Lecture: Arabian Sea Humpback Whales: History, mystery, current study and an uncertain future by Robert Baldwin

TIME: Refreshments from 7pm, lecture from 7.30pm

VENUE: Salon 1, Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi

LECTURE TITLE:  Arabian Sea Humpback Whales: History, mystery, current study and an uncertain future by Robert Baldwin

LECTURE SUMMARY: The waters of Arabia are surrounded by whales. We don’t see them largely because we don’t look for them, but perhaps also because we don’t really expect to see them. From an ecological perspective, this would seem like a reasonable expectation. The Arabian region is in a cul-de-sac of the Northern Indian Ocean where the marine climatic regime is as harsh as anywhere on our salty planet. Rob Baldwin first came to this part of the world in 1988 and began studying whales as part of his academic study, and then his career. By the early 90’s it was becoming clear that whales (and dolphins), far from being absent, were both diverse and abundant in the region. They were also apparently a little bit different. After many more years of detailed scientific study, focused largely on humpback whales, it is now clear that they are very different. In the case of the humpback whale, Arabia’s population is geographically, demographically, and genetically distinct. It is also in danger of extinction. During the past few years, research efforts have therefore been ramped up in a bid to learn more in time to help recover the population, revealing fascinating new information about a little-known whale.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:  Robert Baldwin has lived and worked in the Middle East for over 25 years.  His main experience is in marine scientific research and conservation, particularly on marine mammals and sea turtles. He began his career in Coastal Zone Management and has since broadened his experience to include a range of multidisciplinary environmental and research topics. Robert represents several international organisations as an expert advisor on marine mammals and sea turtles, such as IUCN, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the UN Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), and the International Whaling Commission (IWC). Rob has been a driving force behind the challenge to understand and protect endangered marine life of the Arabian region for many years. He is currently Director at Five Oceans Environmental Services in Oman, which he treats as both a company and a cause, with the primary aim of helping to bridge the gap between development and conservation.