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 [pvza_mb@hotmail.com]

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