2008 has started off well for the UCME Cetacean Research Team, who have been monitoring cetaceans (dolphins, whales and porpoises) in Utila's waters since 2006. So far this year the team have observed rough toothed dolphins, long snouted spinner dolphins, bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales on numerous occasions while surveying the island's waters.

Cetaceans closest living relative is the hippopotamus, they are mammals and have characteristics that are common to all mammals: They are warm-blooded, breathe in air through their lungs, give birth to live young and nurse them on milk, they also have hair, although very little of it. A good way of discerning a cetacean from a fish is by their tail placement. The tail of a fish is vertical and moves from side to side when the fish swims. The tail of a cetacean is horizontal and moves up and down, as cetaceans' spines bend in the same manner as a human spine. Completely adapted to life in the water, cetaceans breathe through a blowhole(s) on top of their head, which allows them to take in air without interrupting swimming. Cetaceans are also master divers, the longest recorded dive by a sperm whale lasted over an hour, and these whales can descend to depths of more than a mile.

Cetaceans play an important role in the life of the ocean, serving as flagships for the health and well-being of the whole marine ecosystem. Along with hunting, collisions with ships, and the degradation of their habitat due to pollution, the greatest threat to cetaceans is entanglement in fishing gear, also known as incidental catch. If current trends continue unabated, several cetacean species and many populations will be lost in the next few decades.

UCME's cetacean study is the only one of its kind to be carried out in Honduran waters. The team have established that six species are regular visitors (the four species mentioned above plus sperm whales and orcas), with some being seen year round like the spinners and the rough tooth's, and others seen more seasonally, like the orcas. Efforts are currently focused on elucidating abundance and distribution patterns, population and social structure and establishing levels of residency. The team are also investigating association with other species and their behaviours at different sites around the island, for example are they feeding, breeding, socialising or just passing through? UCME are also interested in human and environmental influences on cetaceans and aim to use the information garnered to develop guidelines for conservation protocols.

Photo identification of individuals is the primary tool employed by the team. Photo Identification is a non-invasive technique used throughout the world on a wide range of species. It involves obtaining images of individual animals in an attempt to identify any unique markings which can be used to identify the animal. The dorsal fin of dolphins and whales is as unique as a human fingerprint, so a catalogue of fin photographs is being built to aid recognition of returning individuals and pods. These images can then be used to trace the movements of individuals when coordinating with other researchers in Central America and beyond.

The team at UCME are delighted at the support dive shops, captains and local fishermen have been giving. Sighting forms and tip off's are regularly relayed to us when dolphins and whales are spotted, thank you to those involved.

The team, made up of researchers, volunteers and interns, perform morning and afternoon boat surveys 3 times per week. UCME offers training and snorkelling trips for those interested in participating.