Volunteer Pod Tracks Whale Migratory Patterns

Fiji Times, Riteshni Singh

FIJI– A TEAM of 15 volunteers on board the Uto ni Yalo are on a three-week survey of humpback whales in Lomaiviti waters.

WWF regional marine officer Penina Solomona said the group was the first in a batch of 40 research volunteers.

“Over the course of the survey period, there will be scheduled rotations of volunteers,” she said.

Ms Solomona said the youngest volunteer was seventh former Mereoni Navuku, who had given up part of her holidays to participate in the research initiative.

She said the crew of the Uto ni Yalo were also part of the research team and would attempt to record humpback whale songs.

Ms Solomona said the team encountered a minke whale enroute to Levuka, from where they will sail to Makogai.

The exercise is being carried out to learn more about the whales’ migratory patterns.

Volunteers have been trained by WWF with skills to detect, monitor and record movement of humpback whales through Fiji waters.

The survey runs from August 28 to September 28.

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