
Whales, dolphins and dugongs live in Malaysian waters — here's why they need protection
Yes, they do — and they're not just passing through. They live here, said marine biologist and scientific officer at MareCet Research Organisation, Vivian Kuit.
Partially debunking the belief that such marine mammals only exist abroad or in cold climates, Kuit said the species found in Malaysia are not migratory strays but permanent residents.
'In fact, there are 27 species of marine mammals recorded in Malaysian waters. Among them are Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, Indo-Pacific finless porpoises, spinner dolphins, dugongs, long-beaked common dolphins, Irrawaddy dolphins, Bryde's whales and Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins,' she told Malay Mail in a recent interview.
'The coastal waters in different states have different species. In Perak, for example, we've recorded four species, excluding Bryde's whales and dugongs.
'Dugongs, for instance, only eat seagrass, so they rely on habitats where there are large patches of it.
'Whales are usually spotted more offshore — like in Langkawi, Bryde's whales are quite common. But if you ask any fisherman, they'll say 'I just saw dolphins last week',' she said.
According to Kuit, for those who spend a lot of time at sea, seeing dolphins and other marine mammals is a common occurrence.
However, awareness of their presence in local waters remains low — and this lack of awareness contributes to injuries and deaths among the species, particularly from fishing activities.
Vivian Kuit, marine biologist and scientific officer at MareCet Marine Mammal Research and Conservation, during an interview in Kuala Lumpur. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
Why dolphins matter
The most commonly seen marine mammals in Malaysian waters are dolphins — and they are among the most threatened by human activity.
Why does it matter whether they are dead or alive?
Aside from being charismatic creatures, dolphins are top predators, said Kuit. That means they play a crucial role in regulating the marine food web.
'They regulate fish populations. For example, dolphins usually catch weaker fish that can't swim as fast, which helps maintain stronger genetics in the fish population and improves the balance of the ecosystem,' she said.
'Beyond that, dolphins are indicator species. If you've been seeing dolphins in an area regularly and suddenly you don't anymore, it can signal environmental problems such as pollution or overfishing.
'If I told you a small plankton is missing, you wouldn't notice. But if villagers who've seen dolphins since childhood suddenly don't see them anymore, that's usually a clear sign something's wrong in the ecosystem,' she said.
When dolphins are caught in fishing nets
Kuit said that fishermen sometimes catch more than just fish in their nets — especially when entanglement, or bycatch, occurs.
Bycatch is one of the deadliest threats to dolphins in Malaysia and globally.
It happens when marine mammals and fishing activity overlap in the same waters.
'In Kuala Sepetang, Perak, for example, fishermen use drift nets — a kind of net that drifts with the tide.
'That area is also frequented by Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. When they overlap with these nets, that's when bycatch is most likely to happen,' she explained.
When MareCet started its studies in 2013, there was very little data on marine mammals in Malaysia. But it quickly became clear that bycatch was a major threat, prompting the organisation to apply for and receive a grant from Yayasan Hasanah in 2023.
'With that, we launched our bycatch mitigation project — equipping fishermen with acoustic pingers for their nets to reduce bycatch and depredation,' she said.
Depredation refers to dolphins taking fish from the net to eat.
'Sometimes, they don't realise there's a net in front of them, and when they go after the fish, they get entangled.
'Once entangled, they may panic and roll, which worsens the entanglement. Their tails might get caught, and since marine mammals need to surface to breathe, they can drown if they can't reach the surface in time,' Kuit said.
She recalled witnessing a live bycatch incident in which a fisherman tried to release a dolphin trapped in his net.
'It's actually very difficult to release an animal when it's panicking. The dolphin was bleeding from the net. That experience was what motivated us to work with fishermen so they can fish without harming dolphins,' she said.
Fortunately, Kuit said most local fishermen don't want entanglements either.
'In some countries, fishermen view dolphins as competition. But here in Perak, for instance, some believe that if a dolphin gets caught in your net, it's bad luck and the net won't catch fish anymore.
'In general, they're happy to see dolphins. To them, if the dolphins are happy, they're happy too,' she said.
An Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin spotted during fieldwork in Kuala Sepetang, Perak, as part of MareCet's bycatch mitigation project with local fishers. — Picture courtesy of MareCet Research Organisation
Fishing sustainably with acoustic pingers
The solution MareCet promotes is the use of acoustic pingers — small devices that emit sounds to warn dolphins away from fishing nets.
Shaped like bananas, the devices are also called 'banana pingers'.
'These devices emit a ping in the water that dolphins can hear, but other animals can't. Dolphins have a very high hearing frequency — while humans hear up to 20,000 kilohertz, dolphins can hear up to 50,000 kilohertz,' she explained.
'With the Yayasan Hasanah grant, we were able to purchase pingers and distribute them to fishers who joined our project.
'These pingers are available overseas, but not locally. They cost about RM400 each. As long as they don't get flooded inside, they last a long time, and they run on regular batteries,' she said.
A fisherman in Kuala Sepetang, Perak, fastening an acoustic pinger to his fishing net as part of MareCet's bycatch mitigation project supported by Yayasan Hasanah. — Picture courtesy of Yayasan Hasanah
What's next for MareCet?
Kuit said the pilot bycatch mitigation project began in Perak, but MareCet now hopes to expand it to other areas, including Selangor.
'Bycatch is the biggest threat to marine mammals globally. The three species most commonly found in Perak — the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, Irrawaddy dolphins and Indo-Pacific finless porpoises — are also among the world's top 10 most bycaught marine mammals.
'So we hope to expand this to any state where fishers need these pingers,' she said.
Kuit's interest in dolphins and marine conservation began as part of her PhD in marine biology, which focused on the ecology of dolphins in Perak.
'I'm from Sandakan, Sabah. I only snorkelled for the first time when I was 17. The moment I went underwater, I was amazed — it was so different, so vibrant. That's when I got hooked on studying marine life,' she said.
MareCet hopes that acoustic pingers will eventually become more accessible in Malaysia.
'Nobody else is doing bycatch mitigation work here, unlike in many countries abroad. That's why with Yayasan Hasanah's funding, we're collecting data and presenting it to the Department of Fisheries Malaysia,' she added.
According to MareCet's data, each fisher typically experiences one bycatch incident every two to three years.
'Since the project started, fishers have reported no bycatch, and their fish catch has increased by 30 per cent.
'Depredation by dolphins has also reduced by 70 per cent.
'On average, for every 24 fishers, you'd get at least one bycatch case every two to three years — which means about eight incidents a year,' Kuit said.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Malay Mail
13 hours ago
- Malay Mail
MoHE: Zambry's visit strengthens Malaysia-Japan ties, with focus on AI, semiconductors and student exchange
PUTRAJAYA, July 31 — The recent working visit by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir to Tokyo and Osaka reflects Malaysia's commitment to further explore strategic cooperation with advanced nations like Japan in driving excellence in higher education. In a statement today, the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) said the initiative is aligned with the development of the Malaysian Higher Education Plan 2025-2035, which is currently being formulated. According to the ministry, emphasis on technological entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence (AI), and high-impact technical, vocational and engineering education and training (TVET) is among the key pillars to ensure Malaysian students are ready to participate in a future innovation-driven economy. Zambry's working visit, at the invitation of the Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia (ERIA) from July 28 to 30, aimed to strengthen Malaysia-Japan strategic cooperation in higher education, research, innovation and technology. MOHE said key components of the visit included a bilateral meeting with Koichi Hagiuda, Chairman of the Policy Research Council of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and former Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The meeting discussed various strategic issues related to the challenges faced by modern universities and the potential for collaboration in the fields of innovation and the creative economy (orange economy). MOHE stated that Zambry also visited the University of Tokyo, where he was briefed on the AI Startup programme developed specifically for undergraduate and postgraduate students. According to the statement, the programme has produced many students who successfully established AI-based startups generating high incomes in their respective fields. The initiative is driven by Matsuo Lab Startup, which provides mentorship, a startup ecosystem, and access to the latest technologies. 'The minister said that this is a model worth exploring and adapting for implementation in Malaysia to empower students as value creators in the future economy,' the statement read. Zambry also visited the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), which provided the MOHE team with the opportunity to observe the latest technologies in semiconductors, AI and quantum computing. The visit also highlighted the potential for collaboration between AIST and Malaysian research institutions such as MIMOS, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). MOHE reported that Zambry met with the President of the University of Tsukuba, Prof Kyosuke Nagata, with discussions focusing on strengthening the university's branch campus in Malaysia and expanding its programmes to a higher level, including collaboration in the field of High-TVET. In addition, MOHE said that Zambry's preliminary discussion with Prof Ichiro Sugimoto, Dean of the Centre for Malaysian Studies at Soka University, opened new opportunities to expand the centre and explore research in comparative religion, as well as foster research collaboration between Soka University and Malaysian institutions. According to MOHE, Zambry also visited the Kaneka Osaka Plant, a high-tech research and production centre involved in the development of advanced chemical and biotechnological materials. Discussions were held on potential researcher and student exchanges between Malaysia and Japan to support talent growth in high-tech sectors. Zambry also visited the Malaysia Pavilion at Expo Osaka and met with Malaysian postgraduate students in Tokyo, reaffirming the ministry's continued commitment to the welfare and support of Malaysian students abroad. MOHE said the Higher Education Week concluded on July 26, 2025, at Expo Osaka with the theme 'Study in Malaysia', attracting 100,000 visitors over six days — a clear indication of the overwhelming response to Malaysia's participation on the international stage. Expo Osaka is held every five years and features participation from 158 countries, drawing millions of visitors from around the world. — Bernama

The Star
14 hours ago
- The Star
Zambry's visit to japan boosts strategic cooperation, says Higher Education Ministry
PUTRAJAYA: The recent working visit by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir to Tokyo and Osaka reflects Malaysia's commitment to further explore strategic cooperation with advanced nations like Japan in driving excellence in higher education. In a statement on Thursday (July 31), the Higher Education Ministry said the initiative is aligned with the development of the Malaysian Higher Education Plan 2025-2035, which is currently being formulated. According to the ministry, emphasis on technological entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence (AI), and high-impact technical, vocational and engineering education and training (TVET) is among the key pillars to ensure Malaysian students are ready to participate in a future innovation-driven economy. Zambry's working visit, at the invitation of the Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia (Eria) from July 28 to 30, aimed to strengthen Malaysia-Japan strategic cooperation in higher education, research, innovation and technology. The ministry said key components of the visit included a bilateral meeting with Koichi Hagiuda, Chairman of the Policy Research Council of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and former Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The meeting discussed various strategic issues related to the challenges faced by modern universities and the potential for collaboration in the fields of innovation and the creative economy (orange economy). The Higher Education Ministry stated that Zambry also visited the University of Tokyo, where he was briefed on the AI Startup programme developed specifically for undergraduate and postgraduate students. According to the statement, the programme has produced many students who successfully established AI-based startups generating high incomes in their respective fields. The initiative is driven by Matsuo Lab Startup, which provides mentorship, a startup ecosystem, and access to the latest technologies. "The minister said that this is a model worth exploring and adapting for implementation in Malaysia to empower students as value creators in the future economy," the statement read. Zambry also visited the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), which provided the Higher Education Ministry team with the opportunity to observe the latest technologies in semiconductors, AI and quantum computing. The visit also highlighted the potential for collaboration between AIST and Malaysian research institutions such as Mimos, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). The Higher Education Ministry reported that Zambry met with the President of the University of Tsukuba, Prof Kyosuke Nagata, with discussions focusing on strengthening the university's branch campus in Malaysia and expanding its programmes to a higher level, including collaboration in the field of High-TVET. In addition, the ministry said that Zambry's preliminary discussion with Prof Ichiro Sugimoto, Dean of the Centre for Malaysian Studies at Soka University, opened new opportunities to expand the centre and explore research in comparative religion, as well as foster research collaboration between Soka University and Malaysian institutions. According to the statement, Zambry also visited the Kaneka Osaka Plant, a high-tech research and production centre involved in the development of advanced chemical and biotechnological materials. Discussions were held on potential researcher and student exchanges between Malaysia and Japan to support talent growth in high-tech sectors. Zambry also visited the Malaysia Pavilion at Expo Osaka and met with Malaysian postgraduate students in Tokyo, reaffirming the ministry's continued commitment to the welfare and support of Malaysian students abroad. The statement added that the Higher Education Week concluded on July 26, 2025, at Expo Osaka with the theme "Study in Malaysia', attracting 100,000 visitors over six days - a clear indication of the overwhelming response to Malaysia's participation on the international stage. Expo Osaka is held every five years and features participation from 158 countries, drawing millions of visitors from around the world. - Bernama

Barnama
14 hours ago
- Barnama
Zambry's Visit To Japan Boosts Strategic Cooperation
PUTRAJAYA, July 31 (Bernama) – The recent working visit by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir to Tokyo and Osaka reflects Malaysia's commitment to further explore strategic cooperation with advanced nations like Japan in driving excellence in higher education. In a statement today, the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) said the initiative is aligned with the development of the Malaysian Higher Education Plan 2025-2035, which is currently being formulated. According to the ministry, emphasis on technological entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence (AI), and high-impact technical, vocational and engineering education and training (TVET) is among the key pillars to ensure Malaysian students are ready to participate in a future innovation-driven economy. Zambry's working visit, at the invitation of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) from July 28 to 30, aimed to strengthen Malaysia-Japan strategic cooperation in higher education, research, innovation and technology. MOHE said key components of the visit included a bilateral meeting with Koichi Hagiuda, Chairman of the Policy Research Council of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and former Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The meeting discussed various strategic issues related to the challenges faced by modern universities and the potential for collaboration in the fields of innovation and the creative economy (orange economy). MOHE stated that Zambry also visited the University of Tokyo, where he was briefed on the AI Startup programme developed specifically for undergraduate and postgraduate students. According to the statement, the programme has produced many students who successfully established AI-based startups generating high incomes in their respective fields. The initiative is driven by Matsuo Lab Startup, which provides mentorship, a startup ecosystem, and access to the latest technologies. "The minister said that this is a model worth exploring and adapting for implementation in Malaysia to empower students as value creators in the future economy,'the statement read.