KOCHI
A Marine Mammals Research (MMR) team of the Department of Environment and Forest in Lakshadweep has reported the first-ever live sighting of rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) in Indian waters.
A team led by Ahmed Amirsha, scientific project officer was conducting a survey around the Lakshadweep archipelago between February and March this year when the animal was sighted.
During their diversity and distribution monitoring surveys, the marine mammal research team sighted the species on February 12 at Cheriyapani and later at Kavaratti on March 3. The species was identified with the help of Dipani Sutaria, visiting consultant in the project for Conservation of Marine Mammals, said a note pertaining to the development shared by the MMR.
“The observers noticed the lack of a crease between the head and the beak which is usually present in all small-sized dolphins. But the animals in this particular group lacked this crease, one of the most identifiable characters of the species,” it said. However, it’s the ridges on their teeth that have given the species the name.
“The groups sighted were socially tight with the presence of adults, sub adults and calves. They have been seen to associate with other cetacean species, including short-finned pilot whales, bottlenose dolphins, Pantropical spotted dolphins, and spinner dolphins. They are known to eat squid and different types of fish,” the note added.
Rough-toothed dolphins are found in tropical and warmer temperate waters all over the world but little is known about them. They can grow up to 8.5ft in length and have grey body with white lips and throat and a speckled belly.
The survey team included Sinan, Afsal, Jaseem, Salih, Jowhar, Shafi, Wasih, Saifudheen, and Muhammed Koya.
