Diversity of Cetaceans in Pakistan studied through
Remains collected during beach surveys along Sindh and
Balochistan coasts
PERVAIZ IQBAL, PIRZADA JAMAL A. SIDDIQUI, SHOAIB KIANI
Center of Excellence in Marine Biology, University of Karachi [[email protected]]
What are Cetaceans?Cetaceans are marine mammals
(whales, dolphins, porpoises)
Porpoise
DolphinWhale
Ceatceans - Marine Mammals
• Warm blooded • Have blow-holes and breathe
air • Give birth• Have hairs on their body at
least on some stage of their life
• Cows are their closest ancestors
Cetaceans
Baleen (Only whales have baleen)Toothed (Whales and dolphins)
Why Cetacean?• Natural indicators of the environmental health
• Bioaccumulate contaminants present in the water. Therefore, monitoring the levels of contaminants in cetaceans will help understand the level of pollution
• Eco-tourism – A multibillion dollar industry• More than 10 million people now enjoy watching
cetaceans each year
Data on cetacean is required for developing strategies and management plans
Indian Ocean Sanctuary
Information on marine mammals in Pakistani waters not readily available
Most cetacean species occurring in Pakistani waters are data deficient
• Very little or no research on marine cetaceans
• Pilleri & Gihr,1972 (about inshore small cetaceans mainly in Indus delta region)
• Mikhalev, 1997 (Oil exploration studies and illegal Soviet whaling in Pakistani EEZ in early 60s)
• T. J. Roberts “Mammals of Pakistan” (a tentative catalogue of marine cetaceans in Pakistan based on interview and few strandings)
• No dedicated effort for marine cetaceans research along whole coast of Pakistan except Darwin initiative project 2005-2008
Background information
Cetacean Research MethodsBeach and Boat surveys
• Beach Surveys
• Boat Surveys
Boat Surveys (Darwin Initiative Project)DEFRA UK funded project Center of Excellence in Marine
BiologyUniversity (of London) Marine Biological Station
Sindh
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Species
Abu
ndan
ce (p
er h
our)
Balochistan
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Species
Abun
danc
e (p
er h
our)
Average number of cetacean groups sighted and number of species per time spent surveying inshore Sindh and Balochistan coasts (Darwin first year report, 2006)
Boat survey results
Beach surveys Sindh coast
Beach surveys Balochistan
Beach surveys and remains
Sampling tissue from stranded dolphin
Working on skulls
Stranded dolphinBeach survey
Whale bone collected
Whale vertebrae
Skulls (Whale, dolphin)
Surveys showing remains in Sindh coastNo. Date Rout from Rout end
Lat /long (Start)
Lat/Long (End)
Breaks From Transects / Comments
1 02/12/05 Hawks Bay Sandspit24 51.694 066 51.031
24 50.623 066 53.977 0
2 06/12/05 Hawks BayParadise
Point24 51.687 066 50.963
24 50.879 066 45.980 0
3 30/06/06Khobar
creekGizriwala
creek24 08.734 67 20.658
24 09.950 067 20.521 Dolphin skull found
3 30/06/06Khobar
creekGizriwala
creek24 08.734 067 20.658
24 09.950 067 20.521
remains of dolphin, 6ft2inches long
3 30/06/06Khobar
creekGizriwala
creek24 08.734 067 20.658
24 09.950 067 20.521 Dolphin skull, 2410191, 6720433
3 30/06/06Khobar
creekGizriwala
creek24 08.734 067 20.658
24 09.950 067 20.521 decomposed body of dolphin
4 06/12/06 Sandspit Wetland
Centre24 50.613 066 53.858
24 51.252 066 52.702 0
5 11/12/06 Sandspit Wetland
Centre24 50.613 066 53.858
24 51.252 066 52.702 0
6 31/05/07 Gocca Turshian24 04.789 067 22.596
24 04.122 067 23.921 0
7 31/05/07 Gocca Hajamro24 05.307 067 23.921
24 07.249 067 21.741 0
Surveys showing remains in Balochistan
No. Date Rout from Rout endLat and long
(Start)Lat and long
(End)Remains
1 18/12/05Mubarak
VillageMubarak
Village24 50.358
066 39.61024 50.908
066 39.570 0
2 18/12/05 Hub RiverMubarak
Village24 52.849
066 42.29324 50.849
066 41.119
Huge skeleton of sperm whale at 24 52.784;
066 41.4512
3 13/02/06 Hud village Hud village24 16.637
064 39.33024 17.846
064 40.817Three sightings were
observed
4 16/02/06 Zarrien Juddi25 12.649
063 29.52125 13.197
063 29.917 Dolphin sightings
5 17/04/06 Jiwani Bandri25 02.766
061 44.40125 05.083
061 45.770 0
6 16/02/07 Astola Astola25 07.261
063 49.58925 07.359
063 50.256 0
7 24/02/07 Astola Astola25 07.584
063 50.92825 07.557
063 51.876 Vertebral bone of
cetacean
7 24/02/07 Astola Astola25 07.584
063 50.92825 07.557
063 51.876Whale vertebrae,
25.07.597, 063.52.348
7 24/02/07 Astola Astola25 07.584
063 50.92825 07.557
063 51.876Cetacean bone found at
25.07.606, 063.51.710
7 24/02/07 Astola Astola25 07.584
063 50.92825 07.557
063 51.876Skin of cetacean, Skull of
cetacean
Status of Cetacean (IUCN red list)
English name Scientific name Status in the region IUCN Red List Designation
Long-beaked common dolphin
Delphinus capensis tropicalis
Restricted to waters relatively close to shore.
Continental shelf and slope Data Deficient
Bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncates Widespread and abundant in shelf and shelf edge waters.
Data Deficient
Cuvier's beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris Common and widespread in deep pelagic waters, particularly along the shelf edge
Data Deficient
Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphin
Sousa chinensis Coastal tropical and subtropical waters, preferring areas that are less than 20 metres deep
Near Threatened
Spinner dolphin Stenella longirostris Tropical high seas species, but it also inhabits shallow reef areas, coastal areas, and subtropical and warm temperate waters
Data Deficient
Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae
Scarce vagrant to deep pelagic and shelf waters.
Vulnerable
Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus
Seasonally regular in deep pelagic waters during
May-November.
Vulnerable
Finless porpoise Neophocaena phocaenoides
shallow (usually <50 m deep) coastal waters Vulnerable
Comparison of species identified through
Beach and Boat surveys
No. CetaceansBeach surveys
Boat surveys
1 Long-beaked common dolphin + -
2 Bottlenose dolphin + +
3 Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphin + +
4 Spinner dolphin + +
5 Risso’s dolphin - +
6 Humpback whale + +
7 Cuvier's beaked whale + -
8 Sperm whale + -
9 Killer whale - +
10 Bryde’s whale + -
11 Fin whale - Reported
12 Finless porpoise + +
Global Perspective: Overexploitation
Thank You
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