Marine Biological Hall Of Distinction: Dr. Dení Ramírez Macías
- ThePersaudCatalog
- 14 hours ago
- 6 min read
This article is part of our collection known as the Marine Hall of Distinction. In this special collection, we will discuss marine biologists who have served marine biology and oceanography the most. We do this to commemorate these marine biologists and show gratitude for everything they have contributed to our oceans. Today's marine scientist is Dr. Dení Ramírez Macías.
Dr. Dení Ramírez Macías is one of the world’s foremost experts on Whale Sharks, & one of the leading marine biologists, & scientists in all of Mexico. She is well known for her work with the Save Our Seas Foundation, her organization Whale Shark Mexico, & her expertise on Whale Shark Genetics. For her efforts, she has been added to the Women Divers Hall of Fame, an extraordinarily prestigious feat. Dr. Ramírez Macías has served our oceans honourably, in countless ways.
In today's article, we are going to delve into her formative years & education, her personal life & career, & her achievements, accomplishments as well as her awards. With that being said, let us delve into the marvellous career of Dr. Dení Ramírez Macías!
Her Formative Years & Education
Dr. Dení Ramírez Macías was born on May 9th, 1978, in Mexico City, Mexico. Both of her parents had a great appreciation of the ocean, both having scuba-diving passions of their own. They would often take her on vacation to the coastal regions of Mexico, lending a foundation to her love of the ocean. One day, as a child, while on the beach with her family, she watched a Sea Turtle lay its eggs one by one. Young Dení was fascinated by this, although soon sad, as local people soon came & took the eggs. This inspired her to contribute to conservation, & to protect our oceans, & would spark her desire to save our seas.
When she was 7 years old, she did her first scuba dive in Chankanaab, Cozumel, Mexico, off the coast of Yucatan. The experience opened the beauty of the underwater world to her, & showed her all that the ocean held. Young Dení saw vibrant fish, massive rays, & a thriving coral reef. At this point, she made up her mind to become a marine biologist, & research her own boat.
Sadly, she did not have the opportunity to return to her beloved Chankanaab Park until she was 17 years of age, at which point she noticed something horrible. The gorgeous reef that she once indulged in as a girl was replaced by a badly damaged one, & the troves of tropical fish were replaced by sparse populations. This further inspired her to become a marine biologist, & sparked a fire in her that led her to become one of the most prominent marine biologists in Mexico.
She pursued her dream by beginning her bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology at the University of La Paz, Mexico, graduating in 2002. Soon afterwards, she moved on to her Master's Degree in the same subject, at Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas (Interdisciplinary Center for Marine Sciences), earning her M.S. with honours in 2005. During her Master’s Degree, she did important research on the subject of the genetics of Whale Shark populations within the Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California. This study was the first of its kind, showcasing the prominence of this research.
During this research, she stumbled upon an intriguing phenomenon. Juvenile Whale Sharks routinely migrate out of the Gulf of California, returning year after year, only stopping when they are adults. This begs the question of what causes them to return, & what causes them to suddenly leave? As each shark has a unique colouration & pattern adorning its back, it allows you to name specific individuals, which she did. One female individual in particular, whom she affectionately called Tiki-Tiki.
Tiki-Tiki enjoyed diving deep in the ocean, & unfortunately, her tag fell off. When Dení encountered her again, she quizzed “Why don’t you just tell me what you were doing down there?”, illuminating her affection for the species, & connection to individual whale sharks which she has gained over the years.
Finally, she successfully earned her Doctor of Science in 2010, from the
Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (The Biological Research Center of the Northwest, also known as CIBNOR), at La Páz, Mexico. Her P.hD was on the subject of Global Whale Shark genetics, taking her to the Philippines, & allowing her to collaborate with numerous whale shark researchers around the world.
Her Personal Life & Career
Dení always had a passion for the environment, & always had a deep desire to protect it. So, she began by cleaning beaches with friends, removing debris hazardous to marine animals & beachgoers alike. Soon afterwards, she conceived the idea of ConCiencia Mexico, an organization which would ultimately focus on Environmental Education, & conscientiousness amongst people as it relates to the environment.
Recently, she has begun doing research in collaboration with the Save Our Seas Foundation, & EcóOceania, to discover more about the Whale Shark populations off the coast of Peru, as there has been an absence of Whale Shark mentions in Peruvian Literature. In order to do this, she visits the North of Peru to interview fishermen about Whale Shark sightings off the coast of Peru, particularly in the Punta Pizarro, Zorritos, Acapulco, Punta Sal, & Cancas areas. Due to their large size, adult Whale Sharks in these areas are feared as many misunderstand their curiosity for aggression. Sadly, few fishermen understand their docile, & relatively friendly nature. Through these interviews, she is also attempting to ascertain whether these communities have potential for Eco-Tourism through these Whale Shark populations, in order to build more industry & attract more resources. Eco-tourism is a kind of tourism explicitly done to tour, enjoy, or interact with the ecosystems of a particular region. This project is called the “Giants of Peru”, project.
In addition to this, for this project, she is attempting to see if there is a correlation between whale shark populations in Mexico & Peru, & attempting to see if this is one of the places where all of those juvenile whale sharks from Baja California venture off to.
Her Achievements, Accomplishments, & Awards
1. She founded her own nonprofit organization, ConCiencia Mexico, which focuses on the environment of Mexico, conserving it, educating citizens about it, & similar things.
2. She leads the “Giants of our Sea”, program for the Save Our Sea Foundation in Peru.
3. She has orchestrated over 5 research studies, all on the subjects of Whale Sharks.
4. She has published a book in Spanish about the genetics of Whale Sharks, titled “Genética del tiburón ballena y estimación de abundancia en México”, translating to “Whale shark genetics and abundance estimation in Mexico”.
5. In La Paz, Mexico, in Baja California Sur, she has been working with the government to develop a Tourism Management plan. Through this plan, she will attract more people to the reason, shed more light on the plight of Whale Sharks, inspire interest in the species, & inspire people to conserve them.
6. She has had at least 4 research stays abroad at the time of publishing, 2 in 2007, & 2 in 2008. Her research has taken her all around the world to Texas, Pennsylvania, Australia, & the Philippines!
Directories / Credits
Citation 1: "Project Leader: Dení Ramírez-Macías", Written by Dení Ramírez Macías, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Save Our Seas Foundation.
Citation 2: “Dení Ramírez Macías: Scientist Conservationist”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Whale Shark Mexico.
Citation 3: “Dení Ramírez Macías, Ph.D.”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Women Divers Hall Of Fame.
Citation 4: “Dr. Deni Ramirez Macias”, Written by Dení Ramírez Macías, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Independent Academia.
Citation 5: “Dení Ramírez-Macías’s research while affiliated with BCS and other places” Curated by ResearchGate at varying dates. Credit to Research Gate.
Citation No. 6: “Jumping Into the Deep End with Whale Sharks in Hawaii”, Written by Karla Lant, & Published on September 25th, 2018. Published by Fond Riest.
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