Malaysia: Carcass identified as that of pilot whale

New Straits Times 10 Jan 14;

KUCHING: The carcass of a sea creature that washed ashore at Pasir Panjang in Santubong two weeks ago has been identified as a short-finned pilot whale (globicephalamacrohynchus).

Sarawak Forestry managing director Datuk Ali Yusop said they had confirmed with the National Task Force for Marine Mammal Stranding Network that this was the first discovery of a short-finned pilot whale here.

"The discovery marks the 16th species of marine mammals found in Sarawak."
Earlier, the 3m-long carcass was misidentified as a Bryde's whale (balaenopteraeden) because of the poor-resolution photographs.

The correct identification was made after an examination on the skull by experts from Sarawak Forestry, as well as the Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.

"The species identification was based on the presence of tooth sockets on the upper rostrum of the skull and the number of socket counts.

"The pronounced tooth sockets and wear-and-tear on the rostrum indicate that it was an adult whale," Ali said, adding that the short-finned pilot whale was a marine mammal commonly found in tropical marine waters.

"Although the carcass was too decomposed to determine the cause of death, accidental entanglement in fishing gear is one of the main human-related causes of mortality in marine mammals worldwide."

Ali said they had also examined carcasses of finless porpoises and Irrawaddy dolphins that were trapped in fishing gear here.

"It is important that fishermen know how to respond when they find dolphins trapped in their nets."

All marine mammals are listed as totally protected species under the Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998. The local community, especially those living near water bodies, plays an important role in ensuring the safety of marine mammals.

The Marine Mammals Stranding Network, launched in Sarawak last October, is aimed at providing quick and effective response to rescue stranded or trapped marine mammals and carrying out research on the causes of marine mammal stranding. The task force is also responsible for enhancing public awareness about marine mammal conservation.

The final four of the total 11 Marine Mammal Rescue Zones in Malaysia have been assigned to Sarawak, namely Zone 8 (Kuching, Samarahan and SriAman); Zone 9 (Sibu, Sarikei, Betong and Mukah); Zone 10 (Bintulu and Kapit); and Zone 11 (Miri and Limbang).