Maldives Launches Tech4Nature Project to Safeguard Iconic Whale Sharks

MALÉ, Maldives, Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Ministry of Tourism and Environment of the Republic of Maldives, and Huawei have launched a new initiative to modernize the management of South Ari Marine Protected Area (SAMPA). By deploying foundational field-monitoring technology and real- time communication tools, the Tech4Nature project aims to safeguard the iconic whale shark population while balancing the socio-economic pressures of a world-class tourism destination. 

As the Maldives' largest marine protected area and a globally significant year-round aggregation site for whale sharks (Rhinocondon typus), SAMPA attracts thousands of visitors annually. Its vast extent and multiple access points present a significant logistical challenge for traditional monitoring approaches. The Tech4Nature project addresses these gaps by providing rangers with a suite of digital observation and reporting equipment. 

By strengthening on-the-ground data collection and communication, these tools enable more efficient patrols, facilitate the tracking of tourism-species interactions, and provide a robust data-driven framework to support SAMPA's journey towards the IUCN Green List. This essential upgrade in on-site capability will ensure conservation efforts are both measurable and transparent, while supporting the local livelihoods that depend on a healthy marine ecosystem. 

The Maldives project contributes to the wider Tech4Nature partnership, a global initiative launched in 2020 and co-led by IUCN and Huawei under Huawei's TECH4ALL digital inclusion program. Aligned with the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas Standard, Tech4Nature demonstrates how technology can drive effective and equitable conservation. The project was officially launched at the high-level closing ceremony of the Maldives Protected and Conserved Areas Forum 2026.

As the first Tech4Nature initiative in the Maldives, the SAMPA project forms part of broader global efforts co-led by IUCN and Huawei to scale up the use of digital solutions in nature conservation. In SAMPA, the project aims to strengthen the balance between tourism and conservation by improving visitor management, enhancing compliance, and supporting science-based decision-making.

Throughout the project, SAMPA's dedicated team of rangers will be supplied with essential monitoring and communication equipment to strengthen patrols and on-site enforcement. This will allow rangers to respond promptly to unsafe or non-compliant activities, improve visitor safety, and reduce harmful interactions with whale sharks. Enhanced monitoring will also increase overall compliance with protected area regulations and promote more sustainable tourism practices that align with SAMPA's management and conservation goals. 

"Effective conservation starts with equipping rangers with essential tools for ongoing field monitoring. This lays the necessary foundation for better ecosystem management and governance. It is a pragmatic first step to bridge immediate operational gaps while applying the IUCN Green List Standard, ensuring SAMPA sustains its unique biodiversity and the local livelihoods that depend on it," said Dr Dindo Campilan, IUCN Regional Director for Asia and Hub Director for Oceania.

In parallel with field implementation, the project will support training for SAMPA rangers on the IUCN Green List Standard, the globally recognized benchmark for effective, equitable, and well-managed protected and conserved areas. A baseline Green List site assessment will be conducted for SAMPA, providing a structured framework to identify strengths, gaps, and priority actions for improved management. 

"The government remains, as always, committed to advancing conservation and strengthening the institutional and governance mechanisms for the management of protected and conserved areas. It is important that we all work together toward this goal with a common vision and shared responsibility," said Thoriq Ibrahim, Minister of Tourism and Environment.

"As the successful outcomes of Tech4Nature projects since 2020 have shown, innovative technology solutions can help to better understand and mitigate threats to biodiversity and the ecosystems it inhabits, including marine ecosystems," said Zhang Jinze, Chief Executive Officer of Huawei Sri Lanka. "Alongside technology, a key approach of the Tech4Nature global partnership is the involvement of local partners and communities in project planning and implementation to ensure solution sustainability."

To date, the initiative has supported 11 flagship and satellite projects across multiple countries worldwide, delivering tailored digital solutions for a range of conservation challenges, from coral reef monitoring to wildlife protection and ecosystem restoration.

About us: 

Huawei: Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. It has approximately 208,000 employees and operates in over 170 countries and regions, serving more than three billion people around the world. Huawei is committed to bringing digital to every person, home and organisation for a fully connected, intelligent world. 

IUCN is a membership Union composed of both government and civil society organisations. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,500 Member organisations and the input of more than 17,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.  

Ministry of Tourism and Environment: Ministry of Tourism and Environment is mandated to oversee the policy formulation and implementation related to the tourism, environment, climate change, water and sanitation, waste management, energy, and climate change sectors. Affiliated agencies to the Ministry include the Environment Regulatory Authority, Utility Regulatory Authority, Maldives Meteorological Service, and Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve Office. 

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