Rare Pink Dolphins Return to Hong Kong’s Waters After Ferry Traffic Slows Due to COVID-19
Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins—also known as pink dolphins—are reappearing in Hong Kong’s waters after the ferry service was suspended due to COVID-19.
The Pearl River Delta is seeing population numbers increase up to 30% in the area.
Scientists say it’s nice to see the threatened species play and socialize in calmer waters.
Rare Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins are suddenly reappearing in Hong Kong’s waters, and scientists believe it’s due to the pause on the metropolitan area’s ferry service.
These rosy-hued dolphins, also known as pink dolphins or white Chinese dolphins, have been on the decline for years, making them a threatened species in Hong Kong. However, pink dolphins only recently have been spotted swimming through the region’s Pearl River Delta, creating a small cause for celebration.
Although these beautiful dolphins love to swim in coastal waters, which are typically shallow, it also means that their interactions with humans are high. The issue with this is, while they’re lovely to look at, swimming too close to human civilization can pose a threat to their livelihood, according to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation.
It’s why these sweet dolphins typically avoid the Pearl River Delta, which is full of high-speed ferry traffic that travels from Hong Kong to Macau, per Reuters. So when ferry services came to a halt due to the pandemic in March, the dolphins took advantage of the calm waters to freely swim and socialize in the area.
Lindsay Porter, a marine scientist at the University of St. Andrews, believes that there is a correlation between the ferry suspension and the reappearance of the dolphins. “These waters, which were once one of the busiest thoroughfares in Hong Kong, have now become very quiet,” Porter told Reuters.
Spotting the majestic animal came as a surprise for residents, travel buffs, and scientists alike. Porter confirms that this is a resurgence for the dolphins’ population, claiming that their presence has increased in the area by 30% since the ferry suspension. “What we have noticed since the ferries have stopped in this area is dolphins we hadn’t seen for four, five, six years are back in the Hong Kong habitat,” Porter explained.
Her team is using this unique opportunity to study the species. After the ferry service paused, Porter kept a close eye on the pink dolphins and conducted surveys before discovering a large number of them returning to the Pearl River Delta.
“It was the last week in February, literally the week after the ferries stopped traveling between Hong Kong and Macau,” she told The Guardian. “I’ve been studying these dolphins since 1993 and I’ve never seen anything like this dramatic change before, and the only thing that changed is 200 ferries stopped traveling before.”
Now, she’s looking into the pink dolphin’s behavior changes when encountered with underwater noise. In order to do this, the team is monitoring the mammals through the use of underwater microphones and flying drones. The combination will allow researchers to hear and see their behavior without any interference.
Porter says so far, she’s observed the dolphins socializing more, splashing the surface, and even mating. “Hong Kong dolphins normally live on the edges, they’re stressed, they spend their time eating and resting,” Porter said. “So to see them playing…to see them having a good time, that was really great to see.”
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