This month, CTC Executive Director Rili Djohani and Senior MPA Specialist Purwanto joined a group of marine scientists from Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara – The Nature Conservancy (YKAN-TNC), People and Nature Consulting International (PNC-I), and Hatfield Consultants, as well as a team of photographers for an epic 20-day expedition in Indonesia’s “Forgotten Islands” on the Seven Seas Liveaboard.

These islands are not a single destination, but rather a 1,000 km long chain of islands between the Banda and Arafura Seas. Undeveloped, distant from population centers, these “Forgotten Islands” have been largely isolated from the rest of Indonesia and the world. They also make up the eastern end of Wallacea, a transitional region between continental Southeast Asia and Australia-New Guinea.

The objectives of the trip were to monitor coral reefs along remote islands in this Sunda Banda seascape, assess, compare and explore the development of different types of MPAs in this region, assess the impact of Covid-19 on local communities, and collect video footage and photo materials for conservation programs.

Follow us on our social media for the highlights of their amazing experience including encounters with sperm whales, hammerhead sharks, spawning sponges, pristine reefs and many more!