Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort and Spa has appointed marine biologist Kate Sheridan as the development lead of “Adopt a Coral” marine conservation program. She is a representative of Reefscapers, which is a coral propagation organization partner.

Kate Sheridan studied Geography BSc in the UK and moved to South Africa to study for her MSc in Conservation Biology at the University of Cape Town. She investigated water user’s perceptions of shark management and shark risks, and methods of shark safety management which benefit people and sharks for her thesis. It was later published in the Marine Policy journal.

Though Kate is from the UK, she has spent a lot of time in South Africa where she worked with a variety of wildlife ranging from sharks to hyenas to rhinos. She is passionate about science communication, co-hosting a wildlife and conservation podcast called The Biome Podcast and running her own conservation blog and working as a freelance content creator.

Kate has spent six months working with Reefscapers focusing on marine communications and is thrilled to become the resident marine biologist at Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort and Spa. At the resort, she manages the coral propagation program by restoring the reef, monitoring coral growth, and running other marine conservation activities.

Guests are invited to participate in a coral-fragment plantation activity to restore reef habitats and produce new coral colonies at Adopt a Coral, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort and Spa. They have teamed up with Reefscapers, which is a coral propagation organization appointed by the Maldivian government as custodians of the coral colonies in the GulhiFalhu lagoon, which was to be destroyed as a part of a reclamation project.

The coral translocation was led by experts and now offers a hands-on experience to participants, while also providing an alternative business to the 250 inhabitants whose sole previous source of employment was fishing.