Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society
Encyclopedia
The Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society (HKDCS) (Traditional Chinese: 香港海豚保育學會) is a non-governmental organization
that is dedicated to the conservation of whale
s, and dolphin
s and porpoise
s in Hong Kong
. Founded in December 2003, its mission is to protect whales and dolphins through scientific research and public education.
In order to promote concern and increase awareness of the unfortunate circumstances of whales and dolphins, the HKDCS has been involved in various fields including carrying out research, offering related education to school children, providing volunteers a chance to join as research interns, and organizing forums for dolphin-lovers which also serves as a social gathering for like-minded individuals. HKDCS has an ongoing member recruitment programme since 2003.
As the general public in Hong Kong knows little about these creatures, the HKDCS believes local cetaceans have not received sufficient protection from the locals yet. The HKDCS deems that in order for local cetaceans to be relieved from this quandary and to be effectively protected in the long run, the knowledge of the general public on cetaceans in Hong Kong and around the world should be raised.
The HKDCS aims to:
Research projects include:
The main targets of HKDCS’s monitoring work are the Chinese White Dolphins (Sousa Chinesis), and the Finless Porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides). At least 1,400 Chinese White Dolphins are said to be living in this region, with about 300 alone in Hong Kong waters; but their population, temporal and spatial distribution, their use of habitat places and ranging patterns have not yet been studied adequately. This is especially so for Finless Porpoises as they are known to be more elusive, and therefore harder to spot at sea.
HKDCS is one organization that carries out research on Chinese White Dolphins in Hong Kong waters. Monitoring work of Chinese White Dolphins and Finless Porpoises are normally carried out by vessel surveys
, helicopter surveys and the use of photo-identification.
Vessel surveys are used mainly for the routine monitoring of the distribution and abundance of the local dolphin population.
Helicopter surveys are used mainly to search for dolphins in a large area within a relatively short period of time. When researchers sight a group of dolphins, the time, location and abundance are recorded.
Helicopter surveys can provide better and more comprehensive information on the distribution of dolphins in Hong Kong as compared to vessel survey and land-based observation.
Photo-identification is used to identify individual cetaceans. The identifying features include permanent external characteristics on the body, such as nicks, dorsal
scars or marks. Currently, over 260 individual dolphins have been identified in Hong Kong waters and the Pearl River
Estuary. The photographic documentations of individual humpback dolphins will be used to study their home range and movement patterns. The data are also used to clarify some life history parameters to estimate dolphin population through mark/recapture analysis.
Coastal pollution accruing from industrial and human sewage waste and the cumulative impacts of coastal development would mean tainting the water which the dolphins live in. Before issuing protection measures and drawing up conservation programmes, the impacts that these threats on dolphins have to be first addressed and understood.
and Lung Kwu Chau
Marine Park. This type of far-off observation is useful as it provides an elevated pedestal
with which to view and survey the entire study area. This allows an unobstructed view of the whole scene and environment
, which gives the observer the chance to observe interactions between dolphins, and also between dolphins and passing boats. Furthermore, this observation does not disturb the dolphins in any way and therefore will not affect their usual behaviour.
effort between the Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese waters has hindered the general understanding of the entire Pearl River Estuary population of Chinese White Dolphins.
The long term aims of the exploratory surveys are to estimate the population of the Chinese White Dolphin
in the PRE and to study the spatial and temporal patterns of their distribution and habitats. The HKDCS also wishes to assess the threats faced by dolphins within the area, and to provide suggestions on the conservation and management of the Chinese White Dolphin to the Guangdong authorities.
The HKDCS maintains that additional dolphin surveys in the rest of the Guangdong coastline is urgently needed. Data concerning their trends in abundance, distribution, habitat use, social organization, life history, mortality rates and causes of Chinese White Dolphins are to be acquired.
, has found to be home to some cetaceans as well. Little is known about their distribution and population characteristics, hence sparking off HKDCS' research programme with Formosa Cetus.
effects on finless porpoises.
The HKDCS organizes a wide range of activities that can be categorized into the following two groups:
The HKDCS financed the "Environmental & Conservation Fund" and "Environmental Campaign Committee", and worked hand-in-hand with the Parent-Teacher Associations of participating schools, resulting in the latest creation of workshops for primary school students which will be held from September 2006 to December 2007. The HKDCS hopes to convey the message of the conservation of dolphins, through tailor-made activities for the primary school kids and their parents, such as distributing educational booklets and chessboards with the theme of Hong Kong dolphins and making paper-clay models of dolphins etc.
The large scale exhibition “Get close with Chinese White Dolphin", was jointly held by the HKDCS and the Cityplaza.
There has recently been a protest against the slaughtering of dolphins and small whales within Japanese waters. It is estimated that more than a total of 400,000 cetaceans have been killed. The HKDCS called upon the public to support and join the campaign protesting against this massacre. The society also sent a letter to the Consulate-General of Japan regarding the issue.
. The second reason relates to the fact that despite the already small number of dolphins in Hong Kong, not only is little done to protect them, their environment and lives are continuously being threatened and destroyed by unregulated local marine activities.
Here are a few dangers that dolphins in Hong Kong are facing:
and the North Lantau Expressway has destroyed the virgin natural coast as well as shallow marine habitats. Contaminated mud resulting from land reclamation
is dumped in the seabed
to the north of the new airport's platform. More dolphin habitats are speculated to be affected similarly, as the new container terminals are to be built on reclaimed land at Yam O
and Lung Kwu Tan
.
impinges directly on the health of dolphins. However, very high concentrations of DDT (a pesticide
still used in China) and PCB
s (used in the electronics industry) from unidentified sources have been found in tissue samples from dolphins. Pollutants are washed into the sea from local discharges and the Pearl River. In Hong Kong alone, some 150,000 cubic meters of raw sewage
(unscreened and not treated), is dumped into the western harbour area each day. It is estimated that this would rise to an amount of 700,000 cubic meters a day by 2010. Sewage includes household toxic wastes, such as cleaning fluids and industrial effluent
. Bacteria
and viruses that emerge from the wastes affect dolphins directly.
shipping channel, with up to 70 vessels
an hour, is situated across areas where dolphins are frequently spotted.
Tranquillity
underwater is a luxury for Chinese White Dolphins in Hong Kong. The underwater world they dwell in is noisy with scores of vessels and boats travelling, as well as coastal underwater works (particularly underwater percussive piling). As dolphins rely on their hearing for echolocation
and communication
with companions, a deafening
environment might affect its ability to locate food, communicate, and in serious cases cause permanent
damage.
A favourite feeding strategy of the Chinese White Dolphins is following fishing vessels for fish that escape from the nets. The dolphins like to follow pair trawlers, which catch the most fish and stir up fish at the sea bottom. However by doing so, they risk being entangled by the fishing nets. As dolphins have to surface to breathe, they will drown once they get caught and entangled. Gill-net is another threat to dolphins in Hong Kong. However, fishery bycatch is not a serious menace to Chinese white dolphins in Hong Kong. It is observed that they are skillful enough to avoid getting entangled when following the trawlers.
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
that is dedicated to the conservation of whale
Whale
Whale is the common name for various marine mammals of the order Cetacea. The term whale sometimes refers to all cetaceans, but more often it excludes dolphins and porpoises, which belong to suborder Odontoceti . This suborder also includes the sperm whale, killer whale, pilot whale, and beluga...
s, and dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
s and porpoise
Porpoise
Porpoises are small cetaceans of the family Phocoenidae; they are related to whales and dolphins. They are distinct from dolphins, although the word "porpoise" has been used to refer to any small dolphin, especially by sailors and fishermen...
s in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Founded in December 2003, its mission is to protect whales and dolphins through scientific research and public education.
In order to promote concern and increase awareness of the unfortunate circumstances of whales and dolphins, the HKDCS has been involved in various fields including carrying out research, offering related education to school children, providing volunteers a chance to join as research interns, and organizing forums for dolphin-lovers which also serves as a social gathering for like-minded individuals. HKDCS has an ongoing member recruitment programme since 2003.
Mission
To protect local cetaceans residing in Hong Kong waters, through scientific research and public education.As the general public in Hong Kong knows little about these creatures, the HKDCS believes local cetaceans have not received sufficient protection from the locals yet. The HKDCS deems that in order for local cetaceans to be relieved from this quandary and to be effectively protected in the long run, the knowledge of the general public on cetaceans in Hong Kong and around the world should be raised.
The HKDCS aims to:
- Raise public awareness on: The biology and conservation of the dolphins in Hong Kong - namely the Sousa Chinesis (Chinese White DolphinChinese White DolphinThe Chinese white dolphin is a humpback dolphin species, one of eighty cetacean species. An adult is white or pink and may appear as an albino dolphin to some. Uniquely, the population along the Chinese coast has pink skin. Pink skin is not pigment, but blood vessels for thermoregulation...
), finless porpoises in Hong Kong and cetaceans in other parts of the world; the preservation of dolphins and their habitats in Hong Kong; and the impacts to dolphins from dolphin-watching activities and the importance of raising the standard of the dolphin-watching industry in Hong Kong - Conduct scientific research on wild dolphins in Hong Kong and nearby regions like ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following... - Educate school children on the importance of dolphin conservation
- Offer opportunities for internship in the research department and volunteers to participate in the conservation of the local cetaceans
- Provide a forum for dolphin-lovers to gather, interact and share dolphin-watching and some global hot issues about dolphins.
Research Work
The HKDCS carries out extensive research in order to better understand and monitor the situation of dolphins and their habitats within the vicinity of Hong Kong. The society stresses that research should be conducted on a yearly basis at least, so that information about the dolphin population can be updated regularly. Decisions based on these information can then be made with confidence.Research projects include:
Monitoring Chinese White Dolphins and Finless Porpoises
HKDCS is one organization that carries out research on Chinese White Dolphins in Hong Kong waters. Monitoring work of Chinese White Dolphins and Finless Porpoises are normally carried out by vessel surveys
Research vessel
A research vessel is a ship designed and equipped to carry out research at sea. Research vessels carry out a number of roles. Some of these roles can be combined into a single vessel, others require a dedicated vessel...
, helicopter surveys and the use of photo-identification.
Vessel surveys are used mainly for the routine monitoring of the distribution and abundance of the local dolphin population.
Helicopter surveys are used mainly to search for dolphins in a large area within a relatively short period of time. When researchers sight a group of dolphins, the time, location and abundance are recorded.
Helicopter surveys can provide better and more comprehensive information on the distribution of dolphins in Hong Kong as compared to vessel survey and land-based observation.
Photo-identification is used to identify individual cetaceans. The identifying features include permanent external characteristics on the body, such as nicks, dorsal
Dorsum (biology)
In anatomy, the dorsum is the upper side of animals that typically run, fly, or swim in a horizontal position, and the back side of animals that walk upright. In vertebrates the dorsum contains the backbone. The term dorsal refers to anatomical structures that are either situated toward or grow...
scars or marks. Currently, over 260 individual dolphins have been identified in Hong Kong waters and the Pearl River
Pearl River (China)
The Pearl River or less commonly, the "Guangdong River" or "Canton River" etc., , is an extensive river system in southern China. The name Pearl River is usually used as a catchment term to refer to the watersheds of the Xi Jiang , the Bei Jiang , and the Dong Jiang...
Estuary. The photographic documentations of individual humpback dolphins will be used to study their home range and movement patterns. The data are also used to clarify some life history parameters to estimate dolphin population through mark/recapture analysis.
Executing Joint Conservation Chinese White Dolphins in Taiwan
The HKDCS plans to work with the FormosaCetus Research and Conservation Group to conduct a joint conservation programme on Chinese White Dolphins in Taiwanese waters. Until 2002, there was little evidence that the coastal waters of Taiwan were populated with any Chinese White Dolphin. A discovery that year revealed a sizeable population of these creatures. As a result of the discovery, the Chinese White Dolphin is now placed at the highest level of protection under Taiwan's Wildlife Conservation Law.Coastal pollution accruing from industrial and human sewage waste and the cumulative impacts of coastal development would mean tainting the water which the dolphins live in. Before issuing protection measures and drawing up conservation programmes, the impacts that these threats on dolphins have to be first addressed and understood.
Performing Land-based Observation on Dolphin-watching Activities
Most land-based observations in Hong Kong take place in Sha ChauSha Chau
Sha Chau is an island at the northwest water of Hong Kong. It is off the shore of Lung Kwu Tan near Tuen Mun in the mainland New Territories, separated by waterway of Urmston Road....
and Lung Kwu Chau
Lung Kwu Chau
Lung Kwu Chau is an island at the northwest water of Hong Kong...
Marine Park. This type of far-off observation is useful as it provides an elevated pedestal
Pedestal
Pedestal is a term generally applied to the support of a statue or a vase....
with which to view and survey the entire study area. This allows an unobstructed view of the whole scene and environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
, which gives the observer the chance to observe interactions between dolphins, and also between dolphins and passing boats. Furthermore, this observation does not disturb the dolphins in any way and therefore will not affect their usual behaviour.
Conducting Exploratory Surveys along the Guangdong Province Coastline
Despite having intensive research efforts conducted in Hong Kong’s territorial portion of the Pearl River Estuary in the preceding seven years, only a years' worth of effort was dedicated to acquiring data about the rest of the estuary. The contrasting surveillanceSurveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
effort between the Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese waters has hindered the general understanding of the entire Pearl River Estuary population of Chinese White Dolphins.
The long term aims of the exploratory surveys are to estimate the population of the Chinese White Dolphin
Chinese White Dolphin
The Chinese white dolphin is a humpback dolphin species, one of eighty cetacean species. An adult is white or pink and may appear as an albino dolphin to some. Uniquely, the population along the Chinese coast has pink skin. Pink skin is not pigment, but blood vessels for thermoregulation...
in the PRE and to study the spatial and temporal patterns of their distribution and habitats. The HKDCS also wishes to assess the threats faced by dolphins within the area, and to provide suggestions on the conservation and management of the Chinese White Dolphin to the Guangdong authorities.
The HKDCS maintains that additional dolphin surveys in the rest of the Guangdong coastline is urgently needed. Data concerning their trends in abundance, distribution, habitat use, social organization, life history, mortality rates and causes of Chinese White Dolphins are to be acquired.
Studying Cetaceans in Matzu Island with FormosaCetus
The Matzu Islands, a small group island off Taiwan in the East China SeaEast China Sea
The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 km² or 750,000 square miles.-Geography:...
, has found to be home to some cetaceans as well. Little is known about their distribution and population characteristics, hence sparking off HKDCS' research programme with Formosa Cetus.
Researching Internship Programme
The HKDCS also holds an internship programme for local tertiary students, who are majoring in general biology, environmental science and/or other relevant fields, during the summer and also all year round. Student interns will be able to help in a variety of research aspects; including the observation of impacts on Chinese White Dolphins brought about by dolphin-watching activities, conducting boat surveys as well as studying about vesselShip
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
effects on finless porpoises.
Past Activities
- Study-based: Regular ReefReefIn nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
Checks, Dolphin Research Trips, Dolphin Talks, Watching Tours, and Porpoise Hikes - Community-based: Dolphin Ambassdor Programme, Chinese White Dolphin Carnival, Game Booths, Painting & Drawing Competition, Dolphin Art Competition, "Little Dolphin JournalistJournalistA journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
", Little Dolphin Parent-child Workshops and exhibitions (Tsing YiTsing YiTsing Yi , or Tsing Yi Island is an island in the urban area of Hong Kong, to the northwest of Hong Kong Island and south of Tsuen Wan. With an area of 10.69 km², the island has extended drastically by reclamation along almost all its natural shore and the annexation of Nga Ying Chau and Chau...
Maritime Square Exhibition, Cityplaza Exhibition) etc.
Latest Activities
The HKDCS financed the "Environmental & Conservation Fund" and "Environmental Campaign Committee", and worked hand-in-hand with the Parent-Teacher Associations of participating schools, resulting in the latest creation of workshops for primary school students which will be held from September 2006 to December 2007. The HKDCS hopes to convey the message of the conservation of dolphins, through tailor-made activities for the primary school kids and their parents, such as distributing educational booklets and chessboards with the theme of Hong Kong dolphins and making paper-clay models of dolphins etc.
- Whale & Dolphin Exhibition at Cityplaza, Taikoo Shing
The large scale exhibition “Get close with Chinese White Dolphin", was jointly held by the HKDCS and the Cityplaza.
- Dolphin SlaughterAnimal slaughterSlaughter is the term used to describe the killing and butchering of animals, usually for food. Commonly it refers to killing and butchering of domestic livestock ....
in TaijiTaijiTaiji 太極 is a Chinese cosmological term for the "Supreme Ultimate" state of undifferentiated absolute and infinite potentiality, contrasted with the Wuji 無極 "Without Ultimate"...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
There has recently been a protest against the slaughtering of dolphins and small whales within Japanese waters. It is estimated that more than a total of 400,000 cetaceans have been killed. The HKDCS called upon the public to support and join the campaign protesting against this massacre. The society also sent a letter to the Consulate-General of Japan regarding the issue.
Risks that Dolphins are Facing
There are two main reasons as to why the mission of the HKDCS is so important. Firstly, the Chinese White Dolphins are an endangered speciesEndangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
. The second reason relates to the fact that despite the already small number of dolphins in Hong Kong, not only is little done to protect them, their environment and lives are continuously being threatened and destroyed by unregulated local marine activities.
Here are a few dangers that dolphins in Hong Kong are facing:
Reclamation
The construction of the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) at Chek Lap KokChek Lap Kok
Chek Lap Kok was an island in the western waters of Hong Kong. Together with the smaller Lam Chau, it was leveled and merged via land reclamation into the platform for the current Hong Kong International Airport, which opened for commercial operations in 1998...
and the North Lantau Expressway has destroyed the virgin natural coast as well as shallow marine habitats. Contaminated mud resulting from land reclamation
Land reclamation in Hong Kong
Land is in short supply in Hong Kong, and land reclamation has been conducted there since the mid-19th century.-Projects:One of the earliest and famous project was the Praya Reclamation Scheme, which added 50 to of land in 1890 during the second phase of construction...
is dumped in the seabed
Seabed
The seabed is the bottom of the ocean.- Ocean structure :Most of the oceans have a common structure, created by common physical phenomena, mainly from tectonic movement, and sediment from various sources...
to the north of the new airport's platform. More dolphin habitats are speculated to be affected similarly, as the new container terminals are to be built on reclaimed land at Yam O
Yam O
Yam O is a bay located on the northeast shore of Lantau Island, in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It is part of the Tsuen Wan Rural West constituency of the Tsuen Wan District Council.Yam O was the one and only natural lumber preservation zone in Hong Kong...
and Lung Kwu Tan
Lung Kwu Tan
Lung Kwu Tan is an area located in the western part of Tuen Mun District, Hong Kong.-Geography:The area is located at the southwest of Castle Peak and consists of Lung Kwu Tan and Lung Kwu Sheung Tan.-Features:...
.
Water Pollution
There is still no concrete proof that water pollutionWater pollution
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies . Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds....
impinges directly on the health of dolphins. However, very high concentrations of DDT (a pesticide
Pesticide
Pesticides are substances or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.A pesticide may be a chemical unicycle, biological agent , antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest...
still used in China) and PCB
Polychlorinated biphenyl
Polychlorinated biphenyls are a class of organic compounds with 2 to 10 chlorine atoms attached to biphenyl, which is a molecule composed of two benzene rings. The chemical formula for PCBs is C12H10-xClx...
s (used in the electronics industry) from unidentified sources have been found in tissue samples from dolphins. Pollutants are washed into the sea from local discharges and the Pearl River. In Hong Kong alone, some 150,000 cubic meters of raw sewage
Sewage
Sewage is water-carried waste, in solution or suspension, that is intended to be removed from a community. Also known as wastewater, it is more than 99% water and is characterized by volume or rate of flow, physical condition, chemical constituents and the bacteriological organisms that it contains...
(unscreened and not treated), is dumped into the western harbour area each day. It is estimated that this would rise to an amount of 700,000 cubic meters a day by 2010. Sewage includes household toxic wastes, such as cleaning fluids and industrial effluent
Effluent
Effluent is an outflowing of water or gas from a natural body of water, or from a human-made structure.Effluent is defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as “wastewater - treated or untreated - that flows out of a treatment plant, sewer, or industrial outfall. Generally refers...
. Bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
and viruses that emerge from the wastes affect dolphins directly.
Over-Fishing
The increasingly sophisticated fishing fleets of Hong Kong are largely unregulated, and are indirectly depleting the food supply of dolphins at an alarming rate. Not only is over-fishing a threat to the food source of dolphins, it can threaten their lives as well. Several found dolphin carcasses have shown signs of having been caught and/or tangled in fishing nets.Boat Traffic
While dolphins are normally quite proficient at avoiding and staying out of the way of boats, some are nevertheless killed by collisions. The Urmston RoadUrmston Road
Urmston Road is a broad body of water between Lantau Island and Tuen Mun in Hong Kong. It forms an inshore passage between the northwest end of Victoria Harbour and the mouth of the Pearl River...
shipping channel, with up to 70 vessels
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
an hour, is situated across areas where dolphins are frequently spotted.
Underwater Noise
Tranquillity
Tranquillity is the quality or state of being tranquil; calmness; serenity n. The word tranquillity appears in numerous texts ranging from the religious writings of Buddhism, where the term passaddhi refers to tranquillity of the body, thoughts and consciousness on the path to enlightenment, to an...
underwater is a luxury for Chinese White Dolphins in Hong Kong. The underwater world they dwell in is noisy with scores of vessels and boats travelling, as well as coastal underwater works (particularly underwater percussive piling). As dolphins rely on their hearing for echolocation
Animal echolocation
Echolocation, also called biosonar, is the biological sonar used by several kinds of animals.Echolocating animals emit calls out to the environment and listen to the echoes of those calls that return from various objects near them. They use these echoes to locate and identify the objects...
and communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
with companions, a deafening
Deafening
Deafening is a 2003 novel written by Frances Itani.Author Frances Itani brings the reader to a small, pre-World War I Ontario town called Deseronto, where the O'Neil family owns a hotel. The book follows the story of Grania O'Neil, a girl who lost her hearing when she was five years old as a result...
environment might affect its ability to locate food, communicate, and in serious cases cause permanent
Permanent
The permanent of a square matrix in linear algebra, is a function of the matrix similar to the determinant. The permanent, as well as the determinant, is a polynomial in the entries of the matrix...
damage.
Fishery Bycatch