Publications by authors named "Louisa S Ponnampalam"

To understand the scope and scale of the loss of biodiversity, tools are required that can be applied in a standardized manner to all species globally, spanning realms from land to the open ocean. We used data from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List to provide a synthesis of the conservation status and extinction risk of cetaceans. One in 4 cetacean species (26% of 92 species) was threatened with extinction (i.

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Relatively little is known about spinner dolphins in Malaysian waters and the wider Southeast Asian region. This note represents the first known acoustic recording of the species sighted opportunistically in the northern Straits of Malacca. Over a brief 20 min sighting, 46 whistles were recorded and four tonal types were detected, with 54.

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Article Synopsis
  • Fisheries bycatch is a major threat to marine mammals globally, but assessing its impact is tough due to limited data on fishing practices and marine mammal populations, especially in small-scale fisheries.
  • A new tool called Bycatch Risk Assessment (ByRA) has been developed using geographic information systems to evaluate bycatch risks for marine mammals, specifically in Malaysia and Vietnam.
  • ByRA combines existing data with expert knowledge to visualize bycatch risks and help fisheries managers identify patterns between fishing gear and marine mammals, aiming to promote sustainable fishing practices.
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Aim: The Irrawaddy dolphin () is an endangered cetacean found throughout Southeast Asia. The main threat to this species is human encroachment, led by entanglement in fishing gear. Information on this data-poor species' ecology and habitat use is needed to effectively inform spatial management.

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Differences in the acoustic variables of whistles emitted by Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) from two coastal locations along western Peninsular Malaysia were investigated. Duration, frequency, and frequency modulation variables were extracted from and used to characterize recordings of free-ranging humpback dolphins that were made using a broadband towed hydrophone. A total of 960 whistles from Matang Mangroves and 823 whistles from Langkawi Island were used in analyses.

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Marine mammals, as top predators in the marine food web, are sentinels of changes in the oceans and public health. Pollution in the sea and overfishing of seafood resources affects these organisms just as much as it affects human beings. Medics, especially doctors, have an influential reach to patients, and are in an ideal position to get better acquainted with ongoing marine environmental issues and subsequently disseminating such information to them.

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