pacific islands report_NU.indd - Whale and Dolphin Conservation ...

Scientific NameCommon NamePhyseter macrocephalusSperm whaleRecords of Cetaceans in the Waters of TokelauCitationClassDufault and Whitehead 1995 1Unconfirmed SpeciesOrcinus orca, Orca (Miyashita et al. 1995)18.TokelauLand Area (km 2 ): 12Sea Area (EEZ) (thousands of km 2 ): 290The Polynesian territory of New Zealand consists ofthree coral atolls - Atafu, Nukunonu and Fakaofo.Only two records were found for the waters within theEEZ of the small nation of Tokelau. The first is a tentativerecord of Orcinus orca that were reported in smallconcentrations between the Phoenix Islands of Kiribatiand Tonga – it is possible that these observations includedTokelauan waters (Miyashita et al. 1995). There is morecertain evidence of sperm whale within this region, albeitrare as a single male was observed in Tokelau in Octoberof 1992 (Dufault and Whitehead 1995).19.TongaLand Area (km 2 ): 649Sea Area (EEZ) (thousands of km 2 ): 700Tonga is an archipelago of more than 170 islandsspread over four major island groups – Tongatapu,Ha’apai, Vava’u and the Niuas.Tongan waters are well known for their yearly humpbackmigration (Dawbin 1964, Eldredge 1991, Paterson 2001,SPWRC 2002, Olavarria et al. 2003, SPWRC 2004, Eriksenet al. 2005) and many whale watch operators make useof this cycle (Orams 2001 and 2004).Researchers have documented additional cetaceanspecies within these waters (SPWRC 2004).Specifically, spinner dolphins have been sighted,photographed and genetic samples taken. Sightingand photographs have been made of bottlenosedolphin, melon-headed whale, orca, pygmy killerwhale, false killer whale, and sperm whale. Sightingsof Risso’s, short-finned pilot and minke subspecieshave been made, and a genetic sample from a dwarfminke whale has been obtained.Incidental reports also place false killer whales andsperm whales within Tongan waters in the early 1990s(Dufault and Whitehead 1995, Reeves et al. 1999). Agroup of about 40 common dolphins were sightedsouthwest of Tonga during a 1992 survey yet thelocation was not overly specific (Reeves et al. 1999).20.TuvaluLand Area (km 2 ): 26Sea Area (EEZ) (thousands of km 2 ): 900Tuvalu is a group of nine low-lying islands thatincludes five atolls and four coral islands.The small nation of Tuvalu has only five cetaceanrecords. Sightings from Japanese whaling vessels(Miyashita et al. 1995) refer to small concentrationsof orca between the Phoenix Islands of Kiribati andTonga – both Tuvalu and Samoa lie directly betweenthese two locations. Historically the distribution ofPhyseter macrocephalus was purported to occur alongthe south side of one of Tuvalu’s islands - Ellice Island(Berzin 1972). Tuvalu is also recorded as part of thegeographic range of pantropical spotted dolphinaccording to the UNEP-WCMC checklist (2003).Recent sightings in Tuvalu indicate that both spinnerdolphins (M. Donoghue pers. comm.) and bottlenosedolphins (Anonymous 2006, Reeves 2006) are alsopresent in Tuvaluan waters.CURRENT STATE OF KNOWLEDGE OF CETACEAN THREATS, DIVERSITY, AND HABITATS IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS REGION 57