CSI Whales Alive! Vol. XVI No. 3 CSI's Grants Program

Congratulations to Eduardo Secchi of Brazil, who has been awarded the American Society of Mammalogists 2007 Oliver P. Pearson Award. The award, which includes a grant, is given only to one young Latin American scientist each year. Now an adjunct professor, "Edu" was one of CSI's early grantees when he was beginning his master's degree. He is "dedicated to (his) graduate students (both in marine mammals and turtles) and classes but would like to continue working on bycatch and habitat use issue to establish critical areas for conservation of charismatic megafauna and endangered shark species."

Edu is an excellent example of the purpose and success of CSI's Grants Program. Through it we are fortunate to know and help many like Edu. Picture a gifted, enthusiastic, energetic graduate student in Brazil in the early 90's, with significant opportunities for research but very little support. Back then CSI could only give $500 in cash, maybe some resources, but always a lot of moral support. As we hear so often from some of the over 400 people we have helped over the decades, CSI was the first to give any support at all. Our so-evident faith in these young people was perhaps our greatest gift to them.

CSI believes fundamentally in helping others to help cetaceans; we cannot do much all by ourselves. In the late 70's CSI began to give small grants and other support to facilities and specialists helping cetaceans. This grew into helping young scientists accomplish meaningful research as part of their graduate degree program, or to develop educational programs and facilities. This evolved into our specialization in Latin America and the Caribbean. There were several reasons to focus there. First, the biggest problem was that no one knew much about the problems; the scientific data documenting human impacts was very limited. Second, there were not enough scientists and resources to get the data, but there was enormous potential for an emerging generation to bring the region up to date. Third, some of the work was in near-pristine areas, studying animals and habitats not yet affected by humans; where can you find that in North America or Europe? Fourth, while projects in the north were enormously expensive, and becoming repetitive, it was possible to accomplish a 1,000 kilometer scientific survey of shoreline habitats in Brazil with a $500 grant to four young men willing to sleep in a car. Those were the days! A fifth reason was long term, that the people we helped would become influential while retaining their deep concern about the need to manage human impacts. This maturation process was accelerated as these graduate students quickly proved themselves, brought the region into a world view, and became influential scientists, officials, teachers and managers.

In the last twelve months CSI has given more than 80 grants, with the enormous help of a foundation whose generosity has helped us to give many, many young people a jump-start in their careers, and maintained the progress of others. And that brings us back to Edu, who now sends his students to CSI for help.

Alësha Naranjit of Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies is a superb example of someone CSI is pleased to help through our grants program. From the start it was clear that this young woman will make a significant and positive difference; all she needs is a little help. Here is her latest report:

"Flukes and Fins" was created by a group of young Trinbagonian conservationists [led by Alësha, Ed.] to promote local conservation of cetaceans, including proper management of their habitat, through research and public education. It is the first locally based, locally driven cetacean project to be done in the country encompassing both fieldwork and awareness-raising. We believe that an increase in awareness will lead to greater support for cetacean conservation and will also allow the cetaceans to be used as flagship species in the protection of valuable, threatened coastal habitat.

Although 24 cetacean species have been recorded in Trinidad & Tobago waters, very little is known about the local populations and almost nothing is in place for protection/ conservation of either the species or their habitats. In addition, there is also a lack of local public knowledge on the matter with many locals not even aware that there are dolphins and whales in our waters. As a result, potential, if not actual threats to the cetaceans, in the form of noise, chemical and solid waste pollution as well as boat traffic, have been allowed to increase, unchecked, over time.

In conjunction with the awareness drive, information collected through interviews and from the 30-day boat-based, visual survey of the coastal cetaceans of the northwest peninsula of Trinidad will give us a better idea of the presence and distribution of the species/ populations in the area and any threats to the animals. The survey will mainly be used as a pilot to help design a more long term cetacean monitoring programme which can guide the creation of adequate conservation policy with respect to local cetaceans and the selection and protection of critical coastal habitats needed for cetacean survival and welfare.

Presently, education and awareness materials in the form of brochures, educational games, activity sheets and a web site are being prepared; local knowledge questionnaires have begun and the team leader is undergoing training in cetacean survey techniques. Although we are still in the preliminary stages of the project the response of the Trinbagonian public as well as international cetacean conservationist groups has been fantastic. People have been happy to share their knowledge of the area's whales and dolphins and have shown interest in the project, concern for the animals and have given generously to the project. We could not have gotten this far without donations from the University of the West Indies Biological Society, Mini City, Charran's Book Store, the hard work of our first group of volunteers and of course the many who have been there to advise and support us throughout the planning and initial stages of the project. Thanks to all of you.

The next big step is beginning the boat based survey which we hope to do in October-November 2007. Thanks to the financial support, donations and training of Jennifer Lewis of Florida University International, The Wild Dolphin Project, the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organization, and of course Cetacean Society International the surveys are well on their way to becoming a reality but any donations of money or survey equipment (binoculars, a depth sounder, GPS, money for boat rental...) will be a great help. The project thus far has been a continuous learning experience to us all, both challenging and enjoyable and we look forward to getting out on the water and beginning this new phase.