Conservation of Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin of the Jeju Coast Urgently Needed

A four year spanned investigation conducted by Cetacean Research Institute of NFRDI from 2007 through 2010 on common bottlenose dolphin in the coast of Jeju revealed that the dolphins found in the Jeju coast are identified as Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin which is of different species from dolphins spotted in the East and South coast of Korea. The survey results were published on a SCIE journal, Animal Cells and Systems, issue of September 2010.

Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins have longer beak and more slender body shape that common bottlenose dolphins. Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins are measured 2.7 m in the maximum length and 230kg in the maximum weight. The species is distributed in shallow waters in the temperate and tropical waters of Indian and South Pacific Ocean.

Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin is spotted only in the coast of Jeju in Korea and also known to be found in the waters of the South coast of China and the coast of western Kyushu of Japan.

Scientists at Cetacean Research Institute estimated from mutiple photo surveys that the stock of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin consist of 100 individuals, one of the smallest populations of the species in the world.

As for bycatch death, 7 and 6 individuals of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin were reported in 2009 and 2010, respectively, emphasizing urgent need for the conservation.

The institute pointed out that imminent efforts should be made to conserve Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin in the coast of Jeju to pass it down to the next generation. In addition, continued research on habitat and ecology of the species is expected to contribute to opening whale tourism opportunities for the area. To this end, citizen, fishers and government officials of Jeju island should put their hands together to make concerted efforts.