Latest news with #marineBiologist
Malay Mail
08-07-2025
- Science
- Malay Mail
Whales, dolphins and dugongs live in Malaysian waters — here's why they need protection
KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — Do whales, dolphins and dugongs really exist in Malaysian waters? Yes, they do — and they're not just passing through. They live here, said marine biologist and scientific officer at MareCet Research Organisation, Vivian Kuit. Partially debunking the belief that such marine mammals only exist abroad or in cold climates, Kuit said the species found in Malaysia are not migratory strays but permanent residents. 'In fact, there are 27 species of marine mammals recorded in Malaysian waters. Among them are Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, Indo-Pacific finless porpoises, spinner dolphins, dugongs, long-beaked common dolphins, Irrawaddy dolphins, Bryde's whales and Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins,' she told Malay Mail in a recent interview. 'The coastal waters in different states have different species. In Perak, for example, we've recorded four species, excluding Bryde's whales and dugongs. 'Dugongs, for instance, only eat seagrass, so they rely on habitats where there are large patches of it. 'Whales are usually spotted more offshore — like in Langkawi, Bryde's whales are quite common. But if you ask any fisherman, they'll say 'I just saw dolphins last week',' she said. According to Kuit, for those who spend a lot of time at sea, seeing dolphins and other marine mammals is a common occurrence. However, awareness of their presence in local waters remains low — and this lack of awareness contributes to injuries and deaths among the species, particularly from fishing activities. Vivian Kuit, marine biologist and scientific officer at MareCet Marine Mammal Research and Conservation, during an interview in Kuala Lumpur. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa Why dolphins matter The most commonly seen marine mammals in Malaysian waters are dolphins — and they are among the most threatened by human activity. Why does it matter whether they are dead or alive? Aside from being charismatic creatures, dolphins are top predators, said Kuit. That means they play a crucial role in regulating the marine food web. 'They regulate fish populations. For example, dolphins usually catch weaker fish that can't swim as fast, which helps maintain stronger genetics in the fish population and improves the balance of the ecosystem,' she said. 'Beyond that, dolphins are indicator species. If you've been seeing dolphins in an area regularly and suddenly you don't anymore, it can signal environmental problems such as pollution or overfishing. 'If I told you a small plankton is missing, you wouldn't notice. But if villagers who've seen dolphins since childhood suddenly don't see them anymore, that's usually a clear sign something's wrong in the ecosystem,' she said. When dolphins are caught in fishing nets Kuit said that fishermen sometimes catch more than just fish in their nets — especially when entanglement, or bycatch, occurs. Bycatch is one of the deadliest threats to dolphins in Malaysia and globally. It happens when marine mammals and fishing activity overlap in the same waters. 'In Kuala Sepetang, Perak, for example, fishermen use drift nets — a kind of net that drifts with the tide. 'That area is also frequented by Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. When they overlap with these nets, that's when bycatch is most likely to happen,' she explained. When MareCet started its studies in 2013, there was very little data on marine mammals in Malaysia. But it quickly became clear that bycatch was a major threat, prompting the organisation to apply for and receive a grant from Yayasan Hasanah in 2023. 'With that, we launched our bycatch mitigation project — equipping fishermen with acoustic pingers for their nets to reduce bycatch and depredation,' she said. Depredation refers to dolphins taking fish from the net to eat. 'Sometimes, they don't realise there's a net in front of them, and when they go after the fish, they get entangled. 'Once entangled, they may panic and roll, which worsens the entanglement. Their tails might get caught, and since marine mammals need to surface to breathe, they can drown if they can't reach the surface in time,' Kuit said. She recalled witnessing a live bycatch incident in which a fisherman tried to release a dolphin trapped in his net. 'It's actually very difficult to release an animal when it's panicking. The dolphin was bleeding from the net. That experience was what motivated us to work with fishermen so they can fish without harming dolphins,' she said. Fortunately, Kuit said most local fishermen don't want entanglements either. 'In some countries, fishermen view dolphins as competition. But here in Perak, for instance, some believe that if a dolphin gets caught in your net, it's bad luck and the net won't catch fish anymore. 'In general, they're happy to see dolphins. To them, if the dolphins are happy, they're happy too,' she said. An Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin spotted during fieldwork in Kuala Sepetang, Perak, as part of MareCet's bycatch mitigation project with local fishers. — Picture courtesy of MareCet Research Organisation Fishing sustainably with acoustic pingers The solution MareCet promotes is the use of acoustic pingers — small devices that emit sounds to warn dolphins away from fishing nets. Shaped like bananas, the devices are also called 'banana pingers'. 'These devices emit a ping in the water that dolphins can hear, but other animals can't. Dolphins have a very high hearing frequency — while humans hear up to 20,000 kilohertz, dolphins can hear up to 50,000 kilohertz,' she explained. 'With the Yayasan Hasanah grant, we were able to purchase pingers and distribute them to fishers who joined our project. 'These pingers are available overseas, but not locally. They cost about RM400 each. As long as they don't get flooded inside, they last a long time, and they run on regular batteries,' she said. A fisherman in Kuala Sepetang, Perak, fastening an acoustic pinger to his fishing net as part of MareCet's bycatch mitigation project supported by Yayasan Hasanah. — Picture courtesy of Yayasan Hasanah What's next for MareCet? Kuit said the pilot bycatch mitigation project began in Perak, but MareCet now hopes to expand it to other areas, including Selangor. 'Bycatch is the biggest threat to marine mammals globally. The three species most commonly found in Perak — the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, Irrawaddy dolphins and Indo-Pacific finless porpoises — are also among the world's top 10 most bycaught marine mammals. 'So we hope to expand this to any state where fishers need these pingers,' she said. Kuit's interest in dolphins and marine conservation began as part of her PhD in marine biology, which focused on the ecology of dolphins in Perak. 'I'm from Sandakan, Sabah. I only snorkelled for the first time when I was 17. The moment I went underwater, I was amazed — it was so different, so vibrant. That's when I got hooked on studying marine life,' she said. MareCet hopes that acoustic pingers will eventually become more accessible in Malaysia. 'Nobody else is doing bycatch mitigation work here, unlike in many countries abroad. That's why with Yayasan Hasanah's funding, we're collecting data and presenting it to the Department of Fisheries Malaysia,' she added. According to MareCet's data, each fisher typically experiences one bycatch incident every two to three years. 'Since the project started, fishers have reported no bycatch, and their fish catch has increased by 30 per cent. 'Depredation by dolphins has also reduced by 70 per cent. 'On average, for every 24 fishers, you'd get at least one bycatch case every two to three years — which means about eight incidents a year,' Kuit said.
The Guardian
30-06-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
I'm obsessed with brittle stars: fish often nip off bits of their arms but they regenerate
Brittle stars have a lot of remarkable features as a species. Many of them are bioluminescent and can flash blue light; some will have patterns and do displays. These slender relatives of starfish can be very beautiful to look at and come in a range of colours – in the tropics, for example, they can be red, black or orange. And they've got spines all over them, so they can look quite ornate. They can also regenerate. Fish and other creatures will often nip off bits of their arms – known as sublethal predation – so they are constantly regenerating themselves. You can even break off all their arms, and sometimes even half the disc, and the brittle star will still regenerate. Brittle stars have the same radial symmetry and five arms as starfish but their arms are much thinner and can be 60cm long, depending on the species. People talk about the blue planet but I think of Earth as the brown planet, because most of the Earth's environment is the sea floor. It measures 361m sq km (140m sq miles) and is full of sediment – and where there is sediment, there are often brittle stars. In total, there are about 2,000 species of brittle stars and about half of these live at depths of more than 200 metres. As part of the Convex Seascape Survey, I have studied brittle stars all over the world. A lot rest on rocks or on the sediment surface, but my favourite species is the Amphiura filiformis, a burrowing brittle star found around British shores. Its centre disc is typically only 5mm wide and it's extremely numerous – in a 1 sq metre area, you can find up to 3,000 individuals of that species alone. It is my favourite species because it constantly turns over the environment and changes it, and you can see that happening in front of you; you can see the brittle star moving particles around and making mounds on the surface, injecting oxygen into the sediment, and breaking down the detritus that has fallen to the sea floor. When brittle stars such as Amphiura come up to the surface of the seabed, they put their arms up to catch particles passing by with the current. When currents become too slow or too fast, they will retract back down into their burrows and feed on the deposits by moving the particles down their arm to their mouth. I was the first scientist to obtain time-lapse footage of a population of burrowing brittle stars doing this. Nobody had seen their activities below, and I was struck by how active they were and how organised the population was, each at the same depth and neatly spaced apart like a row of soldiers. Brittle stars are essentially scavengers – they will eat particles of anything that is organic, including faecal pellets, the remains of dead fish that have fallen to the bottom of the ocean, and algae. They are extremely efficient in that way – they take in everything that is given to them. But since pollution settles at the bottom of the ocean and gets locked into the sediment, they are also very vulnerable. They are not like fish that can swim away; they are stuck in the sediment, they have to absorb it. When it comes to the climate crisis, brittle stars are the canary in the coalmine because their skeleton is made up of calcium carbonate: limestone, essentially. As temperatures warm and ocean acidification starts to spread, they are literally dissolving. They are also a keystone species. Like elephants in the savanna that knock trees down, which allows the grass to grow, they are constantly modifying their environment and making it more benign for other species. Because they do this so well and so efficiently, their presence alone enhances sea-floor biodiversity. Over the last half a billion years, we have gone through a huge diversification of life and brittle stars played a significant role in that. And they continue to have a significant role to play. So my hope is that one day we will recognise how vital these charismatic organisms are and put measures in place to protect them. As told to Donna Ferguson Martin Solan is a professor of marine biology at the University of Southampton
The Guardian
30-06-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
I'm obsessed with brittle stars: fish often nip off bits of their arms but they regenerate
Brittle stars have a lot of remarkable features as a species. Many of them are bioluminescent and can flash blue light; some will have patterns and do displays. These slender relatives of starfish can be very beautiful to look at and come in a range of colours – in the tropics, for example, they can be red, black or orange. And they've got spines all over them, so they can look quite ornate. They can also regenerate. Fish and other creatures will often nip off bits of their arms – known as sublethal predation – so they are constantly regenerating themselves. You can even break off all their arms, and sometimes even half the disc, and the brittle star will still regenerate. Brittle stars have the same radial symmetry and five arms as starfish but their arms are much thinner and can be 60cm long, depending on the species. People talk about the blue planet but I think of Earth as the brown planet, because most of the Earth's environment is the sea floor. It measures 361m sq km (140m sq miles) and is full of sediment – and where there is sediment, there are often brittle stars. In total, there are about 2,000 species of brittle stars and about half of these live at depths of more than 200 metres. As part of the Convex Seascape Survey, I have studied brittle stars all over the world. A lot rest on rocks or on the sediment surface, but my favourite species is the Amphiura filiformis, a burrowing brittle star found around British shores. Its centre disc is typically only 5mm wide and it's extremely numerous – in a 1 sq metre area, you can find up to 3,000 individuals of that species alone. It is my favourite species because it constantly turns over the environment and changes it, and you can see that happening in front of you; you can see the brittle star moving particles around and making mounds on the surface, injecting oxygen into the sediment, and breaking down the detritus that has fallen to the sea floor. When brittle stars such as Amphiura come up to the surface of the seabed, they put their arms up to catch particles passing by with the current. When currents become too slow or too fast, they will retract back down into their burrows and feed on the deposits by moving the particles down their arm to their mouth. I was the first scientist to obtain time-lapse footage of a population of burrowing brittle stars doing this. Nobody had seen their activities below, and I was struck by how active they were and how organised the population was, each at the same depth and neatly spaced apart like a row of soldiers. Brittle stars are essentially scavengers – they will eat particles of anything that is organic, including faecal pellets, the remains of dead fish that have fallen to the bottom of the ocean, and algae. They are extremely efficient in that way – they take in everything that is given to them. But since pollution settles at the bottom of the ocean and gets locked into the sediment, they are also very vulnerable. They are not like fish that can swim away; they are stuck in the sediment, they have to absorb it. When it comes to the climate crisis, brittle stars are the canary in the coalmine because their skeleton is made up of calcium carbonate: limestone, essentially. As temperatures warm and ocean acidification starts to spread, they are literally dissolving. They are also a keystone species. Like elephants in the savanna that knock trees down, which allows the grass to grow, they are constantly modifying their environment and making it more benign for other species. Because they do this so well and so efficiently, their presence alone enhances sea-floor biodiversity. Over the last half a billion years, we have gone through a huge diversification of life and brittle stars played a significant role in that. And they continue to have a significant role to play. So my hope is that one day we will recognise how vital these charismatic organisms are and put measures in place to protect them. As told to Donna Ferguson Martin Solan is a professor of marine biology at the University of Southampton
Sustainability Times
29-06-2025
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'Thousands of Giant Eggs Found': Underwater Volcano Unleashes Terrifying Discovery That Has Marine Scientists in Total Shock
IN A NUTSHELL 🌋 An active underwater volcano near Vancouver Island revealed thousands of giant eggs from the elusive Pacific white skate . . 🔥 The volcanic warmth acts as a natural incubator, speeding up the four-year gestation period of these massive eggs . . 🐟 Adult Pacific white skates grow up to 6.5 feet long, highlighting their adaptation to the cold, deep ocean. long, highlighting their adaptation to the cold, deep ocean. 🌿 This discovery underscores the need to conserve these unique volcanic habitats crucial for marine biodiversity. The vast and mysterious ocean depths have long intrigued scientists and adventurers alike. A recent discovery near Vancouver Island, Canada, has unveiled a breathtaking secret hidden beneath the waves. An active underwater volcano has revealed thousands of giant eggs belonging to the elusive Pacific white skate, a species that thrives in the cold, deep waters of the Pacific Ocean. This remarkable find offers a unique glimpse into the life cycles of deep-sea creatures, highlighting the intricate relationships between geological and biological processes. As researchers delve deeper into this phenomenon, they uncover astonishing insights into marine biodiversity and the role of volcanic habitats in supporting life. The Astonishing Revelation of an Active Underwater Volcano The underwater volcano off the coast of Vancouver Island, once thought to be dormant, came to life during a 2019 expedition led by marine biologist Cherisse Du Preez. This seamount rises approximately 3,600 feet from the ocean floor and is situated roughly 4,900 to 5,200 feet beneath the surface. The expedition revealed that the volcano's geothermal activity emits warm, mineral-rich waters, creating a rich and diverse marine ecosystem. This warmth acts as a natural incubator for the giant eggs, which span 18 to 20 inches in width and require an extended gestation period of four years. This unique environment accelerates the development of young Pacific white skates, giving them a vital advantage in the harsh conditions of the deep sea. The interaction between the volcano and marine life demonstrates the profound influence geological features can have on biological processes. The discovery underscores the importance of underwater volcanic habitats in the life cycles of marine species, offering new perspectives on the delicate balance of ocean ecosystems. 'Lost for 62 Years Then Found Alive': Ultra-Rare Egg-Laying Mammal Resurfaces in Remote Indonesian Rainforest Against All Odds Unique Traits of the Pacific White Skate The Pacific white skate, known scientifically as Bathyraja spinosissima, is a remarkable species adapted to the depths of the Pacific Ocean. These skates inhabit cold waters at depths ranging from 2,600 to 9,500 feet, where they have evolved unique characteristics to survive. Females lay large eggs, investing significant energy to provide essential nutrients for their offspring, a phenomenon known as marine gigantism. Adult skates can reach lengths of up to 6.5 feet, showcasing their adaptation to the extreme conditions of their environment. The volcanic warmth creates an ideal nursery for juvenile skates, described by Cherisse Du Preez as resembling 'almost a coral garden.' This nurturing environment allows young skates to grow and develop before venturing into deeper waters. The discovery near Vancouver Island echoes similar findings near the Galápagos Islands, where volcanic heat was found to aid in the incubation of marine species. These observations highlight the critical role of volcanic habitats in the early stages of marine life. 'Earth Is Being Poisoned From Below': Microplastics Found in Earthworms Threaten Crops, Food Chains, and Human Survival Implications for Marine Research and Biodiversity The active underwater volcano near Vancouver Island serves as a natural laboratory for studying the complexities of marine ecosystems. The geothermal warmth supports a unique biodiversity, offering scientists a rare opportunity to explore how these environments affect marine life development. The discovery of giant eggs in this volcanic setting suggests that underwater volcanic activity may have a more significant impact on marine life cycles than previously thought. A follow-up expedition in 2023 witnessed a Pacific white skate laying an egg at the site, providing valuable insights into the reproductive behaviors of this mysterious species. The presence of multiple species utilizing the volcano as a nursery underscores the broader ecological significance of these habitats. This finding emphasizes the need for ongoing research to better understand the intricate dynamics of ocean ecosystems and their inhabitants. 'Predator Found at 26,000 Feet': Scientists Discover First-Ever Hunter Living in the Abyss of an 8,000-Meter Ocean Trench The Future of Oceanic Exploration and Conservation As we deepen our understanding of underwater ecosystems, the importance of conservation efforts becomes increasingly clear. The discovery of the Pacific white skate's breeding ground within an active volcano highlights the necessity of protecting these fragile environments. With climate change impacting ocean temperatures and ecosystems, preserving these unique habitats is more crucial than ever. Collaboration between researchers and conservationists is essential to ensure the sustainability of these ecosystems, which serve as vital sanctuaries for marine life. Future explorations may reveal even more hidden wonders of the deep, challenging us to reevaluate our relationship with the ocean. What other mysteries lie beneath the waves, waiting to be discovered? Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.6/5 (25)
Washington Post
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
‘Jaws' made people fear sharks. 50 years later, can it help save them?
When 'Jaws' debuted in U.S. theaters 50 years ago today, it helped launch a new era in American movies. Steven Spielberg's blockbuster about a bloodthirsty great white terrorizing a beach town also stoked fear and fascination, exacting a toll on sharks. After 450 million years of evolutionary history, shark populations are collapsing, and more than a third of shark species and their relatives face extinction. Now scientists are trying to use the lure of 'Jaws' to advance shark conservation efforts. With the exception of surfers and fishermen, people 'didn't think about sharks much' 50 years ago, said David Shiffman, a marine conservation biologist at Arizona State University. But after 'Jaws' was released, many summer beachgoers began to worry about sharks, even though attacks on humans are rare. Last year, there were 28 confirmed unprovoked bites in the United States — and only 47 worldwide. This excessive fear of sharks was termed the 'Jaws effect' and helped fuel a surge in shark-fishing competitions — especially targeting white sharks. Although sportfishing posed a threat to sharks, Shiffman said the most significant impact of 'Jaws' was more indirect. When the film came out, industrial fishing was just beginning to ramp up, and the risks posed to shark populations by commercial fisheries have become clear over time. 'Unsustainable fishing practices are the single largest threat to marine biodiversity, including but not limited to sharks, more so than climate change, more so than plastic pollution, more so than oil spills,' Shiffman said. Following the release of 'Jaws,' efforts to protect sharks lost traction. The lack of movement to curb indiscriminate fishing techniques or take specific action to prevent the targeting of sharks for their fins and meat led to sharp declines in global shark populations. An estimated 100 million sharks are killed each year, according to studies, and the global number of oceanic sharks and rays has declined by 71 percent since 1970. 'We know over the last 50 years, in the period really since 'Jaws' came out, that shark populations worldwide have been absolutely smashed by fishing,' said Colin Simpfendorfer, a shark fisheries researcher at James Cook University in Australia. 'We didn't do a lot about it because a lot of people thought sharks were bad and getting rid of them was probably a good thing.' In 2022, Congress attempted to address the issue of shark finning — the practice of chopping the valuable fins off live sharks and dumping their bodies overboard. But banning finning in the United States has had little effect on the practice in international waters, especially in Asia, where the fins are prized as the main ingredient in shark fin soup. Studies have shown that bans on finning have been largely unsuccessful as long as the sale of shark meat remains legal. The European Union restricts the trade in shark fins, and the 2022 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora expanded protections for 97 shark species and further restricted the international shark trade, but effective enforcement remains a challenge. Citizen-led efforts across the world have gained momentum, including the launch of the Asian Shark and Ray Alliance this year to drive conservation across the continent. An increase in dive tourism has also spurred protection efforts in Southeast Asian nations like the Maldives and Indonesia. For endangered sharks, it's a race against time to gather information that might help save them. And while 'Jaws' might have contributed to the harms of unsustainable fishing practices, researchers and conservationists are now attempting to use the film to further scientific understanding and influence public policy. 'It created a fascination with sharks, and people began to realize we don't know that much about them, and a huge amount of research has happened on sharks and exploration of their lives in the last 50 years,' said Steve Palumbi, a marine biologist at Stanford University. Wendy Benchley, a conservation advocate and widow of author Peter Benchley, who wrote the novel on which 'Jaws' is based, said the enthusiasm generated by the film has been a powerful tool. 'Thousands of people around the world wrote letters to Peter saying, 'Oh I'm just riveted by sharks, I can't wait to learn more,' ' Benchley said. ' 'Jaws' has, and I have, been working on this for 50 years. So this moment is important because people are concentrating on sharks and on 'Jaws.' ' This interest has driven scientific advances that enabled researchers to study sharks' responses to pollution, stress and environmental change. The key to that research can be found in sharks' jaws: their teeth. Shark teeth, which are replaced every few weeks, can number in the thousands over a shark's lifetime. The chemical makeup of the teeth can reveal information about the environment the sharks lived in. And increasingly, their accumulation — or absence — is helping track how human activity has reshaped ocean life. 'There's been some really interesting work to reconstruct the population of sharks to understand exactly when human populations start to really affect sharks, and how dramatic that effect has been,' Simpfendorfer said. Recent studies have also confirmed sharks' importance to maintaining coastal food ecosystems, with significant human implications. 'Understanding the role they play in ecosystems is a powerful argument for understanding why we should protect them,' Shiffman said. 'We want healthy food chains off our coasts because they provide billions of humans with food and tens of millions of humans with jobs. And to have a healthy food chain, you need a healthy top of the food chain.' Yet as shark populations hurtle toward extinction, the perception issue persists. Other apex predators such as tigers, polar bears and lions have benefited from forceful worldwide conservation campaigns that have translated into legal protections. But sharks haven't received the same degree of attention. 'Jaws' has already given white sharks a much-needed boost, and conservationists are hoping this will translate to other species. 'Great white sharks are actually one of the best studied and best protected species of sharks, and that is in no small part because of the fascination from 'Jaws,' ' Shiffman said. 'There are many other species that are doing much, much worse. There are many shark species that don't have five scientific papers about them.' In the United States, some researchers are noticing a greater harmony between the public and sharks. 'Over the last five to eight years, more and more sharks have been hanging around the beaches of Cape Cod,' Palumbi said. 'It's led to more people realizing that they have to give way, that they have to share space with white sharks, and that means moving someplace else to swim, not going to places that the white sharks are hunting.' John Baker, president and chief program officer at WildAid, a conservation group, is hoping this trend will continue. 'With the spotlight back on 'Jaws' after 50 years, we kind of need to elevate the image of sharks as the 'polar bear of the ocean,' ' Baker said.
