WDCS Fieldwork Blog

Apologies for the gap between postings but we've been out in the field trying to undertake some research of our own on the cetaceans found around the coast of Scotland. But better late than never ... !

The freshwater regions of India are resident to two very different but equally elusive dolphins, the Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) and Ganges River dolphin (Platanista gangetica). Over the years, WDCS has been heavily involved in a number of projects focusing on their protection and conservation for the future.

The Chilika lagoon, in Orissa, north-east India, has been the focus of WDCS funded efforts towards conserving Irrawaddy dolphins in India. The lagoon itself is a designated RAMSAR site due to its rich diversity of life, notably its migratory birds and 250 species strong assemblage of fish. However it is the Irrawaddy dolphin that is the lagoon’s flagship species. The population found in the lagoon is thought to be geographically isolated and therefore immediately vulnerable to any threats to their population size, whether big or small. As with all other river dolphin species, impacts from fishing efforts are the major threat. WDCS funded researchers Dipani Sutaria and Coralie D’Lima have been focusing on both ecological research and studies into the human-dolphin interactions that impact on the dolphin population. The project is having success promoting ecotourism activities and surveying the Irrawaddy population fully in order to implement sufficient conservation practices. Local populations hold the dolphins in high regard and gaining their support and co-operation has not been difficult. However, deteriorating habitat quality and increased human disturbances are still serious issues and the population remains endangered.



Alongside the Chilika laggon project, WDCS has also been collaborating with an important project focused on the conservation of the Ganges River dolphin. WDCS is working with researchers at Bhagalpur University in Bihar, in attempts to further the protection of the dolphins in the only protected area they inhabit, the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary. It is a 60km stretch of the River Ganges which boasts a high diversity of animal life as well as a relatively high density of the river dolphins. The Ganges River dolphin faces significant threats to their future, on a scale perhaps higher than any other river dolphin.



The river supports vast numbers of economically impoverished people as well as large scale industry involving high levels of boat traffic. Competition with humans for resources, degrading habitat quality and extremely high levels of pollution are all serious threats. To make matters worse, the dolphins are targeted for their meat and oil. WDCS and the Vikramshila Biodiversity Research and Education Centre have been working to ensure the sanctuary is effective in its conservation measures and that they are supported by the proper legislation. A good level of baseline ecological information on the dolphins and their habitats has been collected alongside a variety of education and awareness programmes. The health of the river is essential to both dolphins and humans, as is the health of the dolphins to the river. As such, both dolphins and humans are on the same team and the challenge is to convey fact this to the local populations and authorities. WDCS continues to work towards ensuring that this is achieved.

Posted on behalf of Kila, WDCS Canine Research Assistant

"Joint Warrior" - those 2 words meant only one thing, we were heading to our research station on the remote north-west coast of Scotland to keep eyes and ears (and noses!) on the going's on in the Minch. Twice a year, NATO allies get together off the coast of north-west Scotland for training purposes, or war games as they are more aptly known, and the humans at WDCS have been concerned over the cumulative impacts that these "games" are having on the whales, dolphins and porpoises that also use these waters. "Cumulative" because they've been playing these games for over 50 years now, with technology progressing at an alarming rate! To the uninformed, the oceans most likely look like peaceful, calm and tranquil places (except in cases of storms which i'll get to in a minute!!), people go to the beach, or out on the water to escape the hubbub of city life, to escape the unrelenting noise that is a constant part of most of our daily lives … although it has to be said, we dogs are masters at ignoring said noise and just sleeping our way through it … when in reality the oceans are some of the noisiest places on the planet! Sound travels further, there are few laws pertaining to how "loud" you can be underwater and when it comes to the effects that these "noises" are having … well that's a conundrum that we're only just beginning to understand.

And so back to those storms i mentioned earlier …!! We knew ahead of time that we were in for some pretty dicey weather (it is Scotland in April after all!) and the forecast wasn't looking good but we opted for wishful thinking and decided to sit it out all the same. It was raining when we arrived at our lodgings … 5 days later it was still raining, the only difference being that the wind had continued to get stronger and stronger by the day and we were in the midst of what could only be described as "a bit of a gale"! This of course had implications for both the humans ability to spot any of those flittered critters, and our ability to track down the white woolly creatures otherwise known as sheep … you know they're there, you just can't quite work out where!!



After what seemed like an indeterminable amount of time with just horizontal rain and grey skies for company, the clouds dispersed and the sun came out to play. We even had the pleasure of the "usual vista" from the house, instead of just being 100m of sea and then a wall of mist we were joined by Skye, the Shiants, Harris and Lewis on the horizon for the first time since we'd arrived! - glorious! And the wildlife was obviously basking in the glory too as not only were the usual suspects out and about (gannets, shags, a variety of ducks and divers) but we also had a lone female deer in the garden at dawn, one of the local resident white-tailed sea-eagles flying overhead after breakfast, a seal before lunch and then a smattering of porpoises throughout the afternoon … quite spectacular!





The military activity in the area has seemed to be less than in previous years however none the less "interesting" … ! There has been the odd warship either passing through the area or patrolling the boundaries and for the first time we've borne witness to sonarbuoys being dropped into the water right in front of us. Apparently these "buoys" either listen for or emit pulses of sound, the "sound" that is appearing to be so detrimental to the well-being of marine animals including apparently even cephalopods (octopus and squid etc.) … according to an article in New Scientist this week.



Before we could get too excited about the change in the weather it changed back again … and it was if we'd dreamt it all! It started with the sea mist rolling in, the out-lying islands disappeared one by one and the wall of grey came ever closer … again! And so it continued …. and so it continues to continue as a low weather system is approaching and the outlook is not favourable …



And so i've been given the pleasure of giving you all a quick update as to what we've been up to (lots of storm -watching) and to bid you a fond farewell until the next time … sorry there haven't been the usual flurry of blog activity as there normally is when we're in the field but … there's been little to report on except the absolute plethora of shades of grey that exist - i wonder if Dulux know?! Anyway … we must be off, see you in May when we're to be the Isle of Lewis bound, back to the stickless isles to look for those pesky Risso's dolphins!