Blog 6: First whales of the season! 15/07/2012

Early Sunday morning was a very exciting day for the Zanzibar Humpback Whale Research Project team. A local fisher called us reporting two whales in the area outside Makunduchi off the southeast coast of Zanzibar. We eagerly got our equipment together, jumped into our boat and headed in the direction given by the fisher. We were hopeful to find the whales although it takes about an hour to reach Makunduchi from Kizimkazi-Dimbani. And they were! Kristin was the first to spot a blow about 1500m ahead of us. The team sprang into action, with spotters at the bow and behaviour recorders at the stern, all barely able to contain their excitement at finally seeing the first whales of the season! The whales turned out to be a mother, her calf and an escort whale travelling slowly along the south east corner of the island with beautiful tail dives providing excellent opportunities for photo ID. After an hour the whales started travelling faster and were soon too far away so we left them alone to survey for other whales.

It was during our lunch break that Kyla suddenly shouted ‘Whale!!’ She had spotted a breaching whale 2500m, directly ahead of us. Lunch was quickly packed up and replaced by cameras and other equipment. There were two adult whales and a juvenile which were socializing and resting. We followed them until we had collected enough data and then decided to leave them alone. The wind was picking up and we decided to head home, very happy with our two first whale sightings.

On the way back we decided to do some target practise with the crossbow with an old life jacket, with the intention of collecting future small biopsy samples from the whales. Skin and blubber samples will be used for genetic studies to investigate how the whales off Zanzibar are related to those found in other areas off Africa and elsewhere around the world.

Back at the house, we discussed the day’s activities over dinner. After months of preparation we had successfully conducted our first whale survey. It gave our new students Yussuf, Nat and Lynne a great opportunity to practise the data collection and to see what happens when we encounter a whale. We all went to bed happy and excited at the prospect of seeing more whales in the morning.

Zanzibar Humpback Whale Research Project 2012

Blog 2: Lighthouse visit 07/07/2012

Just before arriving to the project, we received news that we had permission to conduct surveys from the Makunduchi lighthouse located on the southeast tip of Zanzibar Island! In addition to the vessel based surveys we would like to add a land-based component to the research this year. Land-based surveys are useful because they are less restricted by weather conditions and do not affect the data collection by disturbing the animals. Prior to initiating land-based surveys we wanted to visit the lighthouse to check if it would be suitable for binocular and theodolite surveys; if it was suitable the pilot study would be initiated over the next couple of weeks to collect additional data on humpback whale occurrence and behavior.

 The lighthouse at Makunduchi

Dr. Per, Nat and Lynne landed in the Stonetown airport, Zanzibar on the morning of Saturday July 7^th. Kristin and Kyla had arrived some days earlier and taken care of the first weekly food shopping in Stone town before meeting up with Per, Nat and Lynne at “our” house in the village Kizimkazi-Dimbani (on the southwest coast of the Island). Almost immediately after arriving to the house Juma, the owner of our house, a local friend and working partner through IMS, drove us to Makunduchi to see the lighthouse. The drive from Kizimkazi-Dimbani to Makunduchi is only 20 minutes but from the village to the lighthouse the track was not good at all; we bounced over sharp coral rag and sharp bushes scratched and squeaked along the sides of the car! We cringed with each squeak and hoped Juma’s car was not too damaged by the trip.

The lighthouse looming above us!

When we arrived we piled out of the car and looked up at a beautiful red and white (but peeling and somewhat faded!) stone lighthouse looming above us. Two local men (Mr. Abdallah and Mr. Maneno), responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the lighthouse, were there to meet us and show us around. After a brief exchange of greetings in Swahili we were soon climbing the 165 steps to the top of the 27 m building (44 m above sea level). The climb was definitely worth it…views of the sea along the east and south coasts and the villages and low, scrubby forests of the island stretched out before us. It was quite peaceful at the top of the lighthouse with the sound of sea breezes and goats bleating in the shrubbery below.

We were keen to spot whales and immediately began scanning with our binoculars but, unfortunately for us, there were no whales this time. It is early in the season so we anticipate whales soon and after seeing the lighthouse decided it will be a feasible location for a pilot study.

Zanzibar Port Corporation sign inside the 27m lighthouse (44 m above sea level!)

Views from the top!

Nat scanning for whales

Humpback Whale Research Project

Blog 1: Touch down in paradise…the team arrives in Zanzibar!

It’s hard to believe it’s been eight months since Zanzibar Humpback Whale Research Project team last conducted surveys in the waters of southern Zanzibar but, after much anticipation and planning, the team is back in Kizimkazi-Dimbani! Most of us arrived a week ago and from the get-go have been busy, busy sorting out permits, stocking the house with food and supplies, organizing research equipment, training new team members and looking at a site for land-based surveys for a pilot study we will conduct this year. This has been a very productive week and we even completed four boat surveys. The boat surveys are conducted to study the occurrence and behaviour of the humpback whales arriving here, for breeding and mating, from the waters of the Antarctic where they spent the winter feeding!

This year’s Zanzibar Humpback Whale Research Team
(missing: Jessica and Khamis Khamis)

This year the research team consists of three returning and three new research staff and students: Kristin, will once again be the Field Principle Investigator (her fourth season!); Kyla, will be a research assistant (her second season) and will take over for Kristin when she leaves in August, and Yussuf, is returning as one of our local Zanzibarian research assistants (his second season). Yussuf graduated from the University of Dar Es Salaam last year and currently works with the Institute of Marine Sciences in Stonetown and we are very happy to have him back!  In addition to the returning staff, we welcome four new assistants for 2012 including: Nat (Nathaniel Stephenson) and Lynne Payne, two, undergraduate 3^rd year students from Newcastle University; Khamis, another Zanzibarian student from IMS; and, in mid-August, Jessica, will be joining us as a research assistant until the end of the season. In addition to the research team we will be working with our local captains, Khamis and Foum, again. Khamis has been working with the project for 15 years now and Foum 5 years and we are lucky to have them with us for another humpback whale research season!

Institute of Marine Sciences, Stonetown – One of our working partners in Zanzibar

The project’s Principle Investigator, Dr Per Berggren of Newcastle University, also arrived last week to help with project start-up, help the new students settle in and to organise and participate in a workshop on whale fisheries by-catch mitigation and development of best practice for whale watching activities at the Menai Bay Conservation Area offices here in Kizimkazi-Dimbani. The workshop ran for two days and included presentations and discussion on increasing the use of weak links on fishing nets (to reduce whale by-catch), developing a commercial whale watch industry in addition to dolphin watching, and the development of regulations for both whale and dolphin watching activities. Overall, Per was very pleased with the workshop and felt the issues discussed were heading in a positive direction.

Participants in the humpback whale workshop at the Menai Bay Centre, Kizimkazi-Dimbani

The beautiful beach at Kizimkazi-Dimbani – our home away from home!