Taking the plight of the Taiwan humpback dolphins abroad - The 17th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals

View of Cape Town, host city to the 17th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals

The unique population of Taiwan humpback dolphins face many threats, amongst these is more industrial development on Taiwan's west coast that will destroy habitat critical to the survival of this species. The Hushan Dam will supply water to these developments. In addition to the development that will result in the destruction of prime dolphin habitat the Hushan Dam will also reduce the flow of fresh water into the Jhoushui estuary which will further degrade this important wetland environment which is critically important to the survival of these unique dolphins and other marine life.

The Society for Marine Mammalogy will be holding the 17th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals from 29 November to 3 December, 2007, in Cape Town, South Africa. Matsu's Fish Conservation Union members will be present. Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, will have a booth at the conference. Also, FormosaCetus Research and Conservation Group will be doing two presentations on the Taiwan humpback dolphins. In addition to this the steering committee that was established at the Second International Workshop on the Conservation and Research Needs of the Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins, Sousa chinensis, in the waters of western Taiwan will be meeting to work on the establishment of an international working group of scientific experts whose mandate will be to provide independent advice on ETS humpback dolphin research and conservation.