News

It’s a bucket-list destination—well three of them actually. You may not be familiar with the term “Bird’s Head Seascape,” but you’ve certainly heard of the marine biodiversity hotspots it encompasses: Triton Bay, Raja Ampat and Cenderawasih Bay.

For more than 20 years, photojournalists Burt Jones and Maurine Shimlock have documented this amazing Indonesian region. They even published a must-have guide book for any underwater photographer looking to explore the region.

Now, their expertise has gone digital with the launch of a “Bird’s Head Seascape” website. It features destination information as well as local news, marine conservation efforts and a complete dive site map of the region. For more information check out the new website and the press release below.
 

PRESS RELEASE

Site administrators, Burt Jones and Maurine Shimlock, along with web designers, Newmediasoup, announce the launch of www.birdsheadseascape.com. The new site is the ultimate source for information about one of the world’s most popular scuba diving destinations, including Raja Ampat, Cenderawasih Bay and Triton Bay. Besides scuba diving, the site provides information about additional sustainable tourism options, local news, conservation initiatives, groundbreaking scientific research, and stunning photography with the aim of conserving this region of West Papua, Indonesia’s treasure trove of biodiversity.

Dr. Mark Erdmann, Conservation International's Vice President of Asia-Pacific Marine Programs, said, “After several years of anticipation and planning, we're delighted to unveil a one-stop, comprehensive website that captures the beauty and mind-blowing biodiversity of the Bird’s Head Seascape while serving as the authoritative repository of information on this very special part of the planet. We enthusiastically invite all BHS visitors to use our interactive dive site maps and information to plan their trip, share images and experiences via this site and to explore the scientific papers and other media in our comprehensive online library. Our aim is to use this site to further encourage the growth of sustainable tourism to the Bird's Head, which we believe will ensure the region’s unparalleled biodiversity remains a healthy asset for generations.”

On the opening page’s Featured Image and Video section, visitors can share their images and trip experiences. In the Maps section, pictures can be added to the online image library for any of the over 200 BHS dive sites mapped on www.birdsheadseascape.com. Blogs about conservation, diving, regional news and science update regularly and are archived.

Newsfeeds via Facebook and Twitter will notify followers about events taking place in the Bird’s Head as well as send alerts as soon as new content and images have been posted.