Stomach content analysis reveals insights into the feeding ecology of coastal cetaceans in Sarawak, Malaysia
This study examined the stomach contents of seven Indo-Pacific finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides), two Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris), and one Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) retrieved from stranding and bycatch events along the Sarawak coastline. From these s...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier Science, Ltd.
2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/46969/1/Lawrence%20et%20al.%2C%202025%20-%20Pages%201%20and%209.pdf http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/46969/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0964569124005076 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2024.107522 |
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| Summary: | This study examined the stomach contents of seven Indo-Pacific finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides),
two Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris), and one Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) retrieved
from stranding and bycatch events along the Sarawak coastline. From these stomach contents, 170 fish, 150
cephalopod, and six crustacean loose prey items were found, representing 23 prey species from 18 families. Prey
item importance was assessed using the percentage by number and percentage by frequency of occurrence
methods as well as a modified index of relative importance. The diet of finless porpoises comprised 64%
cephalopods, 33% fish and 3% crustaceans. The prey items found in Irrawaddy dolphins stomachs comprised
99% fish and 1% cephalopods. All three cetacean species were found to feed on fish across a wide range of
trophic levels. Finless porpoises and Irrawaddy dolphins shared the most numerically important fish family, the
Engraulidae (anchovies). Meanwhile, the Ariidae (catfish) family was the most numerically important fish family
for the humpback dolphin. A few prey species found in the stomach contents (i.e. anchovies, drums or croakers,
marine catfish and false trevally) are commercially important fish species in Sarawak. This overlap, coupled with
previous studies that demonstrate co-occurrence of cetacean hotspots and artisanal and commercial fishing
effort, suggests a high likelihood of cetacean-fisheries interactions and elevated risk of cetacean entanglement
and mortality. This is a serious concern, as humpback dolphins and finless porpoises are considered Vulnerable
and Irrawaddy dolphins Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. All dolphins and finless porpoises
are also listed as Totally Protected in Sarawak’s Wild Life Protection Ordinance (1998). |
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