Fujairah Whale and Dolphin Research Projects – New Field Season

During mid February, the Fujairah Whale and Dolphin Research team was back in action on the high seas and in the air. In those few days the team conducted multiple aerial surveys as well as vessel surveys in offshore waters of Fujairah between 10 and 30 nautical miles from shore.

The project is run in partnership between Five Oceans Environmental Services and The Port of Fujairah and is supported by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, the Crown Prince of the Emirate of Fujairah, U.A.E.

The surveys have once again revealed the speciesrich nature of the offshore waters of Fujairah. Over the course of four days, four species of marine mammals were detected, including one, the Striped Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) which has only been recorded in the UAE twice before, both times in Fujairah by the same team back in April 2017.

These records also represent the only live sightings of this species made in the past 20 years in the entire Arabian region. It is unknown whether Striped Dolphins are genuinely rare in the region, or whether they simply spend all of their time far from shore where people rarely venture.

Certainly, the Fujairah Whale and Dolphin Research Project is the only project in the region which focusses research specifi cally on marine mammals in deep, offshore waters. The other three species which were encountered include the Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), the Risso’s Dolphin (Grampus griseus), which is known to be a deep-diving specialist, and the Indo-Pacifi c Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis tropicalis).

All three are considered to be breeding residents of Fujairah, judging by the presence of juveniles and calves within the pods. The Common Bottlenose Dolphin is the most frequently recorded species in Fujairah and is the subject of a genetic study, using samples collected during the project surveys.

It is hoped that results will reveal the relationship between Fujairah’s dolphins and those elsewhere in the wider region, as well as providing more information about the origins and relationships between individual dolphins within Fujairah. The project is collaborating with the Dubai Dolphin Project as well as overseas universities for this genetic research.

Small calves were noted in pods of both Common Bottlenose Dolphins and Indo-Pacifi c Common Dolphins during the surveys. Foraging behaviour was also witnessed, with dolphins circling and corralling small fi shes before taking turns to feed on the unfortunate prey. All four species are highly sociable, forming close-knit communities (pods). Some relatively large pods were encountered, including over 100 individuals in a single pod in some instances.

Both aerial surveys, conducted by helicopter, and vessel surveys followed a similar approach, surveying along predetermined transect lines designed to maximise the chances of fi nding marine mammals and allowing for comparison between surveys. The work done in previous years and that done in 2021 can therefore be directly compared. Furthermore, the surveys are conducted at four different times of year. The results can therefore be analysed to enable detection of any seasonal differences in the distribution and abundance of marine mammals as well any change that occurs between years.

Whilst the target of the research is whales and dolphins, other important marine wildlife is also recorded. For example, the surveys recorded several sightings of sea turtles, including both the Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) which is classifi ed by IUCN as Critically Endangered in the North Western Indian Ocean, and the Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) which is Critically Endangered globally.

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For more information consult the project website: www.fujairahwhales.com.