Timor Leste a Mecca for whales but they face threats

One third of all cetacean species are found in the waters off Timor Leste, but measures are needed to protect themOlive Andrews believes Timor Leste could be one of the best destinations in the world for whale watching. Andrews - a research scientist with a particular interest in cetaceans - drew this conclusion when she joined a survey team assessing the coastal waters north of Timor Leste in October 2016. "I've never seen such a biomass of cetaceans in such a small geography," she says. "We encountered 2287 cetaceans from 11 species, including superpods of up to 600 individuals." There are 90 distinct species of cetacean - and at least 30 of them occur in Timor Leste. These include both local populations like melon headed whales and spinner dolphins, and migratory species like humpbacks and pygmy blue whales. Managed properly, whale tourism could generate significant income for Timor Leste, one of the world's youngest - and poorest - nations. Continue reading...