# Thai park authority counts record 451 blacktip reef sharks in Maya Bay, Ko Phi Phi Leh

- Published: 2026-11-14 21:43 UTC
- Section: Planet › Ecology & recycling
- Tags: Maya Bay sharks, blacktip reef shark count, Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi, Phi Phi Leh, shark monitoring Thailand, drone survey sharks, marine ecosystem recovery, Prince of Songkla University
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-17d0f65e2279a0c89a0a260b_thai_park_authority/

**Researchers counted 451 blacktip reef sharks in Thailand's Maya Bay on 3 November 2026, the highest figure since monitoring began in 2023, the park authority reported.**

![Thai park authority counts record 451 blacktip reef sharks in Maya Bay, Ko Phi Phi Leh](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/d806fcf32315e681.webp)
*ad-hoc-news.de*

Researchers counted 451 blacktip reef sharks in Maya Bay on Ko Phi Phi Leh, Thailand, on 3 November 2026, according to ad-hoc-news.de. Thailand's national park authority published the record count on 13 November. The bay belongs to the Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi marine national park in Krabi province. [1]

The survey ran from 3 to 9 November 2026. Participants included Marine National Park Research Center 3 in Trang, other park staff and students of the Faculty of Natural Resources at Prince of Songkla University. The figure of 451 is the highest since the monitoring programme began in 2023. [1]

## Methods and water measurements

The team combined three methods: 15 drone flights, 22 deployments of baited underwater cameras and 22 seawater quality measurements. Most sharks were observed at dawn, when the researchers recorded 328.83 animals on average. The maximum count was made on the morning of 3 November. [1]

The mean water temperature was 30.87 °C, salinity 31.16 ppt and pH 8.62. According to the authority, these values lie in a range suitable for marine animals. Thailand's environmental planning authority published the same core data. [1]

## Age groups and habitat

Larger blacktip reef sharks, more than one metre long, stayed on the right side of the bay near the beach and rocks. The researchers described this grouping as possibly linked to reproductive behaviour; the announcement presents this as a possible explanation, not a final result. [1]

On the opposite side, in shallow water, the team found about three to five juveniles shorter than one metre. The survey thus identifies Maya Bay as habitat for several developmental stages. [1]

The park authority classed the result as a sign of recovery of the marine ecosystem and said scientific monitoring of the population is continuing. According to the announcement, the results provide data for protecting marine biodiversity and for managing ecotourism, and the authority intends to continue observing the sharks. [1]

## Sources

1. [ad-hoc-news.de](https://www.ad-hoc-news.de/unterhaltung/reisen/forscher-zaehlten-am-3-november-451-haie-in-maya-bay/70510167)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-17d0f65e2279a0c89a0a260b_thai_park_authority/