Dear MARMAM subscribers, My co-authors and I are pleased to bring to your attention the following publication on Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, Sousa chinensis, in Australian waters (abstract below): Brown, A., Bejder, L., Cagnazzi, D., Parra, G. and Allen, S. 2012. The North West Cape, Western Australia: A Potential Hotspot for Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins Sousa chinensis? Pacific Conservation Biology 18: 240-246. It's not rocket science, but it is the first publication specific to Sousa chinensis in Western Australian waters. This paper follows on from our more general publication of early 2012 (Allen et al. 2012. Tropical inshore dolphins of north-western Australia: Unknown populations in a rapidly changing region. Pac Cons Biol 18: 56-63). PDF copies are available through Pacific Conservation Biology (http://pcb.murdoch.edu.au/pcb_online.html), or by request to alex.brown@murdoch.edu.au. For further info, see http://mucru.org/latest-news/new-publication-on-indo-pacific-humpback-dolphi.... Regards, Alex Abstract: Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins Sousa chinensis (Humpback Dolphins hereafter) are listed as 'near threatened' on an international level and 'migratory' in Australian waters. There is limited information on Humpback Dolphins in Western Australian State waters, where the species remains unlisted. This lack of knowledge hinders the management and conservation of the species in a region of rapidly increasing coastal development. We conducted opportunistic boat-based surveys in April 2010 and present data on the location, size and composition of Humpback Dolphin groups encountered in the near-shore waters around the North West Cape, Western Australia. A total of 42 groups were encountered in a variety of habitats during 145 h on the water over ca. 80 km coastline. Group size ranged from 1 to 15, with a mean (± SE) of 5.3 (± 0.48) individuals. A total of 54 Humpback Dolphins were identified from photographs of the unique markings on their dorsal fins. The lack of a plateau in the cumulative discovery curve of identified individuals over the duration of the study suggests that only a subset of dolphins in the area was identified. This region is close to the south-western limit of the species' Australian distribution and appears to represent an important location for Western Australian Humpback Dolphins. In light of increasing anthropogenic activity around the North West Cape and Exmouth Gulf, these preliminary findings from a limited survey effort indicate that further research into this population is required. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Alex Brown Cetacean Research Unit (MUCRU) Centre for Fish, Fisheries and Aquatic Ecosystem Research Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia ( Tel +61 (0)89360 6520 |( Mob +61 (0)487399861| * alex.brown@murdoch.edu.au Latest blog post: "Snubfin season?"
