JKAU: Mar. Sci., Vol. 26. 1, pp: 1-8 (2016 A.D. / 1437 A.H.) DOI :10.4197/Mar. 26-1.1

Status and ecology of Sirenian, Cetaceans and marine turtles in the Farasan Bank, ,

Ahmed M. A. Al-Mansi Saudi Wildlife Authority

Email: [email protected]

Abstract. This paper presents preliminary data regarding the status, general distribution and habitat use of cetaceans, sirenian and marine turtle species inhabiting the Farasan Bank in the south-east of the Red Sea. The survey was conducted in April 2009 as part of a joint project by the Khaled Bin Sultan Living Ocean Foundation and the Saudi Wildlife Authority. With respect to habitat use of these species, the Common Dolphins, Delphinus delphius, were recognized in the offshore waters around the islands and the reefs; whereas the Bottlenose Dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, showed a preference for deeper waters. The Hump- backed Dolphins, Sousa chinensis, were sighted near an island with mangrove swamps and the Spinner Dolphins, Stenella longirostris, inhabited sheltered shallow water. The Bryde's whales, Balaenoptera edeni, were found in offshore waters which are of high productively. The Dugongs, Dugong dugon, used shallow water habitats characterized by seagrass meadows. The habitat use of the marine turtles found in the study area was also distinct. The Hawksbill turtles, Eretmochelys imbricata, were recorded within the coral reefs, whereas the Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas, were seen near the seagrass beds. The results of this study provide an important baseline data on the ranges and abundance of some endangered animals. These data along with a greater understanding of species distribution and habitat use will prove to be important for the proposing the Farasan Bank as Marine Protected Areas in this part of the Red Sea.

Introduction land and the islands, patch reefs, small atolls The study area extends from to and barrier reefs), seagrass beds, algal reefs, Am'mag, 70 Km south of Alqunfudah and mangrove stands, and intertidal flats. Two covers an area of about 220 km north to south orders of marine mammals occur in the Red and 45 km east to west, with a total area of Sea, comprise order Sirenia which is (km²; consists of many islands، all of represented by the Dugong (Dugong dugon 11915 which are uninhabited. The area has a complex family Dugonidae, and orde Cetacea which tectonic history of uplift and subsidence, has several species of dolphins (family related to the rift development of the Red Sea Delphindae) and few species of whales (family as a result of the movements of the Arabian Balaenopteridae) (Frazier et al., 1987; and African tectonic plates (Braithwaite, Basuony, et al., 2010). The cetaceans known 1987). The area has a wide range of habitats, to inhabit the Red Sea include 11 species from including coral reefs (fringing reef of the main the family Delphinidae: the Common Dolphin 1 2 Ahmed Al-Mansi

Delphinus delphinus delphis cf. tropicalis Marine turtles in the Red Sea nest on a (Baldwin, 2003); Short-finned Pilot Whale number of islands and at a few mainland Globicephala macrorhynchus (Leatherwood locations along the length of the Red Sea et. al., 1991): Risso’s Dolphin Grampus including Saudi Arabian coasts (Frazier, et al., griseus (Robineau & Rose 1984, Frazier et. 1987). Miller (1989) found in his survey that al., 1987); Orcinus orca (Frazier marine turtles nest in the vicinity of Tiran et. al., 1987); False Killer Whale Pseudorca Island in the north, Al-Wajh Bank, along the crassidens (Frazier et. al., 1987); Indo-Pacific coast near , on the offshore islands hump-backed dolphin or Plumbeous Dolphin south of Al-Qunfudhah and on the islands of Sousa chinensis (Robineau & Rose 1984, De the Farasan Bank. According to Frazier et al., Silva 1987, Frazier, et al., 1987); Rough- (1987) five of the seven recognized marine Toothed Dolphin Steno bredanensis turtle species have been recorded in the Red (Leatherwood et. al., 1991); Bottlenosed sea waters viz. the Green turtle (Chelonia Dolphin Tursiops truncates (Robineau & Rose mydas), Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys 1984, Frazier et. al., 1987, Leatherwood & imbricata), the Loggerhead turtle (Caretta Reeves 1990); and two species from the family caretta), Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys Balaenopteridae viz. the Minke Whale olivacea), and Leatherback turtle Balaenoptera acutorostrata (Leatherwood & (Dermochelys coriacea). Due to their nesting Reeves 1983) and the Bryde’s whale B. edeni areas and abundance within the Kingdom's (Mahdi 1967, Sheppard et. al., 1992). Most waters, the Green and Hawksbill turtles are reports are based on incidental sightings or considered most important to the turtle specimens, and there is very little published conservation efforts in the Kingdom. information on the ecology, behaviour, or However, the distribution of marine turtles conservation status of the Red Sea cetaceans. away from nesting beaches in the Red Sea is In the Red Sea, dugongs occur along the poorly known and the environmental variables entire eastern coast between Aqaba in the which influence turtle’s distribution at the sea north and Bab al Mandab in the south; have not been investigated in any detail. however their distribution is very patchy, Therefore, such information will be extremely reflecting the availability of suitable habitat. important for the evaluation of habitat The key habitat patches for the Dugongs occur utilization. Data collected on marine turtles along the Al-Wajh Bank, the Al Lith area, and and mammal diversity as well as the the Gazan-Luhaiyah area () (Preen, representativeness and conservation values of 1989) and the Red Sea considers the western the coastal and marine habitats should prove to extremity of the range of this tropical Indo- be useful in future management of the area. Pacific species (Frazier et al., 1987). The This study is a part of a joint project of Khaled Dugong is a rare species and is listed as Bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, the Vulnerable (VU) in the IUCN Red List Saudi Wildlife Authority and the Regional (IUCN, 2012). Organization for Conservation of the Red Sea. The project set out to assess and map the Status and ecology of Sirenian…. 3

shallow water habitats of the study area at Results Frasan Bank. The results of the surveys undertaken as a part Methodology of this study can be summarized in table (1) as following: The field work was conducted along the Table.1: Number and habitat types for marine Farasan Bank in the Red Sea (Fig. 1) from the mammals and sea turtle at the study area. th th Number and Habitat type Number of 5 to 28 April 2009. Data was obtained from habitats Individuals both the vessel and underwater surveys using Species SCUBA equipment. The vessel surveys were Common Dolphin Offshore waters around 799 Delphinus delphis the islands and reefs conducted using binoculars with the attempt to Bottlenose dolphin With wide range in 88 Tursiops truncatus sheltered waters to the cover all locations along the Farasan Bank. open ocean The composition of all marine mammal pods Hump-backed Foreshore water near an 2 Dolphin island with mangrove were recorded, identified and photographed. Sousa chinensis swamps Spinner Dolphins Sheltered shallow water 25 The location of the mammals was recorded Stenella longirostris using a Global Positioning System (GPS). The Bryde's whales Offshore patch reefs 2 Balaenoptera edeni identification of recorded marine mammals Dugongs Seagrass beds 2 Dugong dugon and turtles was carried out according to Hawksbill turtles Reefs 22 Eretmochelys Jefferson et al., (2008), and Frazier, et al., imbricata (1987) Green sea turtles Seagrass beds 3 Chelonia mydas

Marine turtles were studied using boat surveys and SCUBA equipment to identify individuals and analyze their behaviour during Marine mammals the survey. Underwater surveys were A total of 914 dolphins were sighted in the conducted at eleven sites where habitat type offshore study area distributed among 51 and turtle sightings were recorded. Data were schools ranging between 1 and 80 dolphins. also gathered by visual observation above the Four species of dolphin were recorded viz. the water surface in the study area. Photos were Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis, taken for most of the turtles encountered. Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus, the Hump-backed Dolphin Sousa chinensis and In addition to the previous observations, the Spinner dolphin Stenella longirostris. other records on slates and dive logs of turtle Also, three whales were seen, on separate and mammal sightings made by scientists and occasions, two of them were Bryde's whales specialists visiting the area recorded while Balaenoptera edeni, and the third remains boat cursing and diving was also incorporated unidentified. Two dugongs Dugong dugon where possible. were observed in the study area in the shallow The coordinates of marine mammals sighted at sheltered area (see table 1). The distribution of the study area were plotted on a map. sirenian and cetaceans in Farasan Bank is shown in Fig. 1 4 Ahmed Al-Mansi

phenomenon. Few sightings of bottlenose dolphins in the shallow water occurred around or in the lagoon of the batch reefs and atolls. The hump-backed dolphins were sighted on one occasion with an observed group of two animals. It was sighted in the foreshore water near an island with mangrove swamps. The Spinner dolphins were also sighted in one Fig. 1. Distribution of the marine mammals in Farasan occasion, in a group including 25 animals. Bank. They were found in sheltered shallow water. The Common dolphin is one of the most The two Bryde's whales were encountered in abundant of all dolphin species (Fig. 2), hence the offshore waters. They were found isolated the name. The individuals of this dolphin can and close to the offshore patch reef which is an be found in warm waters worldwide. They are area of high productively. The third also frequently seen in Farasan Bank. They unidentified whale species was observed in the were sighted 32 times with a total of 799 open water. individuals recorded. Group sizes of Common dolphins ranged between 1 and 35 individuals, The two dugongs were found in the seagrass with an average size of 24.34± 20.25 area at shallow onshore water. The site was individuals (N=320) with range varied from 4 protected by a series of islands parallel to the to 80 individuals. Common dolphins were beach. observed in the offshore waters around the islands and the reefs, but in some locations this species was encountered in association with the Bottlenose dolphin. The Bottlenose dolphin was the second most frequently recorded species. Group sizes were smaller than the Common dolphin. The Bottlenose dolphin was sighted 16 times with a total of 88 recorded individuals. Bottlenose dolphins live in a variety of habitats, from Fig.2. The percentage of the common dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, humpback dolphin, spinner dolphin in Farasan sheltered waters to the open or deep waters. Bank.

Group sizes of bottlenose dolphins ranged between 1 and 35 individuals, with an average Marine Turtles size of 11.25 ±5.54 individuals (N=160), and A total of 25 sea turtles were sighted in the ranged between 1 and 20. The bottlenose study area, 22 of them were Hawksbill turtles dolphin exhibits the solitary dolphin Eretmochelys imbricata and three were Green Status and ecology of Sirenian…. 5

sea turtles Chelonia mydas. The hawksbill group. The Common dolphins are the most turtles numbered twelve adults including three prevalent species amongst marine mammals in males, and ten immature individuals. the Farasan Bank (Fig. 3), followed by the However, seven immature hawksbill were Bottlenose dolphins, which came in the second found in the shallow water of Island located at order for mammals populations at the study 18º 55' 32.99"N and 40º 53' 00.50" E. Most of area. Both species live in a variety of habitats, the encountered hawksbills were within the from the sheltered shallow waters to the open reefs. The three Green turtles were adults and deep waters of the study area. were encountered near the seagrass areas. The distribution of these turtles is illustrated in Populations of bottlenose dolphins are known Figure (3). to inhabit pelagic waters as well as coastal areas (Leatherwood et al., 1983; Basuony et al., 2010) Bottlenose dolphins have shown a preference towards such habitats (Robin et al., 2008). In the Farasan Bank, the Common and Bottlenose dolphins have sometimes been observed in the same geographical area and in the same habitat. These two sympatric species had adopted different foraging strategies, with common dolphins feeding in the water column

or near the surface and bottlenose dolphins Fig. 3. Distribution of sea turtles in Farasan bank. focusing on bottom prey (Ferretti et al., 1998). Discussion One group of Hump-backed dolphin Sousa Little is known about the cetaceans of the chinensis and a group of Spinner dolphins Red Sea, particularly those groups living near Stenella longirostris were observed in the or on the continental shelf edge. The ecology onshore shallow water close to an island. The and behaviour of these offshore populations four species of dolphin found in study Area remain largely unknown. were recorded in Farasan Islands Marine Protected Area by Gladstone and Fisher ( There is a greater need for data concerning 2000). the local cetacean populations of the Red Sea, The two individuals of Bryde's whales their ecological characteristics, potential were observed in the northern part of the study threats and conservation status. area and have been encountered on two Data collected here suggests that the consecutive days. This could indicate that the Farasan Bank is an important feeding and same individual was sighted twice. The areas breeding ground for marine mammals. where whales were seen are considered to be Dolphins were sighted in the entire study area, of high productively due to the high diversity and were being the most sighted species of species (variety small crustaceans, squids, 6 Ahmed Al-Mansi and small schooling fishes). However, Kenji et whales, and turtles in the Farasan Bank, which al., (2009) found that the Bryde's whale prove to be an important baseline for the study consumes whatever shoaling prey is available of ranges and abundance of some of these and often exploits the activities of other endangered animals. These data along with a predators, swimming through and engulfing greater understanding of species distribution the fish they have herded. and habitat use will be important for the proposing Marine Protected Areas in this part Frazier et al., (1987) have pointed out that, of the Red Sea. the narrow strait of Bab al Mandeb may inhibit the entry of the larger whales species References comprised the Humpbacked Megaptera Basuony, M. I., Gilbert, F. and Zalat, S. (2010): Mammals of novaengliae, Fin Balaenotptera physalus, and Egypt: Atlas, Red Data listing& conservation. Bryde's B. edeni, northwards into the Red Sea, Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs, Bibliotheca, Alexandria, Pp.286. in spite of they are reported at similar latitudes Baldwin, R. (2003): Whales and Dolphins of Arabia. in the Arabian Sea, and the same probably Privately published by Robert Baldwin 2003, Pp. 116. applies to the blue whale B. musculus and Braithwaite, C.J.R. (1987): Geology and Palaeogeography sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus which of the Red Sea Region. In: In : Key Environments – Red Sea. Edwards, A. J. and Head, S. A. (eds.). occur in the Gulf of Aden. On the other hand, Pergamon Press, Oxford. Pp.22-44. Basuony et al., (2010) reported only Sei whale De Silva, P. H. D. H. (1987): Cetaceans recorded off Sri B. borealis from the Red Sea in their list. Lanka, India, from the Arabian Sea and Gulf, Gulf of Aden and from the Red Sea. Journal of the Bombay Two dugongs were found in the shallow natural History Society. 84(3) 505-525. offshore water. Preen (1989) considered the Ferretti, S., Bearzi, G. and Politi, E. (1998): Comparing Al-Lith area as one of the most important areas behavior of inshore bottlenose and common dolphins in the eastern Ionian Sea through focal group for the Dugong. He estimated the population surfacing pattern analysis. Abstract, The World in the main Saudi Arabian Red Sea to be 1820 Marine Mammal Science Conference, Monaco, France, January 1998. ± 380. Frazier, J., Bertram, G. C. and Evans, P. G. H. (1987): Hawksbill sea turtles Eretmochelys Turtles and marine mammals. In : Key Environments – imbricata were the most regularly sighted Red Sea. Edwards, A. J. and Head, S . A. (eds.). Pergamon Press. 288-314. species of sea turtles in the study area. They Gladstone, W. and Fisher, P. R., (2000): Status and ecology were found to inhabit the reef areas. The seven of ceteaceans in the Farasan Islands Marine Protected hawksbill turtle encountered at N 18º '55' Area (Red Sea). Fauna of Arabia 18: Pp. 385-396. 32.99" N, and 40º 53' 00.50" E indicated that Jefferson, T. A, Webber, M. A. and Pilman, R. L. (2008): Marine Mammals of the World. Acadimic Press by the the area is a good feeding ground for the Society of Marine Mammalogy, Pp 592. immature hawksbill. The Green sea turtle IUCN (2012): IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Chelonia mydas were encountered near the Kenji, K., Hiroshi, K., Koji, M., Takashi, H. and Tsutomu, Seagrass areas. T. (2009): Density prediction modelling and mapping of common minke, sei and Bryde's whales distribution Conclusion in the western North Pacific using JARPNII (2000- 2007) data set. SC/J09/JR26 presented to the JAPAN These results provide information on II Review Workshop, Tokyo, January 2009. distribution and habitat use of dolphins, Status and ecology of Sirenian…. 7

Leatherwood, S., Reeves, R. R. and Foster, L. ( 1983): The Sheppard, C. R C, Price, A. R. G. and Roberts, C. (1992): Sierra Club Handbook of Whales and Dolphins. San Marine Ecology of the Arabian Region. Patterns and Francisco: Sierra Club Books. Processes in Extreme Tropical Environments. London, Academic Press. Pp. 350. Leatherwood, S. and Reeves, R. R. (1990): The Bottlenose Dolphin. San Diego-. Academic Press, Inc. Leatherwood, S., McDonald, D., Prematunga, W. P. Girton, Acknowledgment P., Ilangakoon, A. and McBrearty, D. (1991): Recorded of the "Blackfish" (Killer, False Killer, First, I would like to thank His Highness Pilot, Pygmy Killer and Melonheaded whales) in the Indian Ocean, 1772-1986. In: S. Leathenvood and Prince Bandar bin Saud bin Mohammad Al G.P. Donovan (eds.) Cetaceans and Cetacean Saud, President of the Saudi Wildlife Research in the Indian Ocean, Pp. 33-65. Black Bear Press Limited. Nairobi, Kenya. Authority, for his support and encouragement Mahdi, N. (1967): First record of Brydes whale Balaenoptera during this research. edeni (Anderson) from Arabian Gulf. Bull. Iraq. Nat. Hist. Mus. I also thank the Khalid bin Sultan Living Miller, J. D. (1989):. Marine turtle: an assessment of the Oceans Foundation for giving me the conservation status of marine turtle in the Kingdom of opportunity and their logistic to join their Saudi Arabia. Vol. 1 MEPA Coastal and Marine Management Series Technical Report 9, Pp. 209. research team in the course of their scientific survey of the Red Sea. Preen, T. (1989): The status and conservation of Dugong in the Arabian Region. MEPA. Report No. 10. Vol. 1 MEPA Coastal and Marine Management Series Technical Report 9, Pp. 209.

Robin, W. B., Antoinettem, G., Daniel, J. M., Allan, D. L., Mark, H. D., Daniel, L. W., Gregory, S. S., Karen, K. M., Dan, R. S. and Sabred, D. M. (2008): Population structure of island-associated dolphins: Evidence from photo-identification of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the main Hawaiian Islands. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 4:111–122. Robineau D, Rose J M. (1984): Les cétacés de Djibouti. Bilan des connaissance actuelles sur la faune cétologique de la mer Rouge et du golfe d’Aden. Bull. Mus. Natn. Hist. Nat., Paris 6: 219-24.

8 Ahmed Al-Mansi

اﻟﺣﺎﻟﺔ اﻟراﻫﻧﺔ ﻟﻠﺧﻳﻼﻧﻳﺎت واﻟﺣﻳﺗﺎن واﻟﺳﻼﺣف اﻟﺑﺣرﻳﺔ وﺑﻳﺋﺎﺗﻬﺎ ﻓﻲ ﺿﻔﺔ ﻓرﺳﺎن، اﻟﺑﺣر اﻷﺣﻣر، اﻟﻣﻣﻠﻛﺔ اﻟﻌرﺑﻳﺔ اﻟﺳﻌودﻳﺔ

اﺣﻣد ﻣﺣﻣد ﻋﺑداﻟرﺣﻣن اﻟﻣﻧﺳﻲ اﻟﻬﻳﺋﺔ اﻟﺳﻌودﻳﺔ ﻟﻠﺣﻳﺎة اﻟﻔطرﻳﺔ

اﻟﻣﺳﺗﺧﻠص. ﻳﻬدف اﻟﺑﺣث إﻟﻰ ﺟﻣﻊ اﻟﺑﻳﺎﻧﺎت اﻷوﻟﻳﺔ اﻟﻣﺗﻌﻠﻘﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﺣﺎﻟﺔ اﻟراﻫﻧﺔ ﻟﻠﺧﻳﻼﻧﻳﺎت واﻟﺣﻳﺗﺎن وأﻧواع اﻟﺳﻼﺣف اﻟﺑﺣرﻳﺔ اﻟﺗﻲ ﺗﻌﻳش ﻓﻲ ﺿﻔﺔ ﻓرﺳﺎن اﻟﺗﻲ ﺗﻘﻊ ﺟﻧوب ﺷ رق اﻟﺑﺣر اﻷﺣﻣر ﻗﺑﺎﻟﺔ اﻟﺷﺎطﻲء اﻟﺟﻧوﺑﻲ اﻟﻐرﺑﻲ ﻟﻠﻣﻣﻛﺔ اﻟﻌرﺑﻳﺔ اﻟﺳﻌودﻳﺔ، وﻛذﻟك ﺗوزﻳﻌﻬﺎ اﻟﻌﺎم واﺳﺗﺧداﻣﻬﺎ ﻟﻠﻣوﺋﻝ ﺑﻣﻧطﻘﺔ اﻟدراﺳﺔ. وﻟﻘد ﺗم اﻟﺣﺻوﻝ 2009 28 5 ﻋﻠﻰ ﻫذﻩ اﻟﺑﻳﺎﻧﺎت ﻣن ﺧﻼﻝ اﻟﻘﻳﺎم ﺑﺎﻟﻣﺳﺢ ﺧﻼﻝ اﻟ ﻔ ﺗ رة ﻣن - أﺑرﻳﻝ ، ﻛ ﺟ زء ﻣن ﻣ ﺷ ر وع ﻣ ﺷ ﺗ رك ﺑﻳن ﻣؤﺳﺳﺔ ﺧﺎﻟد ﺑن ﺳﻠطﺎن ﻟﻠﻣﺣﺎﻓظﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻣﺣﻳطﺎت واﻟﻬﻳﺋﺔ اﻟﺳﻌودﻳﺔ ﻟﻠﺣﻳﺎة اﻟﻔطرﻳﺔ. وﻟﻘد ﺗم ﺧﻼﻝ ﻫذﻩ اﻟدراﺳﺔ ا ﻟ ﺗ ﻌ رف ﻋﻠﻰ أرﺑﻌﺔ أﻧواع ﻣن اﻟدﻻﻓﻳن ﺷﻣﻠت: اﻟدﻟﻔﻳن اﻟﺷﺎﺋﻊ اﻟذي ﺳﺟﻝ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻣﻳﺎﻩ اﻟﺿﺣﻠﺔ ﺣوﻝ اﻟﺟزر واﻟﺷﻌﺎب اﻟﻣرﺟﺎﻧﻳﺔ، واﻟدﻟﻔﻳن ذو اﻟﺑوز اﻟﻘﺎروري اﻟذي أظﻬر ﺗﻔﺿﻳﻼ ﻟﻠﻣﻳﺎﻩ اﻟﻌﻣﻳﻘﺔ، ﺑﻳﻧﻣﺎ ﺷوﻫدت أﻓراد ﻧ وع اﻟدﻟﻔﻳن اﻷﺣدب ﺑﺎﻟﻘرب ﻣن إﺣدى اﻟﺟزراﻟﺗﻲ ﺗﻧﺗﺷر ﺑﻬﺎ ﺗﺟﻣﻌﺎت أﺷﺟﺎر

اﻟﻣﺎﻧﺟروف، أﻣﺎ ا ﻟ ﻧ وع اﻟراﺑﻊ وﻫو اﻟدﻟﻔﻳن ا ﻟ ﻐ زاﻝ ﻓﻘد ﺳﺟﻝ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻣﻳﺎﻩ اﻟﺿﺣﻠﺔاﻟﺳﺎﻛﻧﺔ. أﻣﺎ ﺑﺎﻟﻧﺳﺑﺔ ﻟﻠﺣﻳﺗﺎن

ﻓﻘد ﺗﻣت ﻣﺷﺎﻫدة ﻓردﻳن ﻣن ﻧ وع اﻟﺣوت ﺑرودي ﻓﻲ اﻟﻣﻳﺎﻩ اﻟﺳﺎﺣﻠﻳﺔ ذات اﻹﻧﺗﺎﺟﻳﺔاﻟﻌﺎﻟﻳﺔ. ﻛﻣﺎ ﺷوﻫدت

اﻷطوم أو ﻋراﺋس اﻟﺑﺣر ( أﺑﻘﺎر اﻟﺑﺣر ) ﻓﻲ اﻟﻣﻳﺎﻩ اﻟﺿﺣﻠﺔ اﻟﺗﻲ ﺗﺗﻣﻳز ﺑ ﻣ روج اﻟﺣﺷﺎﺋش اﻟﺑﺣرﻳﺔ. أﻣﺎ اﻟﺳﻼﺣف اﻟﺑﺣرﻳﺔ ﻓﻘد ﺳﺟﻝ ﻧوﻋﺎن ﻫﻣﺎ: اﻟﺳﻠﺣﻔﺎة ﺻﻘرﻳﺔ اﻟﻣﻧﻘﺎر اﻟﺗﻲ ﺷوﻫدت ﻓﻲ ﺑﻳﺋﺔ اﻟﺷﻌﺎب اﻟﻣرﺟﺎﻧﻳﺔ ، واﻟﺳﻠﺣﻔﺎة اﻟﺧﺿراء اﻟﺗﻲ ﺳﺟﻠت ﺑﺎﻟﻘرب ﻣن ﻣﻬﺎد اﻟﺣﺷﺎﺋش اﻟﺑﺣرﻳﺔ، وﺗﺷﻳر اﻟدراﺳﺔ إﻟﻰ أن اﺳﺗﺧدام اﻟﺳﻼﺣف ﻟﻠﻣوﺋﻝ اﻟﻣوﺟودة ﻓﻲ ﻣﻧطﻘﺔ اﻟدراﺳﺔ ﻛﺎن ﻣﺗﻣﻳزا. وﺗﺷﻳر ﻧﺗﺎﺋﺞ ﻫذﻩ اﻟدراﺳﺔ إﻟﻰ ﺗوﻓﻳر ﺑﻳﺎﻧﺎت ﻫﺎﻣﺔ وأﺳﺎﺳﻳﺔ ﺗﻌد ﻛﻘﺎﻋدة ﺑﻳﺎﻧﺎت ﺣوﻝ ﺑﻳﺋﺎت واﻧﺗﺷﺎر و و ﻓ رة ﺗﻠك اﻷﻧواع ﺧﺎﺻﺔ وأﻧﻬﺎ ﺗواﺟﻪ اﻟﻛﺛﻳر ﻣن اﻟﺗﺣدﻳﺎت ﻣﻣﺎ ﻳﺟﻌﻠﻬﺎ ﻣﻬددة ﺑﺎﻻﻧﻘراض. ﻛﻣﺎ ﺗﺷﻳر ﻫذﻩ اﻟﺑﻳﺎﻧﺎت إﻟﻰ اﻟﺣﺎﻟﺔ اﻟراﻫﻧﺔ ﻟﺗوزﻳﻊ اﻟﺛدﻳﺎت واﻟﺳﻼﺣف اﻟﺑﺣرﻳﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺿﻔﺔ ﻓرﺳﺎن واﺳﺗﺧداﻣﻬﺎ ﻟﻠﻣوﺋﻝ ﻣﻣﺎ ﻳؤﻛد ﻋﻠﻰ أﻫﻣﻳﺔ اﻗﺗراح ﺿﻔﺔ ﻓرﺳﺎن ﻛﻣﻧطﻘﺔ ﺑﺣرﻳﺔ ﻣﺣﻣﻳﺔ .