Project Leader - DR. HUGO LASSAUCE

Born in New Caledonia, Hugo was raised in a place where everything is about nature. He can’t remember when his fascination for marine life started; it feels like he grew up with his head underwater exploring the reef every time he got the chance. However, Hugo did not realise how important his relationship with the sea was until he moved to France for his Bachelor Degree in Biology in 2009 and decided to dedicate his life to help and contribute to the conservation of the natural beauty of the reefs back home.

In 2013 Hugo enrolled in a Master Degree in Marine Biology at James Cook University, in Australia. He then spent 2 years learning English and everything about marine ecosystems.  While he thought he had seen a lot of amazing things underwater, it was during a field trip to the Great Barrier Reef that he saw a manta ray for the first time!

Hugo finally returned home in 2016 with his degrees, a little bit of experience and a lot of motivation. Seeing the world made him realise how privileged the context of New Caledonia is, and thus how important it was to do everything to protect it. He decided to start a PhD, which he has since completed, as the basis for a whole conservation project on the emblematic yet mysterious mantas. He contacted The Manta Trust and started to help create the Manta Initiative in New Caledonia!

Working with The Manta Trust is an amazing opportunity to collaborate with passionate people who strive for the same goal of understanding and protecting manta rays, whilst raising awareness on conservation and protection of whole ecosystems. He is really excited about getting this project moving forward to contribute to the conservation of his country’s exceptional marine biodiversity.