Cetacean diversity and distribution along southeastern coastal and marine areas of Bangladesh

Cetaceans have been monitoring along the southeast coast of Bangladesh during last 20 years by researcher of Marinelife Alliance. Small to large cetaceans have been recorded along the coast of Cox Bazar and Chittagong.... [ view full abstract ]

Cetaceans have been monitoring along the southeast coast of Bangladesh during last 20 years by researcher of Marinelife Alliance. Small to large cetaceans have been recorded along the coast of Cox Bazar and Chittagong. Oobservation conducted by offshore marine survey, stranding record, dead washed specimen, live observation, data from offshore fishermen and marine megafauna  bycatch information. Habitat diversity included estuary, rivers, coastal channels, intertidal flats, mangrove canals, offshore area etc. The diversity of the cetacean species is least as thorough survey not yet conducted. The region is very important trans-boundery habitat with Myanmar marine territory. The recorded species are Indopacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis), Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus), Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris), Short-finned pilot whale(Globicephala macrorhynchus), Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus), Striped dolphin(Stenella coeruleoalba), Spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris). Pantropical spotted dolphin(Stenella attenuate) and Finless porpoise(Neophocaena phocaenoides) The major habitat loss derived from the indiscriminate construction of dam for shrimp farming, use of estuarian and marine set bag net (ESBN and MSBN), as well as fishing gear setting in across waterways that entirely blocks cetacean movement specially in naf river, Moheskhali channel, canals of Sonadia -Moheskhali mangrove. Indo-pacific Humpback  and Irrawaddy dolphins have been observed very close to coast at Matarbari, Kutubdia, Haserchar Sonadia, and several spots along the Teknaf peninsular coast. interactions with nearshore fishing activity was observed common along Sonadia west coast, near Reju canal. and Naf estuary. 30-40 dead washed each from St. Martin Island through Kutubdia area, and most of them due to fishing bycatch.