WDCS Fieldwork Blog

Progress of the Convention on Migratory Species Cetacean Agreement in the Pacific Islands Region

nospam@example.com (Cara Miller) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 01:13:57 +0000

In 2006, governments from the Pacific Islands Region made some very strong steps towards protecting whales and dolphins by establishing the Convention of Migratory Species Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region (CMS Pacific Cetaceans MoU). This is one of only three CMS agreements dedicated specifically to cetaceans in the world – and is by far the largest in size. What makes the progress of this agreement more laudable is that knowledge of cetacean diversity, threats and habitat is relatively low in this region (with a majority of cetacean species being considered ‘Data Deficient’ by the IUCN) and furthermore that there is a limited amount of resources available by many of the governments in this region. Hence, the purpose and motivation for this agreement is proactive and risk averse for real conservation gains.
A recent paper we wrote
[http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13880292.2013.764775]
outlines the initiation and development of the CMS Pacific Cetaceans MoU.

We also look at the strengths, challenges and proposed next steps for the agreement while emphasizing the importance of ongoing support, strong national engagement, and effective collaboration and synergy in order to ensure the long-term goals and objectives of this agreement are met.
For additional details on this initiative please see www.pacificcetaceans.org

More amazing days with the whales and dolphins of Sri Lanka

nospam@example.com (Sue Rocca) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:40:13 +0000

Vanessa Williams-Grey continues to Wow us with the amazing whales and dolphins of Sri Lanka, in this her second blog of Sri Lankan whale watching. Be sure to check her introduction to the whale watching community as well.

Saturday 2^nd March: Another blazing hot day. We spent 8 hours at sea, again traveling far inside the shipping lanes as these deep waters also contain nutrient-rich upwellings and so quite naturally attract the whales to feed here. It was quite sobering to be aboard a small boat, maybe 12-15 nautical miles from land, and watch massive container ships transiting these waters at some speed. We felt quite vulnerable and were grateful for the skill of our skipper but it was easy to appreciate that the largest creature on Earth is also vulnerable in the face of these giant vessels. Tragically, both blue whales and sperm whales are struck with shocking regularity.

Sightings today included 6 blue whales, a Bryde’s whale, another large pod of spinners (100-200), plus smaller numbers of bottlenose dolphins and Risso’s (this latter species is also known locally as a ‘dragon dolphin’ and was pointed out thus by our skipper). Today’s ‘souvenir’ was an old water bottle filled with bright red blue whale poo, collected for later analysis by our naturalist, Anoma!

Sunday 3^rd March: More blue whales - at least 5 and as many as ten, all within the shipping lanes - plus many more dolphins. Some locals have expressed the belief that the whale watch boats need to travel further to find the whales than they did a year or so ago and this is cited by some as evidence that the whales have been displaced offshore and forced to move further into the shipping lanes. Others contend that the whales have always been found there: either way, the presence of endangered whales – and whale watch boats full of passengers – within some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes surely flags up the need for great care to be taken to ensure the safety of all concerned.

Monday 4^th March: An early visit from 5 exuberant bottlenose dolphins whetted everyone’s appetite but a sightings lull seemed never ending as eyes strained over a stubbornly whale-less sea. Just as we were starting to feel a little despondent, the noisy exhalation of a blue whale pierced the sea mist and the next hour was spent in the company of half a dozen blue whales, rising and falling lazily about 100 m off our vessel.

As if to apologise for the delay in proceedings, around 200 spinners leapt and twirled as a finale as the boat headed back to port, escorted much of the way by flying fish.

Back ashore and time for reflection and further discussions with the local community. These waters are clearly teeming with whales and dolphins - and whale watching here has undoubtedly improved in the past year or so - but there is still much to be done in order to raise standards across the board and reduce the discrepancy between operators. WDC has long encouraged community-based whale watching in different parts of the world and here at Mirissa, whale watching has offered a beacon of hope to a village devastated by the 2004 tsunami. This tiny community has proved its resilience and, time and again, we heard a real willingness to do the right thing. We’ve been invited to run training workshops for operators and naturalist guides, advise on outreach to tourists, and develop educational resources to add value to trips. We will also input to initiatives to reduce ship strikes in the region. I feel very positive about the future of whale watching here. Our message is a simple one: look after your whales and they will look after you.

Iceland 2013: Saga #12. Whale watching in a whaling area.

nospam@example.com (Rob Lott) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 16:51:23 +0000

In this, the second part of the Elding blog, María Björk Gunnarsdóttir looks at the challenges faced by a whale watching operator working in the same bay as the whalers. In fact, the whale watch boats are moored alongside the fin whaling fleet in the Old Harbour in Reykjavik. I think one of the facts I was most disgusted by is that the minke whalers take just 11-20% of the whale meat and discard most of the carcass while still at sea. There are hundreds of rotting minke whale carcasses on the seabed in Faxafloi Bay - what this must sound and 'feel' like to the intelligent, sentient whales that survived the harpoon must be unbearable.

Maria takes up the whaling vs. whale watch story here.

It comes as no surprise that Iceland is considered one of the top whale watching destinations in Europe. The rich feeding grounds surrounding Iceland have attracted whales for centuries and the conditions for viewing them are excellent. Thinking back in time it makes perfect sense as to why foreign, and later Icelandic whalers, sought out the resources in these waters. What does come as a surprise, however is that still today, in the 21st century, whaling continues to take place in these waters, and, what is more, in the same area that tens of thousands of tourists go whale watching every year.

In 2003 our hopes that whale watching would eventually replace all urges for whaling in the Icelandic community were dashed. The Icelandic government introduced a four-year scientific whaling scheme resulting in the deaths of 200 minke whales. The scientific whaling lead to the resumption of commercial whaling in 2006 and from then on well over 300 Minke Whales and close to 300 fin whales have been killed.

During this time tourism in Iceland has grown exponentially and so too has whale watching alongside. Last year alone, over 170,000 passengers went whale watching, that’s around one third of all visitors to Iceland. What is surprising though, is these tourists are keeping the whaling industry afloat due to the amount of whale meat bought in restaurants and supermarkets. A poll conducted by IFAW in 2010 concluded that only 5% of Icelandic’s eat whale meat regularly.

It is fascinating to see these two contrasting industries rising together. However, by digging deeper the whale watching operators have voiced their concerns as their statistics indicate declining sightings and poorer quality of the tours, which naturally can have dramatic long-term effects on whale watching in Iceland if it continues.

Even though whaling has very limited support internationally, Icelanders have proven supportive of this industry over the years. The most likely explanation for this support is to be found in a political discourse. The Icelandic government emphasises its sovereign right to determine the exploitation of all resources within Icelandic territorial waters, usually referred to as “their resources”. Catching whales has therefore been seen more or less the same as catching fish.

Following the resumption of whaling the whalers also embraced the idea of increased exports, revenue and employment for the Icelanders while ignoring CITES regulations on the ban of trading in whale products. This emphasis on economic benefits proved an effective way to garner the public’s support during the economic recession in Iceland following the bank crisis in 2008. The opponents of whaling doubted the real economic benefits of the industry from the start. Their emphasis has been on presenting whale watching as the only sustainable use of these resources.

With the passing years more and more Icelanders are seeing the big picture and slowly the attitudes are changing. Icelanders are now seeing that whaling is not only morally wrong, it is damaging for whale watching industry and also messy, unsustainable and bad for the image of Iceland.

What can you do to help:

Come to Iceland and go whale watching. By going out on a boat you are helping us demonstrate that whale watching is more beneficial than whaling.

Don’t eat whale meat!

Voice your concern!
- Let restaurant owners know that you don’t like the fact that they serve whale meat or better yet let them know that you are not eating there because they serve whale meat.
- Send a letter / e-mail to the Icelandic government
- Send a letter / e-mail to the Icelandic Tourist Board

Avoid Icelandic fish products from HB Grandi (fish supplied by Icelandic whalers)

Support anti-whaling campaigns

Engaging with the whale watch community at Mirissa, Sri Lanka

nospam@example.com (Sue Rocca) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:11:38 +0000

Vanessa Williams-Grey, WDC's responsible whale watching lead, is currently in Sri Lanka working with the country's burgeoning whale watching industry. Here we follow her travels and her work to put best practices into place.

Believe me, I’m as surprised as anyone to find myself writing about blue whales from what can only be described as possibly the best ‘outdoor office’ in the world. I’ve rigged up my laptop so that I can sit, swinging precariously - and thus typing equally precariously - from a hammock slung between two palm trees, barely metres from the ocean. My ears are full of the sound of waves crashing and the guttural squarks of birds flying from tree to tree. It’s green here, very green, and each evening, the air is heady with the scent of frangipani, whilst at dawn, stilt fishermen take up their positions perched atop impossibly flimsy-looking wooden poles in the ocean outside our villa.

Welcome to Mirissa, southern Sri Lanka. We are staying for a week as guests of Sri Lankan Airlines and their tourism partners, Jetwing Hotels and John Keells Group, as we embark on a joint project to engage with the local whale watching community and – hopefully – work together to make whale watching here as good as it possibly can be. Because, despite appearances, all has not been entirely well in Paradise.

This beautiful island is starting to recover after decades of turmoil and tourists are once more flocking here to enjoy beaches and temples, tea plantations and wildlife. But like everywhere, it can be a case of too much, too soon and this has arguably been the case for much of the wildlife tourism that has mushroomed here over the past handful of years.

Whale watching started at Mirissa only 4 years ago but demand is such that nowadays, 20-25 boats ply these waters. Whilst some operators are extremely responsible and use custom-made whale watching vessels, others have diversified from fishing and have adapted their boats to varying standards. Behaviour on the water in recent years has varied widely as well and the better operators have suffered due to the behaviour of others who have approached too fast, crowded the whales or lingered too long.

This has meant good exposure for Mirissa’s whales and dolphins, but mixed press – and sometimes downright bad reviews – for its whale watching industry. And that is a pity, because this region has the potential to offer some of the best whale watching anywhere in the world. For a start, it can count both blue and sperm whales amongst its local residents.

Sri Lanka, as a whole, can currently boast a tally of 27 cetacean species and many of these are found off Mirissa with almost indecent ease. I’ve worked for WDC for over two decades and have been lucky enough to experience whale watching in many parts of the world, but I’ve never seen a blue whale and was desperately keen to do so. I was buoyed up by reports that the sightings rate for blues off Mirissa in season (December-April) is around 90% - but in some ways, this only added to the pressure….

Our first day on the water: (March 1st)

Within an hour of leaving the harbour at Mirissa with its brightly-coloured tangle of yellow and red fishing vessels and whale watch boats and obligatory band of stray dogs, we encountered a large pod of maybe 150+ spinner dolphins, and seemingly minutes later, we were enjoying our first sighting of blue whales.

Many people report that their first encounter with a blue whale involves two things: superlatives and tears......and I was no exception. It is hard to describe the rush of sheer adrenalin and emotion as this massive, massive creature blows and then slowly surfaces, arcing lazily – and seemingly endlessly – through the water, displaying its ridiculously out-of-proportion dorsal (a short stub of a thing, perched three-quarters of the way down its immense back)

and maybe fluking up for a deeper dive. We met at least 6 different blue whales that day and maybe as many as 8, over half a dozen good encounters. One female was shadowed by a very small calf, giving credence to the belief that the whales may give birth in these waters, making them even more important. At one point, it felt like we were surrounded by blows, as there were two pairs of blue whales as well as a lone individual in the vicinity at the same time, seemingly quite relaxed around our vessel.

Vanessa spent few days on the water, we'll be following up with more amazing updates from her - so be sure and check back for more Sri Lanka whale watching.

Iceland 2013: Saga #11 Winter whale watching-a crazy idea or simply brilliant after all!

nospam@example.com (Rob Lott) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:58:27 +0000

This blog entry will be a two-parter and is written by our good friends and colleagues at Elding Whale Watching in Reykjavik. (www.elding.is).

Here, María Björk Gunnarsdóttir, introduces us to Iceland's winter whale watching opportunities.

Nowadays a lot of emphasis is being put on promoting Iceland as a whole year destination. Marketing the winters is now the main focus due to the summer months already attracting more than enough tourists each year. The winter weather however can be troublesome due to its unpredictability which is ever more interchangeable during this season. This has given a perplexed feeling to Icelanders about increasing tourism during this time of year.

A few years ago whale watching was one activity that no one could even imagine being run in winter, come to think of it, in the mid 90s whale watching in general sounded like an absurd idea to most Icelanders. The most vocal claims were simply that there weren’t any whales around in winter and comments about weather often followed. The team at Elding Whale Watching Reykjavik, with a crazy idea in their mind, proved them wrong already in 2008. Their winter tours have provided both an exciting and adventurous experience for their guests and now winter whale watching is one of the best examples of winter tourism in Iceland.

This is how the Elding team looks at the difference between whale watching in summer and winter.

The first point we would like to make is quite obvious - the weather! In general it is much colder and windier and we have unfortunately more cancellations in wintertime. Of course we do our best to make tours as comfortable and enjoyable for our guests as possible. In wintertime most of our guests stay in the heated indoor saloon on the way out to the whale watching grounds and on the way back to port. They also make good use of our warm overalls when outside watching the whales. Despite the cold, most of the tours we do are absolutely amazing and the low-lying winter sun and snow-capped mountains truly make it special.

It is not only the weather that makes these winter tours different but the cetacean species differ as well. Iceland being mainly feeding grounds there comes a time each autumn when the migrating whales leave us for the warmer waters in the south. The species that are most common in the wintertime are those feeding on the herring, which is more abundant at this time as the Norwegian stocks come together with the Icelandic stocks. Thus, the main species we see from largest to smallest are; the humpback whale, orca, white-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises. Occasionally, other species are sighted as well such as; minke, blue, and fin whales which are either staying behind or on their way south.

Running the winter tours we soon discovered that being resourceful was more important than ever before. This means that we needed to keep all options open and if the weather wasn’t favourable from Reykjavík we had another boat located in a harbour on the Reykjanes peninsula. We have therefore come to good terms with the harbour masters in Hafnarfjörður, Keflavík, Sandgerði and Grindavík. Operating from these optional areas we’ve also made good contact amongst the local fishermen who know the area better than anyone. Reykjavík Old harbour is still the heart of our business, but in winter we often transport our passengers to and from these other harbours via bus at no extra cost. As a result we spend less time sailing, more time with the whales and in better conditions.

Tips for enjoying the winter whale watching tours:

Dress warmly, dress warmly, dress warmly... Hats, gloves and scarves are essential along with a warm sweater. Non-skid shoes and warm socks are also advisable and don’t be shy to put on the warm overalls provided on board. This may not be the most fashionable outfit but keeping in mind that the weather conditions along the coast are often windy with slightly colder temperatures out on the water you’ll soon discover why we encourage guests to wear them.

Do your research, the whales move freely and some days are definitely better than others. Elding writes a blog “Whale Diary” with daily updates on sightings.

Check out the weather forecast, be flexible and take the crews advice on when is the best day to go whale watching.

Bring a camera along with a plastic bag to cover it in case it rains and a pair of binoculars.

Sunglasses come in handy on bright sunny winter days as the sun is quite low on the horizon

Be open and make the most out this interesting adventure, even if you don’t manage to experience on first attempt what you had hoped for. On non-sighting and poor sighting tours Elding offers complimentary tickets for guests to come again.

Elding's winter whale watching video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGSSV9GKTok&feature=share&list=UURK1u1Z4OlJuuyIeCpqDOIw

Iceland 2013: Saga #10 - Tourism, whaling and the 'When in Rome' myth

nospam@example.com (Rob Lott) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 11:26:59 +0000

With all the talk of whales these past few weeks and the excitement of people seeing these amazing animals just metres from shore, it could be easy to forget the much darker side of man’s interest in these sentient, intelligent mammals.

When I arrived in Iceland in January, preparations were underway to celebrate the mid-winter festival of Þorrablót or Thorrablot. This is a tradition dating back to the Vikings and, as it takes place during the coldest and darkest days of the year, the fare is usually smoked or pickled produce from previous seasons. The ‘treats’ typically include Hákarl - putrefied shark, Hrútspungur - ram’s testicles (yes, really!) and Blóðmör or filled sausage/black pudding. A recent addition, apparently, to the Thorrablot menu is Sur Hvalur/Langreydur or pickled fin whale.
During my first week here I paid a visit to the local supermarket and found twenty packs of Sur Hvalur/ Langreydur. When I checked again two weeks later all but one had gone. No fin whales have been killed in Iceland since 2011 so this particular Thorrablot menu item is at least three years old.

Most meat of the endangered fin whale is for the export market, mainly to Japan; it is usually only minke whale to be found in Iceland’s hotels and restaurants. An alarmingly high percentage (40% in 2010) of this minke whale meat is consumed by international tourists in the mistaken belief that eating whale meat is a part of Icelandic tradition and culture. Put plainly and simply, it’s not!

Foreign whalers had tried to operate throughout Iceland in the 19th century but it was not until 1948 that the Icelandic commercial whaling really recommenced with the establishment of the Hvalur H/F company and continued until the whaling moratorium in 1986 and some abortive attempts at scientific whaling for a few years after. There has been a limited minke whale hunt for the domestic market, but in a 2010 poll, less than 5% of Icelanders said they ate whale meat regularly.

Furthermore according to the paper by Icelandic scientists Thorvauldur Gunnlaugsson and Gisli Vikingsson and Canadian researcher Daniel Pike, sightings surveys from 2007 indicated that the abundance estimate for the minke whale population in Icelandic waters is now estimated to be between 10,000 – 15,000 animals, only 24% of the estimate published in 2001.

As the number of people visiting Iceland is likely to reach 1 million by 2016 there is huge potential for the ethical, responsible traveller to make a real stand and ask their tour operator searching questions as to their policy on whale meat. Travel companies and local guides are key to winning this battle as it is they who ‘introduce’ their clients to establishments that still drive this barbaric practice.

One easy way to register your concerns about the trade in whale meat once in Iceland is to visit the local restaurants and hotels and even make a reservation. Once at the table, peruse the menu and, if you see whale meat on the menu, call over the manager and say you have decided against eating there as you can’t support any business that serves whale meat. Then just get up and leave. Just please remember to always be courteous.

But it’s not just the whale meat that’s an issue here. On a rare day off in Reykjavik this past weekend I took a stroll down the main shopping street, Laugavegur. There’s a shop called Kulusuk Art selling fur and ‘gifts’ from Iceland’s nearest neighbour, Greenland. For a small shop it was incredible how much merchandise they actually stocked and I saw seal skin coats, reindeer hide covers and arctic fox stoles. Most of the high ticket items were kept under glass and on closer inspection, in a display cabinet next to the till, the store was offering sperm whale teeth for sale at £400 (€460, $600) and what looked to me like an orca tooth made in to the handle of a dagger for £800. I’m not quite sure who the audience is for these goods as bringing whale products into the USA, for example, is banned and for the EU, depending on species is either banned or needs strict CITES permits.

So as we revel in our sightings of these beautiful creatures or click “like” on another stunning Facebook photograph of whales in their natural environment we must remember that the fight to conserve them must go on in others ways too.

Iceland 2013: Saga #9 - WhaleFest! with Discover The World.

nospam@example.com (Rob Lott) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:38:10 +0000

For this instalment, Anja Reckendorf, a research assistant at WDC North America, gives her personal reflection on an amazing week.

Anja.

An outstanding week just came to an end and I am not sure if I can successfully describe all the amazing experiences that we had, but I will give it a try.
In a nutshell, the first ever WhaleFest in Iceland, was a combination of whale watching trips with programme lectures from many top whale experts as well as time to explore the beautiful Icelandic countryside.

For the past three years, herring have chosen the fjord outside the small fishing village of Grundarfjörður as their safe winter port and with them came the orcas to feed on them. This phenomenon provides a golden opportunity to see the large number of orcas swimming extremely close to shore in the fjord. WhaleFest included three whale watches with Laki Tours in Grundarfjörður and for me, a fairly experienced whale watcher, it was amazing to see these magnificent animals in such large numbers and close proximity to the boat and shore. They didn’t seem to be bothered by us watching them at all and a calf even chose to check us out and swim by the boat only two metres away! We were thrilled! I don’t know how to put my euphoria into words. We got so spoiled on these trips, it was unbelievable!

The evenings were filled with great talks from world renowned specialists in their fields. We were very lucky to hear awe-inspiring lectures from Erich Hoyt (orca expert and marine conservation champion, WDC), Rob Lott (WDC), Vassili Papastavrou (IFAW), Sigursteinn Másson (IFAW Iceland) and Dr Filipa Samarra (Marine Research Institute, Iceland). Being able to meet with these well-known cetacean researchers and conservationists, to hear about their amazing work and go out on the boat with them to see orcas - tons of orcas - was an absolute once in a lifetime experience!
We also had the opportunity to learn from local “heroes” and specialists such as Ragnar Sigurdsson (world-renowned Icelandic photographer), Gisli Olafsson (founder of Laki Tours), Ásbjörn Bjorgvinsson, (Chairman & founder of Húsavík Whale Museum) and Maria Bjork Gunnarsdottir (Elding Whale Watching, Reykjavík).

Being educated about orca research, acoustic and behavioural studies, whale watching tourism in contrast to whaling, threats that cetaceans face around the world and possible solutions to various problems, was a very valuable bonus for all participating guests. We all learned a lot and were very honoured to meet these wonderful people!

It was a fantastic week with lots of fun, interesting facts, beautiful nature and a bunch of great people that came together to share their love of whales.
Thanks again to all the amazing lecturers, especially to Erich Hoyt for being part of this extraordinary experience; to Laki Tours for being so conscious around the orcas and for providing very responsible yet astonishing whale watches to us and finally to Alexa and Cathy from Discover the World for making this amazing event happen! It was a blast!

Erich Hoyt and Rob Lott

Iceland 2013: Saga #8 – a personal perspective

nospam@example.com (Rob Lott) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 14:28:17 +0000

We are often asked by people how we got to work in cetacean conservation and what advice we could offer to anyone starting out in the field today. For this blog, I have asked two researchers, Julie Bessau from France and Sara Tavares from Portugal, how they first became involved with cetaceans and how they ended up in Grundarfjordur in Iceland studying the wild orcas.

Julie Bessau

My name is Julie and I have been fascinated by the ocean for as long as I can remember. I obtained a Master’s degree in Marine Biology in Brest, France, in 2010.

Over the years I have been involved in several different marine biology projects from studying coral growth under different types of aquarium light to hydrothermal vent ecosystems.

However I have always been attracted to working with marine mammals and after I completed my Masters I worked as a volunteer for six months in Normandy studying the large population of bottlenose dolphins found there. This work was used to estimate the distribution and demography of this population present in the English Channel.

I then moved to Scotland and worked for two months as an intern at the University of St Andrews studying the sounds of the orca, Morgan who was found in shallow seas off the coast of the Netherlands in 2010.

I am currently in Iceland for two months (February- March) working as a volunteer and investigating the population of herring-eating orcas. My task is to take pictures of encounters with orcas during the boat trips and to make underwater recordings. The pictures we take are used to identify each individual and will contribute to a photo-ID catalogue for the orcas seen in Grundarfjordur during the winter.

As to the future, I would like to continue working with marine mammal acoustic research with possibly a PhD or a research assistant job.

Sara Tavares

I’m Sara, I’m 24 years and I’m Portuguese. Since my childhood I’ve been drawn to nature and wildlife but with a special enchantment for the sea. Although my fondness for mathematics, the sea and the animals were what really filled my heart and I went to Porto University, in Portugal, to do my bachelor in Aquatic Sciences.

I became interested in ethology (animal behaviour) but due to some changes in the format of the course I was not able to continue with this subject. So, I decided that the best thing for me would be to continue my studies in the same University and do a Master's degree in Marine Sciences/Marine Resources, with a specialisation in Marine Biology and Ecology. My Master’s dissertation was in animal behaviour, with the title “Behavioural study of Labrador Retriever in aquatic environment”. Through this I became even more attracted to animal behaviour and keen to pursue a career in this area of study. A month after finishing my Masters, I decided to continue studying towards a PhD. I found a post-graduate research opportunity at the University of St Andrews in Scotland looking at the social, acoustic, foraging behaviour and ecophysiology of orcas in the North Atlantic. I wrote a research proposal to the University to study the social associations and group level sound production of orcas in Iceland which was accepted and some months later I was able to obtain a PhD grant from FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia). I feel that I have so much to learn but I don’t regret the hard work I had to embrace to get where I am, nor the one that I know is yet to come. I’m just starting the fieldwork in Iceland this season and I feel so privileged to have the opportunity to be here, to work in the natural environment and to be close to these magnificent whales. The funniest thing is that, although I can’t remember, my parents say that when I was little I used to say that when I grew up I wanted to go in a boat, onto the sea, play the guitar and listen to the whales “singing”. And the sound of the orcas is the most beautiful sound in the world to me...

Iceland 2013: Saga #7 – Orca research

nospam@example.com (Rob Lott) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 14:20:45 +0000

Dr Filipa Sammara from the Marine Research Institute in Reykjavik and her team from the University of St Andrews in Scotland are currently in Grundarfjordur studying the orcas that spend the winter hunting for herring in the local fjords.

Dr Filipa Sammara

Here, Filipa explains the research goals.

The aim of the project is to study how the feeding behaviour of Icelandic orcas changes within the same population. Icelandic orcas feed mainly on herring and appear to follow the herring in its migration during the year. At different times of the year the behaviour of the herring changes, depending on whether it is spawning, in the summer, or overwintering, in the winter. Over the last few years herring has been coming to the waters of Grundafjordur to overwinter and orcas were observed feeding on herring in this area in 2011. By taking photo-identification pictures and making acoustic recordings we can identify the whales that are seen in this area and investigate the sounds they produce during feeding. This data will then be compared to previous information collected in the summer in Vestmannaeyjar to investigate if the same whales are travelling between the two areas to feed on herring and how their feeding behaviour varies at different times of the year. This will greatly increase our knowledge of the Icelandic orca population and how they adapt to changes in their prey behaviour.

Male orca, Westmann Islands seen in the summer off the south coast of Iceland

The same male seen in Grundarfjordur on the west coast in the winter.

It is estimated there are 6,618 orcas in Icelandic and offshore waters and a photo-ID catalogue dating back to the 1980’s has identified about 400 individuals. Recent studies along the south coast during the summer months have documented 123 orcas. Here in Grundarfjordur, after just one season, researchers have identified 24 individuals. 14 of these were ‘matched’ as the same orcas seen off the south in summer, two matched whales seen off the Snaefellsnes peninsula In the summer of 2008 and one matched with the orcas that were seen in the fjords in the east of Iceland in the 1980’s.

Iceland 2013: Saga #6 - Húsavík

nospam@example.com (Administrator) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 11:24:00 +0000

This update is written by Dr. Mike Tetley, who works with WDC as a consultant on Marine Protected Areas.

Skjálfandi Bay
It is with great pleasure and wonder when I think back on the times I was able to visit Northern Iceland, specifically when working at the Húsavík Whale Museum as part of my Ph.D. studies and the ecology of North Atlantic minke whales.

Skjálfandi Bay, named by many to be one of the whale watching capitals of the world, is a haven for marine wildlife, in particular whales and dolphins. Many humpback whales, minke whales and most recently mighty blues make their long migration to this little corner of Iceland during the summer months from southern climes, to feed on the rich stocks of sandeels and krill.

The museum aims to educate, in partnership with the towns’ whale watching companies, all visitors be they Icelandic or tourist about the amazing lives of whales and dolphins. This is done by a team of staff and international volunteers, who work hard to develop information displays, guide and answer visitor questions, and maintain the impressive and comprehensive collection of whale skeletons. During my time volunteering with this dedicated bunch it was my role to help develop the centres photo-identification catalogue of the bays minke, humpback and white-beaked dolphins. I also ventured out with the wonderful and welcoming crew of the whale watching company North Sailing to collect important data on the distribution and habitat use of these animals using the areas rich prey resources.

Since my time at the museum back in 2008 it has gone on to strengthen its and Húsavíks’ reputation as a centre for observing and learning more about the daily lives of these fascinating marine mammals. Furthermore, through collaboration with other whale watching companies and researchers in the country and abroad, they are beginning to piece together the full picture of how and why these mighty giants come hundreds of miles to Iceland, to its’ stunning coastlines and snowy fjords.

So with fond memories of my time in this Land of the Ice and Snow, from the Midnight Sun and where the Hot Springs Blow, I hope that the great work of those researchers, volunteers and dedicated whale watches continue so that this critical habitat for whales and dolphins is understood further for future conservation.

Please continue to follow the blogs over the coming weeks as the WDC team attempt to give you an insight in to the lives of the whales, the people and landscapes of this stunning island.

Iceland 2013: Saga #5 - The Story of Keiko

nospam@example.com (Rob Lott) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 12:01:19 +0000

After dinner yesterday evening I was talking to our group about Keiko, the star of the Free Willy movie, who went on to become the most famous whale on the planet.

But Keiko’s story started long before the movie studios started calling. Because Keiko, you see, was a son of Iceland.

I’m in the privileged position to be out on the water most days watching these magnificent animals living life as nature intended, wild and free. Staring out across the fjord as a new family of orcas comes in from the north, I can’t help but ponder that this could be Keiko’s family. A fanciful thought maybe….

Very little was known about Icelandic orca society when Keiko was captured as a two year old in 1979. We know he was captured off the south coast of Iceland during the summer months and recently researchers have shown that the orcas seen off the south in the summer come here to Grundarfjordur on the west coast in the winter. Female orcas in the wild can live to 80 or 90 years so there is every chance that Keiko’s mum, along with all his siblings, are still somewhere out there today. So not such a fanciful thought after all.

I wonder what memory Keiko’s mum must have of that terrible day when her pod was captured in a fisherman’s net and she had her baby ripped from her side.

The minute Keiko was loaded on to the back of a truck his life was effectively over and for the next seventeen years he went from marine park to marine park travelling from Iceland to Canada and then finally on to Mexico where Warner Bros found their star. Warner Bros, incidentally, approached marine parks in the US and Japan but there was no way they were going to allow one of ‘their’ orcas to feature in any movie that portrayed marine parks as ‘whale jails’.

Free Willy became a huge hit but left fans of the movie deeply troubled when they found out that its real life star was still languishing in a small tank with chemically treated water causing his skin to become infected. For an animal that is used to spending all its time below sea level, the Mexico City park, at an altitude of 2,445 metres, presented Keiko with additional problems!

Never doubt, however, the power of public opinion. An increasingly vocal army of Keiko fans wondered out loud how amazing it would be if life could imitate art! Warner Bros soon realised they had a responsibility to Keiko and set up the Free Willy/Keiko Foundation with the aim of giving Keiko a chance at freedom.

Keiko was soon moved to a purpose-built facility in Oregon where he finally got to swim in natural sea water for the first time since leaving the ocean. He also learned to catch live fish and had the space for deep dives. His skin condition also cleared up - basically, he thrived!

The next stage was a move home to Iceland where he spent the next few years under the care of the Ocean Futures Society. Keiko was now in excellent health and was often taken out on ‘ocean walks’ where he interacted with wild Icelandic orca pods. On one such walk, in 2002, Keiko left the tracking boat behind and headed off with other orcas where he spent his time in and around these wild pods. He then took off across the North Atlantic on a thousand mile odyssey for the next 60 days without any food from humans. Keiko then headed due east to Norway where he followed a trawler into one of the fjords.

Keiko’s final days were spent in the Norwegian fjords where he was finally free to come and go as he pleased.

In December 2003, at the age of 26, he died of pneumonia. He was the second longest-lived captive orca in the world and his legacy was huge. He was testament to the fact that release of wild-born, captive orcas was not only possible but could be successful. The marine park industry were outraged and seriously concerned about the precedent Keiko set.

Keiko’s story raised awareness of the cruelty of removing these powerful, sentient animals out of their natural environment and condemning them to a life as a one-dimensional caricature in a concrete tank. Keiko was a trail blazer, a pioneer. His story was a world’s first and let’s hope, for the sake of the remaining 45 orcas still in captivity in the world today, it won’t be the last.

The Prince of Totoya is (finally) on his way south

nospam@example.com (Cara Miller) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 08:00:44 +0000

Last October I got a call from the Chief of Totoya Island (Roko Sau) letting me know that a whale had gotten stuck inside a lagoon near his island. I’d never been to the Lau Islands before yet had always heard lovely things about the clear waters and teeming marine life of this remote island group. Roko Sau (who also works for the Pacific Blue Foundation) was enthusiastic and managed to charm us a ride on a Super yacht thanks also to the support of Yacht Help Fiji. After a 15 hour ride I set my eyes on the stunning sight of beautiful and majestic Totoya. As we moved into the interior of the horse-shoe shaped island I scanned intently for any sign of the whale. Finally there was a blow but my heart sank as I realized that the whale was stuck inside a very small and shallow lagoon. We jumped into a skiff with the Super yacht crew and moved through the narrow S-shaped channel into the lagoon. I then saw the animal up close for the first time and confirmed it was a male, subadult humpback whale. He was in good condition … except of course for his current location within Vakamatuku lagoon. The lagoon had a maximum depth of around 16m and was just over 50m in diameter. The channel he had to exit through was only 6m deep, 10m wide and about 10m long. I watched him as he unknowingly swam past the small entrance. I felt anxious about his fate as it was the time of year when humpback whales should be beginning their southward migration to Antarctica in order to feed. Any energy he spent swimming around this lagoon would take away from the reserves needed for the 6-8 week swim south.

Over the course of the next week we tried a number of different strategies to move the whale (named by the villagers the 'Prince of Totoya') out of the lagoon. Firstly we used several small boats to try and slowly drive him into deeper waters. However whenever he got close to the entrance instead of investigating the coral reef to find the small channel he dove down and surfaced behind us. On another day we constructed a ‘fence’ made of vines and coconut leaves that we attempted to hang down into the ocean as a way of creating a visual barrier for the Prince. The villagers made a great effort to construct this underwater wall … but when it was put in the water it was difficult to make it sink straight down as we'd hoped. Adding to this concern were the additional boats needed to coordinate the movement of the fence. The whale seemed a little nervous and to our disappointment he again dove under our boats when we attempted to move him towards the opening. We made attempts on several other days but had no luck. We used our spare time on the island to visit primary schools, talk to villagers and community members, and speak with the elders. In such a small place as Totoya the visit of the whale was a big event and I took heart in seeing the interest and admiration for the animal. However my heart also grew heavier every day as I knew that if the whale didn't move out of the lagoon he would not survive. I departed Totoya feeling disappointed and as the year moved towards Christmas I found myself often wondering about the whale in Totoya.

And then … the New Year brought good news. Roko Sau visited Totoya for the festive season and so went to see the Prince again. Roko Sau told me he was surprised to see quite a striking change in the animal - his black shiny skin had turned whitish-grey in parts and he'd lost condition in his once robust body. In addition, the Roko noted some scratches near both his tail and head - likely from meeting the coral reef as he tried to find a way out.

Roko Sau told me he spoke softly to the whale and told him to leave and join his friends. On the following day he did just that! And, as the whale moved towards the open ocean he made several exuberant breaches just near Tovu village as if to say goodbye.

I would like to thank my wonderful hosts in Totoya for making me feel so welcome - and also extend my gratitude to the team that travelled with me including Major, Joe, Mosese, and Anare. Finally, I would especially like to extend my appreciation to Roko Sau for inviting me to spend some time in unforgettable Totoya.

Iceland 2013: Saga #4 - Herring Mass Mortality

nospam@example.com (Rob Lott) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:59:00 +0000

When I arrived here at the end of January we were driving through the dark on our way from the airport to our hotel in Grundarfjörður. Just before we reached the village there was a distinctly fishy smell in the air as we drove across Kolgrafafjörður, a neighbouring fjord and one of the more predictable places to spot orcas. We were told that just before Christmas a mass mortality of herring had occurred where up to 30,000 tonnes of herring came ashore. To put this in perspective the entire national quota for landing Icelandic summer-spawning herring each year is in the region of 67,000 tonnes.

Nobody knows quite what happened but it may have something to do with the bridge that was built dissecting the fjord a few years ago. A long dyke was constructed either side of the fjord and the actual bridge that stands over the water is just a couple of hundred metres long, severely reducing the flow of water into and out of the inner fjord. It appears the waters have become anoxic i.e. depleted of dissolved oxygen, which is a phenomenon that occurs in areas where water exchange has been severely restricted.

Scientists from the Marine Research Institute in Reykjavik are currently here investigating the die-off and will try to pinpoint the exact cause of why thousands of tonnes of a commercially valuable fish such as herring have died of oxygen starvation. The only winners right now appear to be the birds – the white-tailed eagles, ravens and gulls are experiencing a bonanza!

Update: As I write this we are getting a second mass mortality of herring in the same fjord. This time we believe 10,000 tonnes may have come ashore on the 2nd February.

Iceland 2013: Saga #3 - Meeting the locals

nospam@example.com (Rob Lott) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 11:57:00 +0000

It is a truth universally acknowledged that if you don’t like the weather in Iceland you just need to wait five minutes and it will change completely.

And so it was after a wild and stormy night, the day dawned quiet and calm. Daybreak is a relative term and here on the Icelandic west coast in the winter the weak day light struggles to its feet by about 9:30 each morning. Spring is just around the corner though and at this latitude we gain an extra seven minutes of daylight each day.

After a hearty breakfast our group headed down to the harbour to get kitted out for our morning adventure on the good ship, Laki.

Getting into the oversized ‘boiler suits’ can be a bit of a workout in themselves but it is well worth it for the comfort and protection they offer once out on the water.

Once aboard we had a safety briefing and then everybody got settled, found ‘their’ spot on the boat, while Skappi (our skipper!) steered the Laki out of the harbour and into the fjord. We didn’t stay settled for long. Within 10 minutes of leaving port, the call went up from Ollie, one of the crew, that he could see orcas ‘at 12 o’clock!’. If you think of the boat as the face of a clock, then straight ahead off the bow is 12, the stern behind is 6, portside is 9 etc, etc. In the excitement of the moment things can get very confusing with people shouting out ‘whales at twenty past three!’.

As everybody stared ahead scanning the distant horizon, a male orca surfaced just 100 metres off the bow and slowly started to circle the Laki, giving everyone a fantastic view.

The euphoria that broke out on the boat was infectious resulting in high fives, back slaps and huge grins from ear to ear. The orca seemed very relaxed in our company so we stayed with him for a further ten minutes before heading out deeper into the fjord to see another group that had just arrived. This group of six animals was comprised of two large males, three females and a new baby displaying the characteristic pinky-orange colouration on its eye patch and underbelly. This family group were very social and were spy hopping, tail slapping and back rolling.

Again, we restricted our time to about 15 minutes as we didn’t want to outstay our welcome and so left the orcas heading back out to the open ocean. Our cheerful group of self-confessed orcaholics returned to harbour sustained with hot chocolate, Icelandic donuts and memories that will last a lifetime.

Iceland 2013: Saga #2 - Grundarfjörður

nospam@example.com (Rob Lott) — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 11:48:00 +0000

My home from home for the next few weeks will be the small town of Grundarfjörður which lies on the north coast of the Snæfellsnes peninsula in the west of Iceland.

The whole peninsula is often referred to as a miniature Iceland and it is a very popular tourist destination. The glacier-topped Snæfellsjökull volcano, standing at 1446m, is the highest mountain on the peninsula and dominates the landscape. The volcano was the setting for the classic Jules Verne’s novel, Journey to the Centre of the Earth.

Grundarfjörður has done well from the fishing industry over the years but in recent times the area has started to attract a whole new international crowd hoping to witness a new winter phenomenon.

Since 2011, groups of orca (Orcinus orca) have regularly been spotted out in the bay during the winter months causing much excitement amongst locals, tourists and researchers.

As with all wild whales and dolphins, prey availability dictates their movements and the reason the orcas have shown up in Grundarfjörður recently is a direct response to a shift in the wintering habits of their prey - the Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) - one of the most abundant fish species on earth. If you want to find out more about orca then you really need to understand the natural history of the herring! The Icelandic herring stock, or Sild, as it is known locally, used to spend the winters in the fjords in the east of Iceland but in 2006 some of the older stock shifted their distribution to the Grundarfjörður area. However, it took a few more years before the orcas figured this out and now, from December to March each winter, the orcas appear to be a regular feature giving people a golden opportunity to see these iconic and charismatic mammals.

Please follow the blogs over the coming weeks as we attempt to give you an insight in to the lives of the whales, the people and landscapes of this stunning island.