U.S. billionaire donates 15 mln dollars to fund Aust'n shark research

An U.S. philanthropist has donated more than 15 million U.S. dollars to the University of Western Australia (UWA) to fund shark research in the Indian Ocean.

The donation by Todd Robinson, a billionaire who made his fortune by selling stockbroking company LPL Financial in 2005, includes the use of his 58-meter yacht for up to three months a year.

The money will initially fund conservation efforts by UWA scientists in the Chagos Archipelago, the world's biggest marine reserve, near the Maldives.

Projects planned for further down the line will focus on marine life closer to Australia, such as the Kimberley coast and the Cocos Keeling Islands.

Robinson said he chose the Perth-based university because of WA's pristine coastline and reefs which are relatively untouched by humans.

"Western Australia is one of the last places to go and do shallow-water research," Robinson told The Australian on Tuesday.

Researchers from UWA have completed two trips to the Chagos Archipelago where they documented marine life, research that will contribute to the management of the reserve where shark numbers are declining.

The Indian Ocean is the world's third largest ocean and is widely considered to be one of the least understood marine environments in the world.

Robinson's gift is the second biggest individual donation UWA has received, topped only by the donation of more than 45 million U.S. dollars by mining magnate Andrew Forrest in 2013. Endit