Lindsay Porter

• PhD
• Senior Researcher at Southeast Asia Marine Mammal Research (SEAMAR)

Biodiversity monitoring is crucial for understanding ecosystem dynamics and species distributions, particularly in the context of anthropogenic impacts and climate change. Cetaceans, as key indicator species of marine ecosystems, face increasing threats from human activities, highlighting the need for effective, non-invasive monitoring methods. In...

Within the Malaysian context, whilst numerous efforts have been carried out over the years to identify, study, and analyse the extent and state of our coastal and marine ecosystem, these efforts are neither comprehensive nor have the available information been systematically consolidated and made available. To set more ambitious conservation target...

Southeast (SE) Asia is a highly biodiverse region, yet it is also estimated to cumulatively contribute a third of the total global marine plastic pollution. This threat is known to have adverse impacts on marine megafauna, however, understanding of its impacts has recently been highlighted as a priority for research in the region. To address this k...

This study aimed to study the habitat preferences and daylight behaviour of the Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) and the Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) off the west coast of Penang Island, Malaysia. Between February 2019 and April 2021, 87 boat-based surveys were undertaken using predetermined survey routes. Speci...

We reviewed Coram et al. (Biodivers Conserv 30:2341–2359, 2021, https://doi.org/10. 1007/s10531-021-02196-6), a paper that highlights the use of social media data to under- stand marine litter and marine mammals in Southeast Asia. While we commend its intent, we find that the methodology used and conclusions drawn portray an incomplete and inac- cu...

Wild animals are captured or taken opportunistically, and the meat, body parts, and/or eggs are consumed for local subsistence or used for traditional purposes to some extent across most of the world, particularly in the tropics and subtropics. The consumption of aquatic animals is widespread, in some places has been sustained for millennia, and ca...

Marine conservation sciences have traditionally been, and remain, non-diverse work environments with many barriers to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI). These barriers disproportionately affect entry of early career scientists and practitioners and limit the success of marine conservation professionals from under-represented, margina...

Marine mammals can play important ecological roles in aquatic ecosystems, and their presence can be key to community structure and function. Consequently, marine mammals are often considered indicators of ecosystem health and flagship species. Yet, historical population declines caused by exploitation, and additional current threats, such as climat...

Zoonosis-based epidemics are inevitable unless we revisit our relationship with the natural world, protect habitats and regulate wildlife trade, including live animals and non-sustenance products. To prevent future zoonoses, governments must establish effective legislation addressing wildlife trade, protection of habitats and reduction of the wildl...

Previous studies off western Ireland have suggested that substantial numbers of, mainly male, sperm whales may be found in these habitats. Whaling vessels operating from shore stations in Ireland in the early 20th century frequently caught sperm whales in oceanic waters. It is likely that this North Atlantic region contains important foraging habit...

Worldwide, cetaceans are impacted by human activities, and those populations that occur in shallow-nearshore habitats are particularly vulnerable. We present the results of the first long-term study on the responses of a coastal population of endangered Irrawaddy dolphins to widespread habitat changes. We particularly investigated their responses i...

The Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) is endemic to South and Southeast Asia and occurs in shallow coastal waters, associated with freshwater input, coastal lagoons and in three rivers. The status of all except the riverine populations is poorly understood, however, the proximity of all populations to areas of intense coastal development le...

In waters greater than 300m deep, sperm whale density equals 3.2 whales per 1000 km-2. The average densities reported here are similar to those reported from other sperm whales concentrations to the south of this study area, and highlight the importance of western Irish waters, particularly north of 52oN. These data will assist management authori...

Given the common physical overlapping between coastal developments and important marine mammal habitats, there is a need to identify potentially important foraging grounds for dolphins when informing marine spatial planning and management of underwater noise. Hydrophones were deployed at four locations either side of the mainland China-Hong Kong Sp...

Given the common physical overlapping between coastal developments and important marine mammal habitats, there is a need to identify potentially important foraging grounds for dolphins when informing marine spatial planning and management of underwater noise. Hydrophones were deployed at four locations either side of the mainland China–Hong Kong Sp...

In Asia many marine mammal species are consumed as food or for other purposes. The prevalence of this exploitation appears to increase from west to east. An escalating use of marine mammals and the emergence of commercialization of a trade in marine mammals is supported by: ◦ Regular documentation of both open and covert trade; ◦ A shift in focus i...

Southeast Asia is a biodiversity hotspot where the risk of extinction for many vertebrates is high (Duckworth et al. 2012) due to the loss and degradation of habitats resulting from burgeoning human populations and economies, expansion of agricultural development, and unsustainable harvest of wildlife and other natural resources (Sodhi et al. 2010)...

In coastal waters of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) is thought to number approximately 2500 individuals. Given these figures, the putative PRD population may appear strong enough to resist demographic stochasticity and environmental pressures. However, living in close proximity to the world's...

In coastal waters of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) is thought to number approximately 2500 individuals. Given these figures, the putative PRD population may appear strong enough to resist demographic stochasticity and environmental pressures. However, living in close proximity to the world's...

Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) are documented from various locations along Borneo's coast, including three sites in Sarawak, Malaysia, three sites in Sabah, Malaysia, three locations in Kalimantan, Indonesia and the limited coastal waters of the Sultanate of Brunei. Observations in all these areas indicate a similar external morph...

Surveys were conducted off the southern coast of Sri Lanka in 2014 and 2015 to investigate the distribution patterns of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus spp.) in relation to current shipping lanes, and further offshore. There have been several reported ship strikes of blue whales in this area and the IWC Scientific Committee has recognised the po...

Fewer than 200 Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) occur in Hong Kong waters (though these are part of a much larger population in the Pearl River Estuary), with a decrease in the past about 10 years. They have partially overlapping individual ranges (mean=100km2), and two partially overlapping communities. Seasonal occurrence is highe...

The presence of cutaneous nodules is reported in vulnerable populations of Irrawaddy dolphins Orcaella brevirostris from Malaysia (Kuching, Bintulu-Similajau, Kinabatangan-Segama and Penang Island), India (Chilika Lagoon) and Bangladesh (Sundarbans). Approximately 5700 images taken for photo-identification studies in 2004 to 2013 were examined for...

The taxonomic status of humpback dolphins (genus Sousa, sub-family Delphininae) is unresolved. While the classification of this genus ranges from a single to three nominal species, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the International Whaling Commission only recognise a ‘two-species’ taxonomy (S. teuszii in west Africa, and S. ch...

Humpback dolphins (Sousa spp.) have a wide distribution in the tropical Atlantic and Indo-Pacific Oceans and a confused taxonomy. Morphological assessments suggest three species groupings – Sousa teuszii (eastern Atlantic), Sousa plumbea (western Indo-Pacific), and Sousa chinensis (eastern Indo-Pacific) – but most taxonomies recognise only two spec...

The population of dolphins that reside in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) of southern China has become the focus of international interest due to its proximity to the world’s busiest port and fast developing economy. The dolphin, locally known as the Chinese white dolphin and internationally as the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis), pre...

During the period June 2004 - January 2006, a research team from the Qinzhou Bay Chinese White Dolphins Research Center of Peking University, the Peoples Republic of China, conducted systematic and opportunistic boat surveys of Sanniang Bay, Guangxi Province, in which Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins Sousa chinensis were regularly seen. Ninety eight...

During the period June 2004 - January 2006, a research team from the Qinzhou Bay Chinese White Dolphins Research Center of Peking University, the Peoples Republic of China, conducted systematic and opportunistic boat surveys of Sanniang Bay, Guangxi Province, in which Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins Sousa chinensis were regularly seen. Ninety eight...

Reports of the Dwarf Sperm whale (Kogia sima) in Chinese waters exist only for four specimens, which stranded along the coast of the East China Sea. Records of this species in the South China Sea consist of one skull noted as present in a Vietnamese ‘whale temple’. Recently recognized material in the biological sciences building of the University o...

The holotype of the delphinid Sousa chinensis, held in the collection of the Royal College of Surgeons, London, was destroyed during the Second World War. The neotype is described herein from a male specimen obtained from the waters of Hong Kong (the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China since 1 July 1997). This dolphin was found newly d...

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 165-[202]) Mode of access: World Wide Web.