Malaysia’s coastal waters support 27 species of marine mammals, several of which receive formal protection because of their vulnerability. Among the most closely watched are the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins and Irrawaddy dolphins, whose calls carry information about feeding, social bonds, and responses to disturbance. Marine bioacoustician Saliza Bono studies these sounds to understand how human activity affects the animals and to guide conservation measures. Her work at MareCet, the country’s sole dedicated marine-mammal research organization, centers on turning underwater recordings into practical knowledge for protection.
From Childhood Wonder to Professional Focus
Bono’s interest began early. At age ten she encountered her first dolphin while visiting Australia and was struck by the fact that the animal breathed air yet spent its life beneath the surface. That observation led her to the idea of becoming a marine scientist. Today, at thirty-two, she serves as MareCet’s bioacoustics officer and leads the Langkawi Dolphin Research Project. Her role involves deploying recording equipment, analyzing hours of audio, and interpreting patterns that reveal how dolphins use sound to navigate and communicate.
Mapping a Diverse Marine Community
The full list of Malaysia’s marine mammals includes several dolphin species, the dugong, and the Indo-Pacific finless porpoise. These animals share coastal habitats that are also used for shipping, fishing, and tourism. Because many Malaysians remain unaware of their presence, public support for protection measures has been limited. Bono’s recordings help document where the animals occur and how they behave, providing baseline data that can inform policy and raise awareness.
Noise as an Invisible Pressure
Underwater sound travels far and can mask the calls dolphins rely on for hunting and staying together. Bono’s research examines how vessel traffic and other human sources alter the behavior of humpback and Irrawaddy dolphins in particular. Early findings suggest that increased noise may force animals to change their vocal patterns or move to quieter areas, though the long-term consequences remain under study. The work requires repeated field trips and careful comparison of recordings taken under different conditions.
Turning Sound Into Conservation Action
By focusing on what the dolphins themselves reveal through their calls, Bono’s team aims to identify critical habitats and periods when disturbance should be minimized. The approach complements visual surveys and offers insights that are difficult to obtain any other way. Continued monitoring will be needed as coastal development proceeds, yet the recordings already demonstrate that these animals remain present and active in Malaysian waters. Sustained attention to their acoustic environment offers one clear route toward keeping populations viable.
