Species of dolphins, whales at dire risk, warns WWF

World Wide Fund (WWF) - Pakistan warns that dolphins and whales species in the country's seawaters are at dire risk due to illegal fishing gears, nets abandoned at sea by fishermen, ship strikes and pollution, habitat degradation and climate change. It shows deep fears over the non-existent plans, saying that such impacts are making survival difficult for these species and driving them into further perilous situation.
The findings suggest the cetaceans are a large diverse and widely distributed species group which inhabit Arabian Sea off the coast of Pakistan. These are 12 species include bottlenose dolphin, humpback dolphin, spinner dolphin, rissos dolphin, killer whale, finless porpoise, brydes whale, cuviers beaked whale, blue whale, fin whale, humpback whale and sperm whale.
Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) have an absolute brain mass of 1500-1700 grams. It is slightly greater than that of humans (1300-1400 grams) and about four times that of chimpanzees (400 grams), the WWF says. The Fund wants a concerted effort for better management of habitats to avoid further loss of the key marine species and areas.
It says cetaceans are at or top of the food chain and are critically important in maintaining balance in the ecology of the area. Unfolding its strategy, the WWF's is focusing on its resources make a difference in line with the Species Action Plan (SAP) by 2050.
It signifies the existence of viable population of all marine species will help the ecology maintain its course and benefit the coastal communities to sustain their livelihoods by the 2050. Dolphins in general can swim for 40 miles a day and interact with pods and themselves especially during hunting. They have an incredibly developed brain function. They are intelligent species as bottlenose dolphins have the brain size of a 17 year old (human) when they are just nine. They have their own distinct personalities, a strong sense of self and the innate ability to learn languages including their own and a rudimentary symbol based language created to bridge the communication gap between dolphin and the humans, the WWF says. The Fund believes there are enough opportunities for people to witness the wild dolphins away from the shorelines. It says the public could have the experience the wildness of dolphin without spending too much at sea.