WDCS Fieldwork Blog

Lately the Fiji Islands Voyaging Society has been sailing around using a very unique vessel: a double-hulled canoe, known as a waka. Wakas are a traditional type of Pacific Island boat that can range in size from small, unornamented vessels for fishing and river travel, to large decorated war canoes up to 40 metres in length. The Fiji Islands Voyaging Society is interested in paddling these wakas as a way to preserve the culture and traditions of early Pacific Voyagers – and are currently in training for a long-haul trip to Hawai’i next year.

During their travels it’s likely that the Voyagers will come across some interesting whales and dolphins … possibly adding to the understanding of cetacean diversity in Fiji. With this information gap (and the Voyagers thirst for knowledge) in mind WDCS and WWF convened a workshop last Friday to give some detailed instructions about cetacean species identification. We focused on the 30 Pacific species (see www.wdcs.org/publications under Science) including numerous large baleen whales (i.e., fin, Bryde’s and minke whales), toothed whales (i.e., sperm whale, melon-headed whale, false killer whale, short-finned pilot whale) and a whole host of dolphins (i.e., spinner, spotted, Fraser’s and Risso).

My approach was to draw the Voyagers attention to particular features and characteristics that are key for identification, such as head shape, whether flukes are raised when diving, colour patterns, dorsal and pectoral fin shape, group size, unique behaviour, and body size. Emphasis was made on simply observing and documenting these features and then working out later which species it was most likely to be.



We also spent time talking about how to describe various types of behaviours, cetacean acoustics, and data collection. Participants were mildly surprised (yet eager to show their knowledge) when I gave them a pop quiz at the end! The interesting sightings of the Voyagers will be documented within the Fijian national cetacean sightings database that is being compiled by the Fiji Fisheries Department staff with support from WDCS and WWF.

It was great to meet these adventurous Voyagers and I look forward to hearing about their future Pacific journeys and cetacean sightings.

Did you know that the baby blue whale drinks up to 225 litres of milk a day, that the common dolphin is not the most common or that the right whale’s penis is the biggest in the animal kingdom? Thanks to WDCS you do now!

Today saw the launch of the world’s most comprehensive guide to whales and dolphins, which ironically, along with a number of fascinating facts, has revealed exactly how little we humans still know about these magnificent creatures! Pulling this guide together (with 85 species currently recognised) was a mammoth task and one that involved a multitude of WDCS staff, volunteers and researchers from around the world.

The guide comes in three languages, and provides interesting and easy to use insights into the creature’s habitats, behaviour, and where to find them. It also features 80 maps, over 400 images, a threat index (which highlights the level of danger facing each species) and contact details should you need to ask questions, provide missing images or just say hello!

However, despite the wealth of information contained within the guide, WDCS is putting out a worldwide call to help fill the knowledge gap and help preserve these amazing animals for a long time to come. We have about 15 species for which we have no detailed imagery, and as most of you may have guessed, it's the usual suspects ... the elusive beaked whales! Despite all the information that we have painstakingly pulled together for this guide, they remain one of the most poorly known family of all large mammals. Many are known only from the study of the skeletal and stranded remains and, because their external appearance and behaviour are so poorly documented, even experts can find it impossible to correctly identify these animals at sea. And when they do pop up they don’t hang around for long at the surface.

So...if you think you may be able to help, here's our top 10 ‘most wanted’ list:

Andrew’s beaked whale
Hector’s beaked whale
Hubb’s beaked whale
Longman’s beaked whale
Perrin’s beaked whale
Pygmy beaked whale
Pygmy right whale
Pygmy sperm whale
Shepherd’s beaked whale
Spade-toothed beaked whale

And don't forget to have a look at some of the species you know you've seen (and possibly have images of) and let us know if you can do better!!!

We hope you enjoy the guide and look forward to your feedback!



And here's some fascinating facts to keep you entertained ...!

Did you know…?

-The sperm whale is the deepest diver

-A dolphin embryo looks just like a human one

-A baby blue whale drinks about 225 litres of milk a day, gaining 3.7 kilograms an hour, until at age 8 months they are 15 m long and 22.5 tonnes!

-Maui’s and Vaquita are the most endangered species

-Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin has the ‘best’ hearing

-Right whale’s penis is the longest (and has largest testicles) in the animal kingdom

-Common dolphin is not the most common

-Bowhead whales (spend their lives in Arctic waters) are the longest lived of all whales – possibly 200 years

-South Asian river dolphin is functionally blind

-The largest ever recorded blue whale was an Antarctic female 30.5 m long with an estimated weight of 144 tonnes

-The heart of a blue whale weighs up to 1000 pounds, and that the aorta, a major blood vessel for the heart, is big enough for a small-sized human to crawl through. The heart is about the size of a VW Beatle

-A humpback calf nurses on about 40-60 gallons of milk per day and the milk is about 40% milk fat (about the consistency of cottage cheese mixed with yogurt)

-Beluga whales are called the "canaries of the sea" because they make sounds like the little yellow birds

-Pacific humpback whales migrate more than 6000 miles a year, one of the longest migrations of any species in the world

-A single fin whale pee is about 970 litres/day

Anyone got any more? Please send them in!!

Do you remember how in the last (and first) species blog, I explained how some genera of cetacean were in the process of speciation? Another really great example of this is within the genus Sousa where there is currently substantial debate by scientists around the world as to the number of species in this genus.

Initially it was thought that there was only one species, the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin or Sousa chinensis, that could be found in coastal areas, primarily near a freshwater outflow, from West Africa all the way east to the South China Sea. Many however, consider there to be at least two species; (1) Sousa chinensis – found from the east coast of India, through the Indo-Malay archipelago and east to Australia; and (2) Sousa plumbea – found from South Africa to India. Studies, both morphological and genetic, are currently being carried out to determine the various “splits”.

One “split” that has now been accepted, from both morphological and genetic evidence, is that the animals found in the waters of West Africa are a distinct species, known as the Atlantic humpback dolphin or Sousa teuszii.

Compared to the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (whether it is one species or two) very little is known on the Atlantic humpback dolphin and dedicated research to date has been very thin on the ground. WDCS has been helping to change this and for the past few years has been funding researcher Caroline Weir to investigate the distribution and behaviour of these dolphins off the coast of Angola.



Both intentional and non-intentional takes are serious threats to the Atlantic humpback dolphin and are thought to be unsustainable. As it is coastal in nature, the Atlantic humpack dolphin faces additional human-induced threats such as habitat destruction and pollution. The consensus is that this species exists as distinct populations throughout its range and for this reason the magnitude of the threats it faces in certain areas are of great concern for the long-term conservation of the species. Caroline’s work therefore has been critical in gathering (and publishing) information on the occurrence of this vulnerable species, possibly one of the most endangered of all delphinids as high levels of direct exploitation and bycatch continue to threaten the small, geographically distinct populations - or at least those that we know about!



Currently listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN and prioritised for research by the IUCN Cetacean Specialist Group (CSG), the Atlantic humpback dolphin is also listed on CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) Appendix I – meaning no international trade is allowed, and on CMS (Convention on Migratory Species) Appendix I and II, meaning international co-operation is needed for the conservation and protection of the species in question.



There have been few dedicated studies into the 30 plus species in the West African region and more is known about some populations in the remote Antarctic than off the coast of Africa. Entanglement in fishing nets, coastal development, pollution and destruction of habitats have caused the populations of dolphins and small whales in the area to decline rapidly.

Range countries however have taken some initial steps to work together to protect their small cetaceans. At the end of 2008, under the auspices of CMS during the 2nd inter-governmental meeting of WATCH (West African Talks on Cetaceans and Habitats) 15 country representatives (Angola, Benin, Cape Verde, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Togo) and three non-governmental organisations (WDCS included) signed a ground-breaking agreement for the protection of small whales, dolphins and manatees, which could save the lives of thousands of animals and lead to a safer future for many species.? ?The agreement is the first whale and dolphin conservation agreement in Africa covering a vast area stretching from Morocco to South Africa, and encompassing the Atlantic islands of Macaronesia. As partner to CMS, WDCS was instrumental in helping to make this agreement, which is the fourth of its kind, a reality. Other agreements focus on the conservation of whales and dolphins in the Black and Mediterranean Seas (ACCOBAMS), Baltic and North Seas and surrounding area (ASCOBANS) and the Pacific Islands Region.

So … if all this talk of West Africa has got you asking for more then how about yet another publication by Caroline where she reviews all the existing literature on cetacean occurrence in the region. If anyone is interested in copies of the following papers then you can contact either me (leave a comment via the blog) or Caroline directly (www.ketosecology.co.uk).

Weir, C.R. (2009). Distribution, behaviour and photo-identification of Atlantic humpback dolphins (Sousa teuszii) off Flamingos, Angola. African Journal of Marine Science, 31(3): 319–331.

Weir, C.R. First description of Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii) whistles, recorded off Angola. In Press, Bioacoustics.

Weir, C.R. Cetaceans observed in the coastal waters of Namibe Province, Angola, during summer and winter 2008. In Press, Marine Biodiversity Records.

Weir, C.R. (2010). A review of cetacean occurrence in West African waters from the Gulf of Guinea to Angola. Mammal Review, 40(1): 2-39.

And so I believe that’s enough for everyone to be getting with for the moment – I’ll be back with more species news soon!!

We’re going to be posting on news, stories, discussions and all things relevant to the 85 currently recognised species of cetacean! I say “currently” as cetacean genetics are still at an early stage for many taxa, meaning that we may not know where one species begins or ends. Some genera appear, in fact, to be in the process of speciation; for example the two distinct populations of the tucuxi (known as the “other dolphin” of the Amazon) are likely to be reclassified as two distinct species very soon - Sotalia fluviatilis, the “tucuxi” being the river population and Sotalia guianensis, the “costero”, the coastal marine.

To kick us off I’d like to congratulate the Government of India for their recent declaration of the Ganges River dolphin as India’s national aquatic animal… !!

Found in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and the Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems and their tributaries, the Ganges River dolphin is one of the most endangered cetaceans with an estimated 2,000 individuals remaining in India. This estimate however is not reliable and a comprehensive population assessment is of paramount importance. In addition to being classified as “Endangered” by the IUCN, the Ganges River dolphin is listed under the United Nations Convention for Migratory Species (CMS) as an Appendix I species (migratory species that have been categorised as being in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant proportion of their range) and as an Appendix II species (migratory species that have an unfavourable conservation status or would benefit significantly from international co-operation). It is also listed as an Appendix I species by the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), prohibiting international trade in the species.



Due to their riverine habitats and subsequent proximity to humans, they face more threats than other species of cetacean, and all in an extremely restricted habitat. Although now greatly reduced, there is some deliberate, illegal killing of Ganges River dolphins. They are taken due to the perceived fisheries competition, the value of their oil in traditional medicines, as bait, and for food. More significant however is habitat degradation due to declining flow, heavy siltation, increased growth of aquatic plants, chemical pollution and the construction of barrages, causing a physical barrier to these animals, isolating populations. Accidental capture in fishing operations, especially gill nets is also a major concern.



Let us just hope that this declaration of “national aquatic animal” for the remaining dolphins actually means proper conservation measures will be implemented and the drastic decline in population numbers can be reversed. Like it’s terrestrial counterpart, the tiger, only immediate and dedicated action can prevent this iconic species from enduring the same fate as the baiji, which was classified as “functionally extinct” not so long ago.

Interestingly, the Ganges River dolphin (or as it is otherwise referred to, the South Asian river dolphin) is another example of a genera in the process of speciation, as the classification continues to be hotly debated in scientific circles. Originally thought to be the same species, the Indus ‘bhulan’ and Ganges ‘susu’ were listed as separate species in 1971 due to apparent differences in skull structure and blood proteins. This speciation however, has never been fully accepted and currently the two populations are recognised as sub-species of the species Platanista gangetica; those found in Nepal, India and Bangladesh are classified as P.g. gangetica while those found in the Indus River in Pakistan are known as P. g. minor. WDCS has been funding research to help resolve this dispute (http://www.wdcs.org/protect/species/story_details.php?select=385 ... scrolling down to Pakistan) … so stay tuned for further updates!

Check out the following links if you want to learn more about river dolphins - http://www.wdcs.org/protect/river_dolphins/index.php - and/or the projects that WDCS supports - http://www.wdcs.org/protect/species/story_details.php?select=46

Bula,

This is the first of many installments that will provide you with details about WDCS’s work in the Pacific Islands Region. I’ve been fortunate to work in the region for many years now including some very interesting locations like Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and the Federated States of Micronesia. In 2008 I moved to Fiji on a more permanent basis and have been working in collaboration with the University of the South Pacific and Flinders University as I run the Pacific Islands Programme for WDCS.

I’ll shortly be telling you about some of our ongoing projects including research on spinner dolphin resting habitat, short-finned pilot whale acoustics, and humpback whale migration. I’ll also be updating you on other WDCS initiatives including technical work with the UN Convention of Migratory Species and regional capacity building trainings and workshops.

I’ll also be throwing in some insights about living on a small tropical island in the middle of the very large Pacific Ocean.

More soon … so stay tuned.

Moce, Cara