Dear MARMAM colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce our most recent publication in Topics in Biodiversity and Conservation:
*Peter, C*., Zulkifli Poh, A.N., Ngeian, J., Tuen, A. A. and Minton, G., (2016). *Identifying habitat characteristics and critical areas of Irrawaddy dolphin habitat (Orcaella brevirostris) in Kuching Bay, Sarawak, Malaysia: Implications for conservation*. In Indraneil Das and Andrew A. Tuen (Eds,), *Naturalists, Explorers and Field Scientists in Southeast Asia and Australasia* Vol 15, Topics in Biodiversity and Conservation. Springer International Publishing. DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-26161-4 Abstract: Irrawaddy dolphins, *Orcaella brevirostris*, in the Kuching Bay, Sarawak, Malaysia have been subjected to pressure from cetacean-fisheries interactions, dolphin watching tourism and coastal development. However, very little information is known about their ecology and factors driving their habitat preferences. To obtain critical information on the distribution, habitat preference and range pattern of Irrawaddy dolphins in Kuching Bay, Sarawak, systematic boat-based surveys were conducted between June 2008 and October 2012. The results showed a statistically significant relationship between Irrawaddy dolphins’ distribution and different categories of salinity, tide levels and distance to river mouths. Kruskal-Wallis tests confirmed that the presence of Irrawaddy dolphins in Kuching Bay had statistically significant relationships to habitat parameters of salinity (chi-square = 4.694, p = 0.03). Fisher’s exact test indicated that Irrawaddy dolphins were statistically more likely to be present in waters within a 6 km radius of river mouths. The distribution of dolphins was also affected by tide levels as Mann-Whitney U -tests proved a statistically significant difference in dolphin distribution between tide levels lower than 2.0 m and tide levels higher than 2.0 m (p = 3.153 × 10−11 ). The representative range and core area of photo-identified Irrawaddy dolphins estimated using fixed kernel range was 246.42 km2 and 37.22 km2 , respectively, with core area located in the Salak Estuary. The results obtained in this study reflect dry season distribution only, and may differ during the wet season. Nonetheless, these results highlight the importance of shallow coastal waters and the overlap of Irrawaddy dolphin critical habitat with that of human activities in Kuching Bay. Conservation efforts are required to minimize the effects of the pressures exerted on these animals and their habitats. For full pdf, please send your email to cindycharity.pe...@gmail.com Regards, Cindy Peter -- Cindy Peter, MSc (Marine Ecology) Research Officer Sarawak Dolphin Project Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation University Malaysia Sarawak www.ibec.unimas.my/SDP2008 Office: +60 82 583 003 Mobile: +60 16 892 6027
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