Tamataroa IV
The Tamataroa Project, a joint initiative by Gombessa Expeditions and the Mokarran Protection Society, has entered its final phase, with a dedicated PhD thesis led by Tatiana Boube at its core. Initiated and supported by Blancpain, who also provides long‑term support for Tatiana Boube’s PhD research, this programme seeks to achieve tangible conservation outcomes for one of the ocean’s most iconic and endangered species: the great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran).
Built on a holistic and integrative approach, the TAMATAROA project combines scientific research, innovation, collaboration, citizen science, awareness raising initiatives and the promotion of traditional knowledge. This comprehensive strategy pursues a clear objective: to improve understanding of the great hammerhead shark, identify the challenges surrounding its conservation and foster a collective dynamic capable of supporting the implementation of sustainable management measures. The ambition is to preserve both this emblematic species and the habitats essential to its survival in French Polynesia.
At the heart of this final phase, science plays a central role through Tatiana Boube’s PhD research, which provides the scientific framework for the project. Her work mobilises a wide range of complementary research protocols spanning multiple disciplines, including feeding ecology, migration tracking, identification of key functional habitats and the analysis of human induced pressures. This doctoral thesis ensures scientific rigour and continuity, allowing the data collected throughout the programme to be structured, analysed and fully valorised.
Tatiana Boube’s long standing commitment to the study and protection of the great hammerhead shark reflects a deep and enduring engagement. As the initiator of the first research protocols on the species in French Polynesia within the Mokarran Protection Society, she devoted several years of voluntary work to this cause. Her academic and personal journey illustrates a profound dedication to advancing knowledge of this fascinating species.
Driven by the desire to anchor her research as closely as possible to the local context, Tatiana Boube chose to conduct her PhD at the University of French Polynesia. This decision reflects a strong conviction: placing knowledge production at the very heart of local conservation challenges and contributing directly to their recognition and value. She is supervised by three internationally recognised scientists — Yannis Papastamatiou, Charlie Huveneers and Jean Claude Gaertner — whose expertise provides invaluable guidance throughout her research.
To carry out this doctoral thesis and support the three years of research it entails, Tatiana Boube has received financial support from Blancpain. This support forms part of Blancpain’s long term commitment to the conservation of the great hammerhead shark and its environment. From the first studies conducted with the association in 2019 to the Gombessa TAMATAROA expedition (2021–2026), Blancpain has played a structuring role in advancing scientific knowledge and implementing concrete actions for the species’ conservation.
Today, Tatiana Boube’s work represents a key milestone for the TAMATAROA project. Her research will deepen understanding of the great hammerhead shark’s ecology, shed light on its movements and identify the functional habitats essential to its survival. These results will provide the scientific foundation for future management measures and pave the way for tailored conservation strategies, helping to ensure the preservation of this iconic species of Polynesian waters for generations to come.