Bertarelli-Annual-Report-2024-LR - Flipbook - Page 19
Marine Science 2023
17
Spinner dolphins, Chagos © www.rommel.co.in
Cetacean Refuges
Lead Investigator: Dr. Clare Embling,
University of Plymouth
This project is surveying whale and dolphin species
in the poorly studied central Indian Ocean, with a
focus on the Maldives and the Chagos Archipelago,
using sightings and acoustic surveys while focusing
on regional capacity building. The Wildlife Observer
conducted long term visual census data of cetacean
species at sea in the Chagos Archipelago from the
patrol vessel Grampian Endurance, building data sets on
abundance, distribution and habitat use for the very first
time. These data are combined with recordings from
hydrophones moored at strategic locations around the
archipelago which pick up the sub-surface vocalisations
and seasonal trends of key species and have revealed
a surprising recording of a humpback whale. A range
of other observations were collected by the Wildlife
Observer including turtle nesting surveys, seabird
identifications and records and samples of sharks
confiscated in illegal catches by fisheries enforcement.
The team also delivered a popular technical training
workshop in Sri Lanka over nine days in May 2023 for 22
Sri Lankan, two Maldivian and one Seychellois student.
The workshop covered statistical analysis in R, abundance
estimation and bioacoustic methods and was followed
by a further half day conference on marine conservation
in the wider Indian Ocean for all 25 attendees plus
ten government officials and ten additional Sri Lankan
students. The training course received enthusiastic
positive feedback from participants.
Hydrophone deployment © Sharmin Rouf
