In the light of the frequent cases of whales getting stranded on Maharashtra’s shores, the State Forest Department is planning to set up rescue centres for whales and dolphins in coastal districts.
“We are planning to set up a series of small rescue centres along the coast, one per district and two where the frequency of stranding is more,” N Vasudevan, Chief Conservator-Forest, Mangrove Cell, told The Hindu .
The department had launched a three-phase study on dolphins and finless porpoises two years ago. “During the course of the study, we learnt that blue whales are coming to our coast. Now, we also have solid evidence. The frequency of their stranding is a matter of concern. Right now, we do not have the wherewithal to find out the causes for their stranding. So, there is a need for conservation measures for whales and dolphins,” Mr Vasudevan said.
The proposed rescue centres will be equipped with kits containing basic rescue equipment such as ropes and stretchers. They will have passive acoustic monitoring systems to track the movement, behaviour and communication of dolphins. The centres will also be developed as nodal centres for skill development initiatives for the cell staff; for instance, they will impart training in conducting autopsies.
Over the last four years, there have been six strandings of whales in Maharashtra, the latest one being the rescue of a blue whale in Ratnagiri early this month. This January, a dead Bryde’s whale was washed on Mumbai’s Juhu beach.
Meanwhile, researchers have identified 561 Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins based on their dorsal characteristics in Sindhudurg during 2014 and 2015.
“This figure excludes the juveniles as they cannot be distinguished. The dolphin count could approximately be 650. The population count of dolphins and finless porpoises was never done before. Right now, we are just collecting baseline data,” Mr Vasudevan said.
In the third phase of the study, researchers are checking the recapture rate, which finds out if the dolphins are sighted again, their mortality and new additions to their population.
The department is conducting a national workshop on marine mammals from Thursday to Sunday. The event will host experts from US, UK and Canada, researchers and staff working on whales and marine mammals from different parts of the country and abroad, and veterinarians from the coastal districts of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Pondicherry. The workshop will also include fieldwork in Malwan. “We are building the capacity of our staff and researchers,” Mr Vasudevan said.
