Surveying dolphins in Vietnam
Irrawaddy dolphins
The endangered Irrawaddy dolphin is one of the cetacean species that occurs in the UNESCO designated Biosphere Reserve Kien Giang in the Southwest of Vietnam.
The Reserve
The Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve is located in the Southwest of Vietnam adjacent to the Cambodian border.
The reserve features various types of habitat - including lime stone islands and mangroves - and great biodiversity.
Intense fishing pressure in the reserve poses a risk to the cetaceans living there.
Surveying cetaceans
Leading up to my trip to Vietnam this November, I helped my collaborator Long Vu from the University of Science in Ho Chi Minh City to design a survey for cetaceans in the Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve. We aim to use the data to estimate how many cetaceans (and which species) occur in the reserve, identify the areas where they prefer to stay and in which way they use these areas. This information will then be used to inform local authorities and assist them in deciding which areas to protect.
After the workshop in Ho Chi Minh City, we travelled to Kien Giang and conducted the first surveys.
On the first day, we were supported by two members of Marine Conservation Cambodia who study the cetaceans on the Cambodian side in the same bay.
The surveys are sponsored by National Geographic and the EPSRC Impact Acceleration through the University of St Andrews.
Other species in the reserve
These are some of the other animals I saw during my time in Vietnam.