Wildlife Club Head Into The Forest
Category: Butterflies, Coastal Forest, Colobus, Environmental Education, Shimoni Forest, Wildlife clubs | Date: Nov 14 2009 | By: gvikenya
Yesterday was Friday. And that meant one thing – environmental education! For the last few months or so, we’ve been swapping our boots and clipboards for chalk boards, songs and games and heading into the Base Academy (a small primary school in the village) to teach the children about environmental issues and some basic science.
We feel it is really important to give the children this sort of knowledge and awareness about the environment around them because firstly, what they learn in school about such issues is minimal and basic, and it doesn’t cover the things that affect their everyday lives.
This is why we have been focusing our lessons on areas that the children can relate to such as coastal forests, the importance of forests and the animals that live there, effects of deforestation, pollution etc. A couple of weeks ago, we decided to re-brand our weekly lesson, and form a wildlife club for the kids. This means they are now part of the Shimoni Base Academy Wildlife Club! We felt this would encourage a sense of ownership and pride in the children who come, and would really make them feel a part of something.
The children coming back from the forest
We think it has worked really well, as we now have a regular group of about 30 children that are there every Friday, who all wear their Wildlife Club badges with pride, and sing the Club song through the village! And since forming the Club, we have been putting an emphasis on actually taking the children into the forest every week. The idea behind this is to get them out there, seeing the plants and animals for themselves, and getting them out of the classroom and excited about nature, the forest and the wildlife.
So far its been a huge success; the kids absolutely love being taken out into the forest, and they have really enjoyed the topics we’ve covered so far. We’ve been going over basic plant biology (as this was in their syllabus and their exams were coming up so we thought that would help), where we actually showed them the different plant species and the different parts. Then we gave a lesson on butterflies, followed by sweep netting in the forest – they absolutely loved that (and were rather good at it…I’m considering using them for our surveys!), where we also showed them how to get the butterflies out of the nets without hurting them.
And then yesterday we tried to touch on the subject of colobus behaviour. We managed to get across the basic idea of why we study their behaviour, how colobus behaviour is adversely affected by things such as disturbance, and then what possible impacts this could have. It went surprisingly well, and they grasped the concept really well. It was a very simplified version of course, with the basic premise being if the colobus are undisturbed they will spend more time feeding, resting, sleeping and socialising, whereas if the forest around them is being disturbed, they may spend more time alert or travelling.
They are a great bunch of kids to work with, all so eager to learn and take part. Hopefully we will be helping these children to grow up into environmentally aware adults, who understand about their surroundings, and take pride in the beautiful areas they live in.
Tags: , adverse effects, alert, basic science, boots, butterlfies, chalk boards, clipboards, coastal forests, colobus behaviour, deforestation, disturbance, Environmental Education, environmental issues, exams, feeding, knowledge and awareness, nature, ownership, plant biology, plants and animals, pollution, possible impacts, pride, resting, shimoni, Shimoni Base Academy, simplified version, sleeping, socialising, songs and games, surveys, sweep netting, syllubus, travelling, wildlife club
Is Kisite-Mpunguti MPA Offering Dolphin-Watching Tours?
Category: Cetacean research, Dolphin-watching tours, Dolphins, Eco-tourism, Humpback Dolphins, Humpback whales, Kisite Mpunguti MPA, bottlenose dolphins | Date: Nov 06 2009 | By: gvikenya
As part of the socio-economic impact of the dolphin-watching industry in Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Protected Area, GVI carried out a study to evaluate the quality of the talks offered during the dolphin-watching tours. The aim was to find out the knowledge of the tour guides and captain on numerous areas and indicators. This study was undertaken between July and September of 2009 by GVI staff and volunteers, which accompanied 12 tourist dhow trips, assessing 15 guides and captains.
Unfortunately when analysing the assessment forms and categorising the areas into either insufficient or sufficient, the vast majority of trips proved to be overall insufficient. In fact only 3 areas – presentation, duration and route and information on KMMPA – were deemed as sufficient in over half of the trips.
The first assessment was on the presentation relating to information provided on the company, crew and boat given at the beginning of the trip. In 5 of the 12 trips only the names of the crew were given. However, 7 proved to be sufficient providing information in a very warm and friendly manner covering all three areas.
The information provided on the duration and route of the trip is the second area deemed to be overall sufficient. Ten trips gave full details regarding the structure of the day, detailing the period spent searching for dolphins, snorkelling and the break for lunch. However, 2 trips failed to mention this area at all!
The final area assessed as sufficient was for information provided on the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Protect Area. In this area 7 of the 12 trips provided good information on the difference between the Marine Park and the Marine Reserve (three of them offered by the same tour guide). However, again 5 trips failed to provide information, merely pointing out where the MPA was.
GVI volunteers on board a tourist dhow
Information provided on the local area also proved to be very insufficient. With only 6 trips mentioning Shimoni, by providing a brief history and information relating to the slave caves. Additionally, only 6 made mention of Wasini, detailing the coral board walk and village tour. Only 1 trip discussed Mkwiro, and even that it was only to advice that it was a fisherman village. The remainder of the tours provided no information whatsoever on the surrounding areas.
Similarly, not one of the tourist dhows discussed anything to do with the local oceanography. For example no information was given regarding the geographical location in the Indian Ocean, of the important nesting turtle site in Funzi Bay, nor the important fishing ground of the Nyuli Reef.
Insufficient information was also provided in the area of health and safety, with the average time spent discussing this being less than 30 seconds. Advice was given to maintain the balance of the boat, however nothing was discussed relating to the life jackets, life rings, first aid or fire extinguishers. All 12 dhows failed to provide sufficient information.
Another area in which most of the tourist dhows surprising failed to provide sufficient information on was that of the marine species. Considering the tourist dhows were actually providing a dolphin-watching tour only 2 of them provided detailed information relating to the species of dolphins that could be found in the area and their habitats. However 10 of them failed to spend even 30 seconds doing this. Furthermore, not one of the dhows mentioned the possibility of sighting humpback whales, their characteristics or of their migration pattern through KMMPA. With GVI having 7 sighting of humpback whales during this study period, there is clear evidence of this migration! Similarly, when discussing the snorkelling that would be taking place as part of the tour none of them mentioned the likelihood of spotting turtles or of the species they may see in the area.
All 12 tourist dhows also failed to discuss KWS or the Code of Conduct introduced in 2007. No mention was made of the requirement of dolphin watching dhows to maintain a distance of 100m from groups of dolphins, that they should try and have only 2 boats around a group at one time, and to steer around a group.
Tour guide approaching a tourist
However, on a positive note the analysis on the interaction of the tour guides is good. The vast majority of guides were answering questions raised, and there were being interactive with the tourists. They had a good approach and were very friendly. Friendly suggestions were to spend less time on personal phones and not to throw cigarette ends into the MPA.
This study showed an urgent need to train the dolphin-watching guides and captains on different areas, mainly on health & safety, history of Shimoni area (Shimoni, Wasini and Mkwiro), Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Protected Area boundaries and regulations and dolphin and whales identification, biology and ecology.
Tags: , biology and ecology, captain, code of conduct, coral board walk, dolphin-watching industry, fire extinguishers, first aid, fisherman village, funzi bay, geographicla location, GVI, habitats, health and safety, Humpback whales, indian ocean, indicators, kisite mpunguti marine protected area, KWS, life jackets, life rings, Marine Park, marine reserve, marine species, migration, mkwiro, nyuli reef, oceanography, shimoni, slaves caves, snorkelling, socio-economic impact, structure of the day, surrounding areas, tour guides, Turtles, village tour, Wasini
The Dangers Of Composting…
Category: Colobus, Primate Research, yellow baboon | Date: Nov 03 2009 | By: gvikenya
Greetings all
Just a quickie tonight I’m afraid as things are all go here and time is a precious commodity at the moment!
Us GVI folk here in Shimoni have had a busy weekend – we’ve moved into a new house! This is good news for several reasons…
Firstly, we are now slap bang in the middle of the community, whereas before we were somewhat isolated in the grounds of a hotel. We feel this is going to have big impacts on the way we are viewed by the community, and hopefully this will help with the many community projects we are currently working on. It will also help us feel more part of Shimoni, help us to get to know people better, and will strengthen our existing relationships.
Secondly, we are right on the edge of the forest! From our back yard, we can look out into the canopy, and just today, Adam (our community officer) was taking out the compost only to be confronted by a very large, male yellow baboon! We are now considering moving our compost pile slightly further away from the house…
We have also seen colobus monkeys hanging out in the trees – we could do behavioural surveys from our back garden!
It’s a very exciting move, and despite the inevitable teething problems associated with moving house, things are looking up. Today we got a new water pump fitted, so we can now shower! Happy days.
I will be back tomorrow with some more exciting blog action from the south coast of Kenya!
Best wishes
Tags: behavioural survey, canopy, colobus monkey, community projects, compost, Kenyan coast, shimoni, south coast, yellow baboon
The Socio-economic Impact Of The Dolphin Watching Industry In The Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Protected Area (KMMPA)
Category: Cetacean research, Dolphins, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kisite Mpunguti MPA, bottlenose dolphins | Date: Oct 29 2009 | By: gvikenya
The activity of dolphin (whale)-watching is described as “the commercial observation of cetaceans in their habitat from a platform on land, sea or air” (Hoyt 2001).
The dolphin-watching industry constitutes an emergent business in many coastal areas around the world and has seen spectacular growth over the last fifteen years. The industry began in the 1950’s in San Diego (California) and has since expanded as far as Antarctica. During the 1960’s, the industry grew significantly in the United States and Canada, followed by Australia, New Zealand, the Canary Islands, Japan and Norway in the 1980’s (Hoyt 1995, 1996) and, Iceland, Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Tonga in the middle of 1990’s.
In 1998, the number of dolphin-watching tourists totalled around 9 million, estimating the volume of income generated to be 1 billion US Dollars, doubling the income in 1994 (Hoyt, 2001). In 1998, of those nine million participating in dolphin-watching trips, one million were from the United States alone. More recently, other countries and regions such as the Canary Islands and Canada have reached similar volumes. Australia and South Africa are expected to double their numbers from 500,000. (Hoyt, 2001)
This activity has been developed in more than 492 communities with the majority experiencing a real transformation. Dolphin-watching provides important incomes, creates new activities which generate new employment and moreover, constitutes a very useful tool to study marine mammals and marine environments.
Whale and dolphin watching have become an increasingly popular and financially important tourist activity along the East African coast. Currently, dolphin research and conservation efforts are being undertaken in Tanzania (Zanzibar) and Mozambique within the Sustainable Dolphin Tourism in East Africa Project. However, to date, few studies of cetaceans have been undertaken in Kenya and there is an urgent need to initiate research to aid future conservation and management of the species found in Kenyan coastal waters.
A bottlenose dolphin being watched by tourists in the KMMPA
Global Vision International (GVI) Kenya has set up a new project focused on the dolphin-watching activity of Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Protected Area (KMMPA). The objectives of this project are to collect information about the socio-economic impact of tourism operation on the area and to analyze the sustainability of increased levels of human-dolphin interaction. Further, to identify existing problems and to propose constructive changes to respective government institutions that would help boat operators, tour companies, and the local residents in running the activity sustainably. These objectives will in turn add value to the Code of Conduct for KMMPA, developed by Kenya Wildlife Service in 2007.
Aims:
1. Analysis of the socio-economic activity (dolphin-watching) in KMMPA.
2. Impact of tourist dhow boats on the cetacean population.
3. Education and awareness of boat operators and tour guides.
The data will be collected through interviews to tourist, boat operators, hoteliers and local community members in Mkwiro, Shimoni and Wasini. Also, GVI research vessel will assess the impact of this tourism investigating the abundance, distribution and behaviour of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus). Moreover, we will compare sightings and behaviour on different areas and with different levels of tourism activity that will allow us to evaluate the Code of Conduct. And finally, GVI will create awareness and education of local dolphin species and habitats engaging the boat operators and tour guides in different projects so as to promote conservation issues.
References:
Hoyt, E. 1995. The Worldwide Value and Extent of Whale Watching: 1995. Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, Bath, UK. pp. 1-36.
Hoyt, E. 1996. Whale watching and community development around the world. Keynote lecture to the International Whale Watching Festa ’96. The International Whale Watching Forum (Japan). Zamami, Okinawa, Japan, 9 Mar. 1996.
Hoyt, E. 2001. Whale watching 2001: Worldwide tourism numbers, expenditures and expanding socioeconomic benefits. International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth Port, MA, USA, pp. i –vi; 1-158.
Tags: , abundance, Antarctica, Australia, behaviour, boat operators, California, Canada, Canary Islands, cetaceans, coastal areas, code of conduct, commercial observation, conservation efforts, constructive changes, distribution, dolphin research, dolphin-watching, East African Coast, emergent business, financially important, generate new employment, Global Vision International, government institutions, habitat, Hong Kong, human-dolphin interaction, Iceland, important incomes, indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenyan coastal waters, local residents, marine environments, marine mammals, mkwiro, Mozambique, new activities, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, platform, real transformation, research vessel, San Diego, shimoni, socio-economic impact of tourism, South Africa, spectacular growth, sustainability, Sustainable Dolphin Tourism in East Africa Project, Tanzania, Tonga, tour companies, tourist activity, United States, useful tool, Wasini, whale watching, Zanzibar
Mysteries Of Death Remain Unsolved
Category: Kenya Wildlife Service, Shimoni Forest, yellow baboon | Date: Oct 20 2009 | By: gvikenya
Yesterday saw an interesting discovery for us GVI folk here in Shimoni forest. We were at the end of the negative sections of transect 5, innocently conducting a butterfly sweep net survey, when we were stuck with a very intense smell of decay. We spent a good few minutes trying to establish the source, but soon discovered where it was coming from. Tucked away right at the foot of an impressively sized baobab tree, lay the semi-decayed corpse of a yellow baboon!
Baboons are a very widespread and successful group, who can be found in most places across sub-Saharan Africa. They are certainly abundant in Kenya, and there is a lively population here in Shimoni. In many places in Africa, they are a bothersome crop pest, and are even listed as vermin in some countries. Here in Shimoni however, the yellow baboon (Papio cynocephalus) are found in the actual forest itself, and are still wild and shy, avoiding humans at all costs and surviving on the fruits of the forest alone. This makes them a fantastic animal to see when in the forest, and a relatively rare one.
This photo shows the whole body in the foetal position, with the left arm out behind its back
So you can imagine our surprise when we stumbled across this poor fellow! Its very difficult to say exactly what happened to it, especially as none of us here are experts in dead bodies or establishing causes of death! There were no obvious injuries or wounds that gave it away (we did look quite closely), although there was a lot of dry blood around the body. It was at the foot of a big baobab, so perhaps it fell out of the tree? It was also right on the edge of a shamba (farm), so the idea of it being killed by a vengeful farmer is not impossible either.
This shot is from the other side, again of most of the body
What did strike us as strange was the apparent lack of scavenging of the body. Almost all the skin was in tact, with none of it appearing to have been eaten. Perhaps it was the location of the body – in the shadow of a big tree – that has allowed it to remain invisible and untouched by the many scavengers in the area.
A closer look at the head
It was a very interesting find; never before have we been allowed such a detailed look at the anatomy of a baboon, yet I fear the mystery of its death will remain unsolved. We will be informing the Kenya Wildlife Service of our find. I am however, going to ask their permission to bury it, and then to keep the skeleton (once it has fully decomposed), as it would be really interesting to have a full baboon skeleton to use as an educational tool. I’m not sure what protocols they have regarding dead animals, so this may not be allowed, but there’s no harm in asking!
If we come to any conclusions about the cause of death, we’ll let you all know!
Tags: abundant, anatomy, baboons, baobab tree, butterfly sweep net survey, cause of death, crop pest, decomposed, dry blood, educational tool, farm, farmer, foetal position, injuries, Kenya, Kenya Wildlife Service, Papio cynocephalus, protocols, scavenging, shamba, shimoni, shy, skeleton, skin, sub_Saharan Africa, vermin, wild, wounds, yellow baboon
Bottlenose Abundance In Kenyan Coastal Waters
Category: Cetacean research, Dolphins, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kisite Mpunguti MPA, bottlenose dolphins | Date: Oct 14 2009 | By: gvikenya
Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Protected Area (KMMPA) lies south of Wasini Island (south-coast of Kenya) and covers an area of 39 square kilometres. The KMMPA includes the National Park surrounding Kisite Island and the Marine Reserve surrounding the Mpunguti islands. The KMMPA and the marine wildlife it contains are an important tourist attraction and, as a result, an important resource for Shimoni and surrounding communities. The islands within the KMMPA are surrounded by coral reefs attracting divers and snorkelers to the area. Almost every day dolphin-watching companies operating from Shimoni travel through Wasini Channel to the KMMPA. These tourist dhows most frequently encounter Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus), and less frequently, Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis).
Global Vision International (GVI) Kenya’s main working partner is the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). The research conducted by GVI is shaped to satisfy the objectives of KWS, so as to assist them towards better management of the area. All data collected thus far is made available to KWS to aid in management plans of the study area. The Marine Programme is supporting KWS to collate data by conducting vessel surveys, which was focus on assessing the bottlenose dolphin abundance on the area, during the initial phase.
After three years of cetacean research in Kisite-Mpunguti MPA, GVI has estimated the absolute abundance of bottlenose dolphins around 122 individuals, being the second biggest population of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in East Africa. The largest population of the species inhabits in Kizimkazi (south-coast of Zanzibar), and holds between 139 and 179 individuals (estimation made by University of Stockholm in 1999-2002).
Photo-id and mark-recapture methods were the methodology used on both studies to get the estimation. Photo-ID refers to the identification of individuals by distinctive features (shape, outline, natural markings and scarring) of their dorsal fins, flanks and flukes. Some scars will be retained through life, whereas others will be added and may fade through life. The depth and severity of the wound will determine the length of time this may be used for identification. These features allow known individuals to be re-sighted. The re-sighting rate can be plotted on a discovery curve, the plateau of which suggests population size. Photo-ID can also be used to determine residency and demographic data such as inter-birth intervals, patterns of ranging and mortality.
Mark-recapture methods are used to calculate population size from the proportion of known individuals re-sighted over the study period. Mark-recapture models estimate only the size of marked individuals in the population. Therefore, the total population size has been corrected by the correction factor.
Kenya Wildlife Service applied a code of conduct in 2007 for the tour operators to follow when manoeuvring around the cetacean species; unfortunately it is not being fully adhered to as it has only recently been implemented. The levels of interaction between cetaceans and the tour operators are not being monitored or regulated in any way. The impact these activities may be having is unknown. In particular, it’s not known whether current levels of dolphin tourism are sustainable for the area. The first estimation of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in KMMPA will allow GVI and KWS to measure the levels of tourism impacts, analysing the population dynamics of this species.
Tags: absolute abundance, coral reefs, correction factor, demographic data, depth, divers, dorsal fin, identification, Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, inter-birth intervals, Kenya, Kenya Wildlife Service, kisite island, marine programme, marine reserve, mark-recapture, mpunguti island, national park, photo-ID, severity, shimoni, snorkellers, south coast, surveys, University of Stockholm, wasini channel, wasini island
Circumnavigating Shimoni Forest
Category: Coastal Forest, Colobus, Primate Research, Primate census, Shimoni Forest | Date: Aug 24 2009 | By: gvikenya
About two weeks ago I wrote a few blogs about the colobus census we conducted in Shimoni east forest, for a masters dissertation. Marta, who has been with us for almost 10 weeks, is doing a masters degree in environmental modeling, monitoring and reconstruction. The aim of her dissertation is to assess the effects of forest fragmentation on the distribution of the rare subspecies of Angolan black and white colobus.
The main bulk of her practical work was the census, which we successfully conducted a few weeks ago. To go hand in hand with that, and to provide the information she will need to utilise GIS mapping systems, we needed to get the GPS coordinates of the entire circumference of the forest. It turned out to be a far more challenging task than we imagined…
Myself and Marta spent two days traversing the perimeter of the forest on foot, with out hand-held GPS recording coordinates every 10 seconds. We started at the southern most point, and walked (vaguely) north-east, following the edge that borders Shimoni village, and ended at the very top of the forest, beyond the village of Anziwani. It was enormously challenging! The main reasons were because the edge of the forest is marked by very thick, very dense new growth, shrubs, thorns and thickets! We were very glad to have a sharp panga (machete) with us. The other main reason was because we are just coming out of the main rainy season, everything was green, thick and overgrown, and actually distinguishing between the technical forest edge, and the new growth and sporadic pockets of trees, was nearly impossible.
One of the easier sections… There was actually a path!
It was an adventure though, and we both got back at the end of each day with scratches and bruises galore and very tired legs, but content in the knowledge that once her dissertation is complete, it will be an invaluable source and tool, in the fight to highlight the damage being done to this beautiful coastal forest, and home to these charismatic primates.
Tags: anziwani, Colobus, dissertation, forest edge, masters, modelling, monitoring, reconstruction, shimoni, Shimoni Forest, university
Bushbaby Returns
Category: bush baby | Date: Jun 12 2009 | By: gvikenya
Hi there, a while ago we were blogging about our midnight feasters… up to 3 bushbabies that climbed through our kitchen window under the cover of darkness to share our bananas! One of them was missing one his front legs which may be why he was such a common visitor for some easy pickings, but remained agile enough to leap around the kitchen with banana in mouth - he or she (they move too quick to be able to work out!) was named Yardy after a few suggestions… three feet in a yard!
However since March they had been notable by their absence and we were beginnig to wonder what had happened to them, hoping it was simply that with the arrival of the rains they were finding their food easily enough elsewhere. Bushbabies, in our case the small-eared galago, are nocturnal foragers of gums, flowers, seeds, fruits and insects so they have a diverse menu to choose from. They are also a little partial to alcohol, or at least fermenting fruits, and where I worked in Tanzania before, the swahili phrase ‘kama komba’ (like a bushbaby) was the local equivalent of ‘pissed as a newt’… a term for someone who it a little too drunk!
Anyway, the pleasing news for us at least, is that over the last few nights one of the bushbabies has been back to supplement its diet with our bananas and we don’t mind one bit! No confirmed sightings of Yardy yet, but we’ll be keeping a close eye on our kitchen window before bedtime once again, and will be sure to let you know!
Environmental Education For Shimoni School Kids
Category: Coastal Forest, Environmental Education, Shimoni Forest | Date: Jun 11 2009 | By: gvikenya
These last few weeks have seen an exciting new development for GVI’s forest team here in Kenya. For one day a week we’ve decided to swap our boots and compasses for chalk and lesson plans!
Over the last few months, GVI has started working more and more with the Shimoni Base Academy, a new school tucked away in Shimoni village. It is part funded by private donations, which allows the fees for children from poorer families to be subsidised. One thing that shocked us was the revelation that the children at Base Academy were not being taught science at school. It seemed like such a shame that these children were living right on the edge of one of the most important habitats for biodiversity and endemism in the world – Shimoni’s Coastal Forest.
And as we are conducting research in the forest, and know it rather well, we thought that dedicating an hour a week to environmental education based around the forest they live next to, could have a massive impact on the children and in turn could help to protect the forest in the future.
We spoke to a few of the children and discovered they knew very little about the forest, and didn’t even know what animals lived there. So we created a short-term syllabus to kick things off, starting with a basic introduction to forests in general, and the important roles they play in things such as the water cycle and preventing soil erosion.
We then led onto why Shimoni Forest in particular was so important, touching on its role as a international biodiversity hotspot, how it protects the in-shore coral reefs and its capacity as a vital natural resource. After that we moved onto the animals of Shimoni forest (the lesson we think they enjoyed the most!) including the threatened population of the sub-species of Angolan black and white colobus, and the rare Zanj elephant shrew. The lesson planned for this week will be based on the consequences of Shimon Forest disappearing. Hopefully this will highlight to the kids the importance of the forest in every aspect of their lives, now they are more aware of what it gives them! The overlying theme for our environmental education lessons is going to be instilling a sense of pride in Shimoni Forest, which is actually their forest, so that they will go away with a better understanding of its role in their lives, and their role in its safe keeping.
Marine Research Through the Eyes of a Naval Officer
Category: Cetacean research, Dolphins, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kisite Mpunguti MPA, Turtles | Date: Apr 27 2009 | By: gvikenya
Jon “JR” Olson is a U.S Naval Attache based in Helsinki. He has come to the south coast of kenya for two weeks to join GVI in its marine research project in the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Protected Area. He has kindly written this blog about his first day as part of the research team.
The 0530 alarm went off next to my head and, at first, I forgot where I was. Then, the heat and humidity of the early Kenyan coastal morning kicked in as I peeled off the sheet from my sweating body. While some would be put off by this rather uncomfortable fact, I, personally, felt exhilarated as this was to be my first official day working as a member of the dolphin research project in the Kisite Mpunguti Marine Protected Area.
By 0600 I was showered, had organized by personal snorkel gear, camera, sunscreen, some additional clothes, etc, and was in the kitchen eating a quick breakfast. I was the new guy and had to prove to the GVI veterans I could contribute to this project. Contribution started with me helping to fix breakfast, cleaning up the kitchen area afterwards, packing the equipment for the day, etc. By 0630 our group of nine people was hauling the gear down to the water and loading up SQUIRREL, our shuttle boat. A few minutes later we were motoring our way across the Wasini Channel bound for Shimoni Village and our moored research boat known as BARDAN. After transferring our gear to BARDAN, we got underway on our search for dolphins and other marine life.
Within minutes of starting out, we spotted our first pod of bottlenose dolphins, right in the middle of the Wasini Channel. We spent 45 minutes following a pod of seven dolphins as they transited west down the channel. We took dozens of photographs, logged the entire event, and ended the sighting around 0745. BARDAN then turned east and we headed out into deeper water destined for Kisite Island by way of Funzi Bay. We motored slowly under cloudy skies, which, on this particular morning, considering my still pasty white flesh, was OK with me. The conditions were absolutely perfect for searching the seas for pods of dolphin and other marine species. And, as luck would have it, while transiting south from Funzi Bay, we spooked a large surfacing turtle which promptly inhaled deeply and rapidly dove back into the deep.
Photograph showing a bottlenose dolphin feeding on a turtle
Some two hours after we departed Shimoni, we arrived in the channel area of the Kisite Mpunguti islands. It was not long before we spotted a small group of tourist dive boats and we set course for those boats as it was likely they would be accompanied by some type of marine life. Once again, we were lucky and as we arrived in the vicinity of the tourist boats, we spotted a number of pairs of bottlenose dolphins, all of them engaged in socializing behaviors, and possibly some feeding. We tracked these pairs of dolphins using cameras, the event and sighting logs, and maintained contact for approximately 30 minutes. The dolphins then disappeared and we began making our way toward our snorkeling destination near Kisite Island where we would snorkel a defined path, known as a transect, in search of more turtles.
Once in the water, which, to me, feels like bath water because it is so warm, we started our transect and were not disappointed after sighting three turtles, two of which we were able to specifically classify as Green Turtles.
A bottlenose dolphin with scars that are believed to be the result of a shark attack
Once back in the boat at the end of our snorkel phase, we logged the information on the turtles in the Mega Fauna log and then proceeded back to the northeast, heading back to base for lunch and afternoon of data entry into the computers and some time spent correlating dolphin photos with individual dolphins. It was amazing to me to see the truly distinctive dorsal fin marks on each of the local, or resident, bottlenose dolphins listed in the photographic data base. After expert tutelage by GVI intern Karen, I was able to quickly identify a number of dolphins in the data base with photos taken by other research teams, providing much needed data for GVI to inform the Kenya Wildlife Service about key aspects of dolphin behavior. This information will allow KWS to develop better policies for protecting the Marine Protected Area, which will, in turn, protect the bottlenose dolphins habitat.
As I finish this blog, I realize it is almost 10PM and I have to get up again shortly after 0500 tomorrow morning. I get to do it all over again! I can’t wait!
Tags: bottlenose dolphin, Cetacean research, funzi, green turtle, kisite mpunguti marine protected area, marine protected areas, mkwiro, shimoni, turtle
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