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ISRA FACTSHEETS

ASIA REGION

ISRA FACTSHEETS

ASIA REGION

Seulako Island ISRA

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Seulako Island ISRA

Seulako Island

Summary

Seulako Island is located off Weh Island, north of Sumatra, Indonesia. It is characterised by coral reefs and is influenced by strong currents and monsoons. Within this area there are: threatened species (e.g., Shorthorned Pygmy Devil Ray Mobula kuhlii) and undefined aggregations (e.g., Spotted Eagle Ray Aetobatus ocellatus).

Seulako Island

Seulako Island

DESCRIPTION OF HABITAT

Seulako Island is located off Weh Island, Aceh province, Sumatra, Indonesia. Seulako Island is one of five small islands that Weh comprises (Aswita et al. 2018). The area is characterised by a higher percentage cover of coral reefs than surrounding sites (Rido & Fadli 2013; Muhidin et al 2020, 2023). Seulako Island is also influenced by strong currents (BM Simeon pers. obs. 2020), and two monsoons: the east monsoon (December to March) and the west monsoon (June to September) (Campbell et al. 2012).

This Important Shark and Ray Area is benthopelagic and delineated from inshore and surface waters (0 m) to a depth of 50 m based on the depth range of the Qualifying Species in the area.

CRITERION A

VULNERABILITY

Two Qualifying Species considered threatened with extinction according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species regularly occur in the area. These are the Endangered Spotted Eagle Ray (Finucci et al. in press) and Shorthorned Pygmy Devil Ray (Rigby et al. 2022).

CRITERION C

SUB-CRITERION C5 – UNDEFINED AGGREGATIONS

Seulako Island is an important area for undefined aggregations of two ray species.

Spotted Eagle Ray aggregations of up to 15 individuals have been reported around Seulako Island based on visual census by divers. Between 2019–2024, aggregations of between 10–15 individuals were regularly recorded from depths <10 m year-round (Iboih Dive Center unpubl. data 2019–2024; Rubiah Dive Center unpubl. data 2021–2024; Toba Dive Center unpubl. data 2021–2024). Spotted Eagle Rays are usually found in areas with high currents. Further information is required to determine the nature and function of these aggregations.

Shorthorned Pygmy Devil Ray aggregations of up to 100 individuals have been reported around Seulako Island based on visual census by divers. Between 2019–2024, aggregations of 50–100 individuals were regularly recorded from depths <10 m, between September to January each year (BM Simeon pers. obs. 2020; Iboih Dive Center unpubl. data 2019–2024; Rubiah Dive Center unpubl. data 2021–2024; Toba Dive Center unpubl. data 2020–2024). Shorthorned Pygmy Devil Rays are usually found in areas with high current. The seasonality of the species in the area is supported by landing site surveys undertaken between 2017–2022 from fisheries operating on the reef area around Weh Island. Shorthorned Pygmy Devil Ray are caught and landed in groups of up to 22 individuals between October and January each year (BM Simeon unpubl. data). Further information is required to determine the nature and function of these aggregations.

Seulako Island

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