Dams and Dolphins: Linking cutting-edge science with endangered species conservation

ended

This Fellowship application is crafted to bring together cross-disciplinary expertise and technology to help solve the challenge of sustaining river dolphin populations and other aquatic megafauna in dammed and regulated rivers. This is based on the recognition that freshwater habitats occupy only 1% of the Earth’s surface yet support 10% of all known species, but that freshwater species are now even more endangered than those in marine or terrestrial ecosystems. Freshwater dolphins are one of the most threatened mammal groups; listed as endangered or critically endangered in all places they occur, and the cause of their decline is attributed to habitat fragmentation by gated dams. The goal of this work is to quantify the extent, evaluate the consequences, and pilot solutions to understand and address river dolphin population connectivity in rivers fragmented by dams. To accomplish this acoustic and biotelemetry technology will be adapted and deployed at key gated dams in South Asia to monitor and quantify dolphin movement through the dams and two new options that have the potential to prevent river dolphins from passing through dam gates will be trialled. The results will have applications on the ground for the management of endangered riverine species, and the technological component has broader applications in assessing and potentially mitigating the impacts of marine engineering projects on the aquatic environment. The work falls at the interface between marine and freshwater ecology and will be conducted under the guidance of Dr Simon Northridge in the Sea Mammal Research Unit at the University of St. Andrews. The ability to move from my current research post in Tanzania into a vibrant academic community within the EU will allow me an unprecedented opportunity to diversify my technical skills and to collaborate with and learn from researchers from a range of disciplines from both within the university, and other academic and non-academic environments.