Atlantic Humpback Dolphin (Sousa teuszii)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 1025620

This project will span much of the coastlines of Gabon and Congo, with a particular focus on areas contained within or adjacent to national parks. Initial work will focus on surveys for Atlantic humpback dolphins using a variety of methods (boats, quads, and foot patrols) in order to develop density estimates using both line transect and photographic methods. These surveys will also be used to assess available habitats and, if possible, to determine which habitats these dolphins are using preferentially. Throughout, staff and managers from national parks services will participate in survey work.  In keeping with local permit conditions, all efforts will be provided in reports at the local level. Training will encompass a variety of activities, from simple discussion to hands on development of necessary research and analytical techniques.

Gabon and Congo represent long term field sites for the WCS Ocean Giants Program. Our approach is based upon robust assessments of population status and linkages across broad geographic areas, efforts that require great ingenuity and development of novel approaches in often complex environments. The Ocean Giants Programs in situ efforts are centered on identifying and ultimately achieving protection measures for critical marine mammal habitats. These include initial attempts to identify areas suitable for long term management, where available resources can be applied for maximum conservation benefit. This project directly supports the mission of the Ocean Giants Program by collecting data for one of the rarest and least understood mammal species in the world, in order to focus the conservation efforts of a variety of local and international organizations. The project will also raise awareness among relevant stakeholders and provide training to national parks staff in both Gabon and Congo.