An unexpected journey: How I ended up studying sharks in Timor-Leste

In March 2024, I moved to Australia to begin my PhD, with no idea that a small country I knew almost nothing about would become such an important part of my research journey.

It all started with Dave Ebert, a dear friend and mentor who travels the world searching for lost sharks—species that have not been seen for decades. Dave introduced me to Timor-Leste, a place where sharks and rays remained largely unstudied. I had to open Google Maps to find it! There it was, a small nation within the Coral Triangle, the global epicentre of marine biodiversity.

Beneath Timor-Leste's waters, thriving coral reefs teem with marine life, offering a glimpse into the extraordinary biodiversity of the Coral Triangle. Photo by © Adriana Gonzalez

The Adriana of ten years ago would have dismissed the idea immediately. Me? A Peruvian raised on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, starting a research project in a country I had never visited, knew almost nothing about, and couldn’t even speak the local language? Nonsense!

But life has a wonderful way of transforming us. Over the years, I have learned that some of the most rewarding experiences begin outside our comfort zones. So, naturally, I thought this was a fantastic idea!

There was just one small problem: I had no idea how to make it happen.

Fear, uncertainty, and vulnerability were still there. They never really go away. But somewhere along the way, I had learned to make friends with them, to see them as teachers rather than enemies. With curiosity and determination, I began reaching out to organisations, and WorldFish became a key ally in turning this ambitious idea into reality.

I still remember my first days in Timor-Leste. Everything felt unfamiliar, and I was far from home. But curiosity, as it so often does, came to my rescue, opening my eyes and heart to an extraordinary place.

Timor-Leste is a land of dramatic contrasts. Mountains rise to nearly 3,000 metres before plunging towards the ocean, where powerful currents connect the Pacific and Indian Oceans. These waters support extraordinary coral reefs, while just beyond them, the seafloor drops to depths of around 3,000 metres.

What an incredible place to explore!

Yet, despite this extraordinary marine richness, we still know remarkably little about the sharks and rays inhabiting these waters. And that was precisely why I had come.

What began as an unexpected suggestion from a mentor became a journey of discoveries, not only about sharks and rays, but also about the people, their culture, and perhaps my favourite discovery: what I am capable of when driven by curiosity and determination.

Beyond sharks and rays, Timor-Leste has given me unforgettable moments, new friendships, and a place to call home. Photo by © Adriana Gonzalez

After two years of working in Timor-Leste, this beautiful country has become my third home, after Peru and Australia. I will always be grateful for what it has taught me: that by embracing uncertainty and venturing beyond the familiar, sometimes, magic happens.

Tetum vocabulary

Curiosity: Oin-moris
Friend: Kolega
Home: Uma
Adventure: aventura
Mountain: Foho
To know, understand: Hatené
Thank you very much: Obrigada barak

Project

Timor-Leste sits in the biodiverse Coral Triangle, a hotspot that spans 5.7 million square kilometres (2.2 million square miles) across Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, Fiji and northern Australia. The region hosts 75% of the world’s coral species, more than 3,000 fish species and six of the seven marine turtles. But although we know whale sharks migrate through these waters, Adriana is one of the first to be documenting the diversity and occurrence of sharks, rays and chimaeras in Timor-Leste’s almost totally undocumented waters. She is working with local communities to identify critical habitats for breeding, feeding and aggregating and to promote shark conservation.

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