip including Diamond Rock, Man O’War Shoals, Custom’s House, Tent Wall, Tent Reef, Ladder Labyrinth, and Third Encounter (The Needle/Eye of the Beholder). Other common sightings include curious nurse sharks, reef sharks, turtles, lobster, eels, and for the lucky divers eagle rays, sea horses, and batfish. See Caribbean Explorer II’s itinerary and pricing here.