For all of us working on improving the protective
management for cetaceans in Indonesia, the 'knowledge gap' on marine mammal
species and habitat use within the archipelago remains a major
challenge. This week's entanglement and stranding of a
juvenile humpback whale, as reported by Pariama and Icha, may indeed be the
first report for Bali. However humpback whales have previously been
sighted and photographed in east Indonesian waters.
Indeed, an adult
was harpooned and killed (see photo) by the traditional whaling community
of Lamalera on Lembata Island in the 2006 season or 'lefa'. This was
a highly exceptional event as the Lamalera community routinely targets sperm
whales and other odontocetes. These
recent sightings in Indonesian waters, coupled with reported
increases in numbers of humpbacks migrating north along the NW Australian
coast, could indicate (part of) this population is 'recolonizing'
an original, pre-whaling habitat in the NE Indian Ocean or is expanding its
range - and as such may be increasingly at risk of the numerous
cetacean-fisheries interactions while in Indonesian waters.
It will be interesting to see if sightings
continue in coming seasons and we are looking forward to
collaborate with humpback whale projects in the region.
Regards, Benjamin Kahn
NB: Photo by APEX Environmental; Courtesy of Ibu Keraf,
Lamalera, Lembata.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Benjamin Kahn
Asia-Pacific Oceanic Cetacean
Program
Suite
104
Jl. Bypass Ngurah Rai No. 379
Sanur - 80228,
Bali
INDONESIA