(MY) humpback whale

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2007/07/06-New Straits TImes

Cross-country: Rare sighting of humpback whale

By : Sulok Tawie

 

KUCHING: A humpback whale has been spotted for the first time in

Malaysian waters.

The whale was spotted off Miri's coast on June 24 during an aerial

survey, which also revealed the presence of other whales and dugongs.

 

" The sightings have made us all very excited. I am sure that there are

more mammals which have yet to be discovered and sighted, " Sarawak

Forestry Corporation's (SFC) chief wildlife warden Wilfred Landong

told a press conference yesterday.

 

The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is distinguished by its

dark green colour. The adults are usually between 12 and 16 metres in

length and weigh about 36,000kg.

 

It has a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and

a knobbly head. It is an acrobatic mammal, often breaching and

slapping the water.

The aerial survey was jointly conducted by the SFC, Universiti

Malaysia Sabah and Sabah Wildlife Department.

 

It was conducted between June 29 and yesterday, and covered the waters

off the coasts of Lawas in Limbang Division and Tanjung Datu in

Kuching Division.

 

The survey was supervised by a senior conservation officer with SFC,

Oswald Braken, with UMS lecturer, Dr Saifullah Ariffin Jaaaman, acting

as the technical adviser.

 

" The survey team made 57 sightings, including two yesterday. "

 

Landong said experts were puzzled by the presence of the humpback

whale as it was not normally found in this region.

 

Humpback whales are usually found in the Atlantic Ocean, especially

off California's coast.

 

" We are trying to determine why the humpback whale has turned up here. "

 

Saifullah, who was present at the press conference, said humpback

whales were migratory mammals. He said the other types of whales

sighted by the survey team were three Bryde's whales and three

unidentified whales.

 

On the dugongs, Landong said 13 of them were spotted by the survey

team in three different areas off the coast of Kuala Lawas.

 

Landong explained the area could have a large number of dugongs

because of the large sea grass beds.

 

" We have the largest area of sea grass in Malaysia, spanning over 37km

from Sipitang in Sabah to Lawas in Sarawak.

 

" We need to conduct more aerial surveys on the dugong population, " he

said, adding that dugongs were once thought to be extinct in Sarawak.

 

He said the SFC would submit a proposal to the state government to

turn the area between Kampung Pinang and Bukit Sari into totally

protected areas.

 

Landong appealed to fishermen not to venture into the area as they

might disturb the dugong's habitat.

 

Apart from the whales and dugongs, the survey team also sighted 140

dolphins, nine rays, seven turtles and four large sharks.

 

He said another survey would be conducted possibly next year.