Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288) . Number 141, September 2016, pp. 1-19. | Page 4

4

Whale Bone Remains at the Diving Village, Heritage Village, Dubai, United Arab
Emirates. Photo by: Prof. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf-von Jaffa. 19.03.2015.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/50022881@N00/16764542958/
Much of what we know about the local species of cetaceans was based initially
on observations made by members of the Natural History Group of Abu Dhabi
in the late 1970's and early 1980's. Later, proper research was done by Robert
Baldwin, who was provided with a grant from the Union National Bank to
survey the UAE waters and coasts. New data are being added regularly by
Emirates Natural History Group (ENHG) members as they make their
exploratory trips along the coasts and to the islands of the UAE (Jongbloed,
2004).
The marine mammals are an interesting group of animals because of in spite of
their underwater existence they need air to breathe and consequently have to
surface regularly to draw air. They do this via one or more blowholes on top of
the head. The sound produced by the blow can, in the case of the large whales, be
heard and seen from great distances. Having to breathe air makes a whale or
dolphin vulnerable, and as any caught in nets are drowned. The toll of drowned
dolphins in the nets meant for tuna fish has been horrendous in the past.
Nowadays many people boycott tuna products if they know the fish have been
caught with purse-seine netting that traps the dolphins inside (Jongbloed, 2004).

Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 141 – September 2016