Cetaceans – whales, dolphins, and porpoises – are among the most iconic species on our planet. They are not only symbols of the ocean’s beauty but also indicators of its health. Yet today, they face more threats than ever before in history. Bycatch, ship strikes, noise disturbance, pollution, and climate change are eroding their populations, often quietly and invisibly. In some parts of the Western Indian Ocean, dolphin numbers have collapsed by more than 80% since the 1980s.
And yet – there is hope. Humpback whales, once brought to the brink of extinction by commercial whaling, now offer us one of conservation’s great success stories. Their recovery shows us what is possible when science, policy, and collective action come together.
The WIOMSA “People and the Environment” magazine highlights groundbreaking marine mammal research and conservation initiatives across the Western Indian Ocean.
A Crucial Moment for Cetacean Research
This issue of People and the Environment, published by the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA), comes at a crucial moment. Across the Western Indian Ocean, research and conservation of marine mammals are still in their early stages. Data are scarce, threats are complex, and resources are limited. But as you will read in these pages, there is a remarkable wave of new science, new voices, and new leadership emerging from across the region.
Feature spread from WIOMSA’s “People and the Environment” magazine highlighting regional marine mammal research.
Stories of Science, Collaboration, and Hope
The magazine brings together stories of:
Long-distance whale migrations that connect ocean basins.
Community networks monitoring dolphins from the shorelines of Kenya and Tanzania.
Innovative collaborations across countries, linking scientists, conservationists, and citizens through initiatives like the IndoCet Consortium and Happywhale.
It also explores how tourism, spatial planning, and policy can both support and challenge the future of marine mammals across Africa’s coastlines.
Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) observed off the Western Indian Ocean, recognised by their distinctive scarring and social surface behaviour.
Diversity and Leadership: The Heart of WIOMSA’s Message
What makes this issue especially meaningful is not only the science it presents but the diversity of voices it brings together. You will see contributions from senior experts with decades of experience and from young African researchers stepping into leadership roles. From global institutions to small coastal communities, from South Africa to Mascarene Islands, this is a regional conversation about cetacean conservation.
Why Collaboration Matters
If cetaceans are to survive in the Western Indian Ocean, it will not be through isolated projects or fragmented efforts. It will be through collaboration – across borders, disciplines, and generations.
At BCSS we strongly believe in collaborative efforts and partnership spirit. BCSS researchers and scientists were happy to contribute multiple articles to this special issue, along with its partner organizations and friends from Happywhale, IndoCet Consortium, DMAD, MMCO, HuDoNET, among others.
But above all, it must be led by the region’s own nations and communities. African researchers, managers, policymakers, and fishers are the ones best placed to shape solutions and ensure long-term sustainability.
‘We must not lose sight, however, of the fact that whilst science has an important role in conservation, it is human behaviour change - through national and global legislation, policy and advocacy, community support, economic incentives and education - that is paramount. In the Western Indian Ocean, this will only be truly effective if led by nationals. It is my hope that this Special Edition can be seen as a call to arms, for much greater African involvement and leadership in cetacean research, but also the beginning of cetacean specific applied conservation right across the region’.
BCSS Contributions to WIOMSA’s Marine Mammal Issue
BCSS researchers and collaborators contributed 6 articles to WIOMSA’s People and the Environment magazine, reflecting nearly a decade of regional marine research and cross-institutional collaboration. These contributions highlight BCSS’s long-term data collection, scientific leadership, and role in advancing cetacean research across the Western Indian Ocean.
Articles and Contributions Include:
- Watching wisely. The untapped potential of whale and dolphin tourism in the Western Indian Ocean (p. 6)
- First documented killer whale pod in southern Tanzania (p. 12)
- Tracking Giants for Whale Conservation (p. 18)
- Feeding in the Breeding Grounds: A First for East Africa’s Humpback Whales (p. 22)
- A Humpback Whale’s Record-Breaking Journey (p. 28)
- Into the Depths: First Multi-Sighting Records of Melon-Headed Whales in Southern Tanzania (p. 38)
- Occurrence, behaviour, and interspecific associations of Risso’s dolphins in southern Tanzania (p. 50)
Together, these articles represent the collaborative foundation BCSS has built through its partnerships, combining regional fieldwork, long-term observation, and international research networks to support the protection of marine mammals across the Western Indian Ocean.
Feature image from the WIOMSA Magazine article “First Documented Killer Whale Pod in Southern Tanzania” (page 12).
A Call to Action from WIOMSA
Our message today is simple: let this issue of People and the Environment be more than a magazine. Let it be a call to action.
A call for governments to recognise cetaceans as national treasures and integrate them into policy.
A call for funders to support long-term monitoring and African leadership.
A call for all of us, as individuals and institutions, to share knowledge and ensure that science translates into cetacean conservation.
We would like to thank WIOMSA for dedicating this issue to marine mammals, and to acknowledge the incredible contributors and organisations advancing research and conservation across the region.
Read the Full WIOMSA Magazine
or explore it online via WIOMSA’s website.
More information:
For questions about this article, please contact:
Ekaterina Kalashnikova, Bazaruto Archipelago – Ocean Observatory Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies ekaterina.kalashnikova@bcssmz.org
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