BY PUA WEN XIN AND SHIRRI GANAESH MURUGAN
MALAYSIA, as one of the 12 most megadiverse nations in the world, is home to dolphins.
Professor Dr Zulqarnain Mohamed, Dean of the Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya (UM) is part of a research team to study dolphin populations in Malaysia.
Speaking to The Petri Dish recently, he said that a decline in the dolphin population was first noticed when local tour operators struggled to meet tourism demands – as dolphin sightings became rare.
He said extinction is a natural process that will be compensated by the emergence of newer species by speciation.
“However, the current extinction rate is about four or five times higher than usual, which disrupts the balance of our ecosystem,” he said.
Joining forces with experts from Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), and First Institute of Oceanography, China, the team studied the endangered dolphin population structure in two areas: the Brunei Bay on the northwestern coast of Borneo Island and Kuala Sepetang, in Perak. [ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”block” ihc_mb_who=”unreg” ihc_mb_template=”3″ ]
As a geneticist, Zulqarnain applied molecular genetic analysis as a conservation tool in enumerating the actual numbers of the dolphin population.
The technique provides good resolution in species identification, which is more effective than conventional photographic identification methods.
“But it was still tedious as we only could tag one dolphin every 25 hours,” he said.
“We recently employed environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis to study the genetic diversity of the dolphins.
“This is a convenient method because we can obtain genetic information of the dolphin population by collecting water samples from the animals’ habitat, which is useful to identify species variation within the area,” explained Zulqarnain.
He said determining population boundaries is essential to conserve biodiversity for a precise species.
According to him, population boundaries occur when a species is living and breeding within the same geographical area.
He explained that these boundaries help scientists and conservationists understand the dynamics of different populations, their interactions, genetic diversity, and how they are distributed in a given ecosystem.
Zulqarnain also cited a research model from Australia that studied population boundaries on a specific dolphin species in four different areas, which were initially believed to come from segregated populations with no interbreeding.
“However, genetic analysis revealed that these populations were more interconnected than previously thought.”
He emphasised that this revelation underscores the importance of defining population boundaries accurately to shape effective conservation strategies.
“Hopefully we can explain the situation to authorities and collaboratively develop better conservation plans,” he added.
He said a conservation plan and biodiversity are closely related because conservation plans are developed to protect and preserve biodiversity.
He also pointed out that genetic diversity is a component of biodiversity, crucial to sustaining a healthy ecosystem.
“Loss of genetic diversity reduces the adaptability and survival rate of a species, which imposes a severe threat towards biodiversity.”
“More data is required to understand the current plight of local dolphins.”
Zulqarnain explained that an ongoing collaboration with the Turtle and Marine Ecosystem Centre (TUMEC) is an effort to expand the genetic database with strandings – which refer to instances where dolphins are found stranded or beached along the coast.
“DNA can be retrieved from stranding animals, enabling researchers to determine the true identity of the species and assess their genetic diversity,” he said.
This information is pivotal for effective conservationand protection of these magnificent marine creatures.
Oftentimes, the stranded animals found were unreported and buried by local fishermen. This is one of the challenges for dolphin conservation-based research.
Zulqarnain expressed his hopes for the establishment of a stranding network. This network could significantly contribute to enhancing knowledge about dolphins and aid in conservation efforts.
“The situation of dolphins remains understudied. Efforts now are still at the research level; we need more people to make a difference with a continued effort.”
“Human activities are a major factor in the population decline. Although unavoidable with development and progression, there must be a balance between the environment and humans,” he added.
He also extended an appeal to the public: “When you go to the beach, do not litter, because dolphins cannot tell the difference between plastic and jellyfish.” [/ihc-hide-content]
