Centered on the tropical Pacific, Oceania is a region with habitat ranging from volcanic islands to coral atolls. It encompasses Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia, along with the insular area that lies between the Americas and Asia. In all, the area covers more than 8,525,989 square kilometers of land and ocean – and not much is known about specific marine life populations in this vast area, which is actually an important spot for conservation activity focusing on biodiversity. Now, Expedition Vanuatu plans to change that by increasing the level of knowledge we have about the dolphins living in the area. Learning more about these cetaceans will help provide a better picture of the region’s marine life, overall.
A Pattern of Dolphins
Viewed from space, Oceania is what puts the word “blue” in the description “blue planet.” Dotted with thousands of vibrant green islands, it is home to local pods of dolphins that tend to show a strong level of attachment to specific sites, rather than displaying typical nomadic behavior exhibited among most of the word’s migratory dolphins. In adapting to specific environments, these dolphins have become genetically differentiated, with communities interbreeding and socializing in other ways, depending on such factors as water depth and availability of escape routes. These dolphins exhibit varied patterns of behavior, which researchers describe as separate cultures – much like various human cultures have similarities and differences, so do these cetacean communities. A large-scale project, aptly named “A Pattern of Dolphins (aPOD) is working to study dolphin genetics in Oceania.
Since Oceania is too large an area to adequately focus on within the limited scope of a single study, Expedition Vaunatu formed as a way to study localized dolphin populations, partly as a method for establishing a framework for comparative analysis, and partly as a model for future studies. This expedition is valuable for many reasons:
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Science has relatively little solid information about Vanuatu’s marine mammals, so this study will prove valuable as a tool for enhancing local knowledge and increasing important conservation action.
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Vanuatu’s centralized position makes it the ideal location for studying cetaceans. Once the study is well underway, researchers will find comparing data gathered here with data gathered at New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, and other nearby locations.
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The project will get local fishermen and government representatives involved in the conservation process. Increasing knowledge and encouraging participation is an excellent method for improving environmental stewardship.
Expedition Vanuatu is focusing not just on a single dolphin species; instead, they will be cataloging all species encountered throughout the research area, including bottlenose dolphins, Spinner dolphins, short-finned pilot whales, spotted dolphins, and rough-toothed dolphins. Genetic samples will be gathered, and individual photographs will be taken, all in an effort to gain greater understanding about the marine mammals living here and in the rest of Oceania.
If Expedition Vanuatu sounds like an interesting undertaking to you, you’ll be glad to know that Vanuatu offers some exceptional dive sites, outstanding visibility, and an abundance of fish and other marine life. The SS President Coolidge wreck is also located here, and so is the Tongoa Wall, which is the site of a live volcano. Dolphins and other cetaceans often join local divers, and if you’re lucky, you might see some of the same animals this project is focusing on.