The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins can be found off the coast of Perlis.
The Strait of Malacca can be described in a myriad of ways.
One of the busiest waterways on the planet, it is also referred to as the “longkang” by the diving community given its cloudy waters, which starkly contrast with the azure, glassy seas off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. While high maritime traffic and low visibility may give the impression that this stretch of ocean is devoid of life, nothing could be further from the truth.
What if I were to tell you that you could easily spot a breaching whale just off the shores of Kedah or enjoy the company of a pod of dolphins swimming alongside your boat just off Perlis? I assure you, this would not be a fictitious statement.
Welcome to one of Malaysia’s hidden wildlife gems, the historic Strait of Malacca. It is a maritime gateway boasting diverse marine life. Within these cloudy waters lie an enchanting variety of marine mammals, capturing the hearts and imaginations of locals and marine enthusiasts worldwide.
An Irrawaddy dolphin in hte Strait of Malacca.
From the playful and intelligent Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins to the majestic Bryde’s whales to the elusive Indo-Pacific finless porpoises and Irrawaddy dolphins, these waters provide shelter and abundant food.
I caught up with preeminent marine mammal researcher Dr Louisa Ponnampalam, the co-founder of The MareCet Research Organisation.
MareCet Research Organisation researchers are looking out into the sea for dolphins.MareCet is the combination of the Latin words “mare” (ocean) and “cetacean” (the scientific grouping of whales, dolphins and porpoises) and was set up to study these charismatic marine mammals to increase public awareness as well as enhance the conservation of our marine environment.
“Malaysians and the wider public in general just aren’t aware of the marine mammals that live off these western shores of Peninsular Malaysia. We grow up believing that marine mammals can only be found in colder climates. Maybe it’s because Asian programmes never feature them, so we grow up thinking that they can only be found in the oceans off Australia or the US,” she said.
Indeed, knowledge of these incredible marine mammals in our oceans remains limited.
“Most people think the cloudy waters in the Strait of Malacca cannot support interesting marine life. However, they are turbid due to our muddy mangrove shorelines’ sediments and nutrient-rich river waters. These environments act as nurseries for a whole host of smaller marine life, which in turn attract and sustain the bigger marine mammals”, remarked Dr Louisa.
“Marine mammals follow their prey, so they will move if their food supply is affected. Therefore, they act as good indicators of the health of our ocean.”
Three cetaceans can be found off the coasts of Perlis, Kedah and Perak: the Irrawaddy dolphin, the Indo-Pacific finless porpoise, and the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin.
An Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin playing on the surface of the water in the Strait of Malacca.
I remember vividly my first encounter with the pinkish Irrawaddy dolphins in Kuala Sepetang many years ago. Taking a boat out past the mangrove shorelines, we saw dorsal fins breaking the ocean’s surface in a bobbing motion. Suddenly, a dolphin leapt out of the sea in a little twirl, thrilling everyone onboard.
Earlier this year, I was fortunate to experience a pod of playful Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins off the coast of Perlis. Watching them swim alongside us and do leaps in the air was an incredible joy. Truly the stuff of movies. And who knew they would be right up against our shoreline?
“And we even have whales – the Bryde’s whale (pronounced broo-duhs whale) – in these waters,” quipped Dr Louisa. She showed me videos of these incredibly large marine mammals that also call our seas home.
A pod of Irrawaddy dolphins in Malaysian waters.
At that point, I caught myself in mid-thought: what a blessing it is to live in such an amazing country with something to inspire us, especially with these incredible gifts of nature.
However, with such incredible beauty comes great responsibility.
“People tend to get confused between the concepts of nature tourism and ecotourism,” said Dr Louisa pensively.
“Nature tourism does not necessarily give back to the community or the environment being visited. Mass tourism also exploits it, which may not be beneficial due to its high impact on the area.
“Ecotourism, however, focuses on low-impact activities and always considers the area’s conservation, ensuring that it benefits the local community.”
Indeed, while it can be life-changing to experience a wild animal in its natural environment, we must be more aware of how we spend our tourist dollars, as it can harm the animal and its habitat if human activities are left unregulated.
“Whale and dolphin watching is a billion-dollar industry in the West and in Australia; people flock to see these marine mammals. There is potential to develop the same industry here, albeit at a smaller scale, but it must be managed carefully.”
Scientists and volunteers scouting the sea as part of a survey.
Dr Louisa recently authored a book for the young and young-at-heart. Mummy, Where’s My Dorsal Fin? follows the explorations of a little Indo-Pacific finless porpoise calf named Aluna and her mother Cheriya as they explore their beautiful habitat, the emerald-coloured sea around the mystical Langkawi archipelago.
This beautifully illustrated book is an ode to Langkawi and the marine mammals she and her team have researched since 2010.
“Many people think Langkawi is just about duty-free chocolates, Pantai Cenang and cheap beer. But if you go off the beaten path, there is so much the island has to offer.”
And so it seems, does her sea.
Spotting the elusive Indo-Pacific finless porpoises.
“Langkawi is a porpoise haven!” she says excitedly. As porpoises are generally overlooked because they do not perform stunts like dolphins, few people are aware of their existence. But Langkawi remains one of the best places in the region to encounter these shy and threatened marine mammals.
“There’s just something about the waters around Langkawi. On days where there are no recorded sightings in Perak or Perlis, I can quite often count on a sighting in Langkawi,” Dr Louisa said of the sightings of dolphins and the whales.
As I sit in the rush hour traffic jam of Kuala Lumpur, I think back to the times when I was fortunate enough to experience these amazing creatures just off the coasts of Peninsular Malaysia.
What wonders we have right at our doorstep! Facts about the species:Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins are captivating marine mammals with pinkish to light grey colouring and a distinct hump on their lower backs. They are social creatures form small pods and inhabit nearshore waters, estuaries, and coastal areas.
These dolphins (Sousa chinensis) are skilled hunters, relying on echolocation to catch fish and cephalopods.
Bryde’s Whales (Balaenoptera brydei) are baleen whales found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide.
Malaysia’s Irrawaddy Dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) are captivating freshwater and coastal cetaceans.
They have a unique appearance with a distinctive rounded forehead and lack of beak. These dolphins prefer the brackish waters of estuaries, rivers, and coastal areas.
Known for their playful and social behaviour, they often swim in small groups.
Indo-Pacific Porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) can be distinguished by their lack of a dorsal fin and small size; they have a sleek and streamlined appearance.
These porpoises typically inhabit shallow coastal waters, estuaries, and rivers. They are agile swimmers and primarily feed on small fish and cephalopods.
Bryde’s Whales (Balaenoptera brydei) are baleen whales found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide.
Named after Johan Bryde, a Norwegian whaler, they are characterised by their streamlined bodies and prominent ridges behind the blowholes.
These majestic marine mammals primarily feed on small schooling fish and krill, using baleen plates to filter their prey.
They are solitary or found in small groups and can be seen breaching and lunging while feeding.
