Grantee Spotlight: Rafid Shidqi
On the Edge Fund, Conservation grantee spotlight
05/05/2025
A real-life Ray-Man out there saving some of nature’s superstars.
Rafid Shiqi is a talented marine biologist who set up Thresher Shark Indonesia, an organisation conserving thresher sharks and rays across the Alor, Flores, and Banda regions of Indonesia. The organisation has grown from a volunteer-based youth initiative to employing 22 full-time staff members across the regions. Youthful and locally-led, 70% of Rafid’s staff are indigenous to the communities where they operate, which are the focus for this project.
Rafid’s work
East Flores Regency is located within Indonesia's Coral Triangle Region, one of the most biodiverse areas on Earth. The Savu Sea is home to a rich diversity of marine megafauna, including elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) and other marine life. Many local communities depend on these marine animals for food, livelihoods, and cultural practices. As a result, conservation efforts for some species, like the mobula rays, have been minimal, and although their fishing activities are small-scale, mobula ray populations are declining.
On the Edge will support Rafid and his team in conservation efforts to protect mobula rays by addressing key threats, including targeted fishing and bycatch. By collaborating with local communities, the project will promote alternative ways to live without affecting their right to sustain their livelihoods.
Name:
Rafid Shidqi
Country of origin:
Indonesia
Species of choice:
Giant oceanic manta ray (EN)
Sicklefin devil ray (EN)
Giant devil ray (EN)
Where to from here?
Catch our Animal Sensemaker episode featuring Stingless bees
In the Amazon and tropical places around the world, armies of stingless bees spend their days collecting nectar from plants and flowers across the forest. Listen here.
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