The fascinating endeavor of citizen scientists exploring the secret lives of blue whales unfolds on the southern coast of Timor-Leste. Fisherman Faustino Mauloko da Cunha, along with his community, dedicates two months annually to transform his home in the village of Subaun into a makeshift whale monitoring station. This unique initiative has gathered local villagers and students, armed with binoculars and telephoto cameras, to search for pygmy blue whales in the brilliantly blue waters surrounding their home.
Each daily encounter with these majestic mammals sparks excitement among the team. When a whale is spotted, Faustino’s son, Zacarias, swiftly launches a drone, while the group’s leader, Professor Karen Edyvane, an Australian marine ecologist, assists in capturing the most effective photographs. This collaboration not only generates useful data but also enhances the community’s understanding of these incredible sea creatures, which are often hard to study due to their vast habitats and elusive behavior.
Over the past decade, these citizen scientists have reported almost 3,000 sightings of pygmy blue whales, a remarkable statistic that Professor Edyvane commends as “truly extraordinary.” Timor-Leste is recognized for having one of the highest concentrations of marine mammals globally. During the migration months of October and November, numerous pygmy blue whales travel through the waters of Timor-Leste, making a monumental journey from the Banda Sea to southern Australia. Despite this, this area has remained largely unexplored, as noted by Professor Edyvane, who initiated the citizen science program back in 2014.
During her recent whale seasons in Subaun, located about 50 kilometers from the capital, Dili, Edyvane has collaborated with fishermen, students, and dive tour operators to observe and document the behaviors of these cetaceans. Her research has uncovered some previously unreported aspects of blue whale reproductive behavior, including a notable event in 2022 where tourists captured footage of a mother nursing her calf—a groundbreaking revelation in understanding this species.
The project started as a simple Facebook group that encouraged local tour operators, fishermen, and residents to report their whale sightings. Professor Edyvane introduced the participants to proper surveying methods and instructed them on using telephoto cameras and drones for aerial surveys. The real-time updates provided by local enthusiasts on platforms such as WhatsApp have become an integral part of their whale-watching efforts, making everyone involved feel engaged and united in their mission.
In 2016, after years of building community relationships, they launched the first whale-watching tour through a partnership with a local dive operator. The setting up of a research station next to the da Cunha home has significantly improved their efficiency in monitoring whale activity. Features such as plastic chairs and whiteboards mounted outdoors support the logistics of tracking sightings and recording data.
This year saw undergraduates from the National University of East Timor and the University Oriental Timor-Leste joining the research efforts, further enhancing the capacity for observation. The simple yet effective research station has allowed them to conduct monitoring around the clock, which often leads to fantastic footage of whales surfacing remarkably close to shore.
The rise in awareness and scientific activity has also led to an increase in local tourism, particularly in whale-watching tours, with local instructor Cassio Schumacher indicating a solid growth in demand for these experiences. However, there are concerns regarding unregulated tourism practices, prompting local non-profits to advocate for more sustainable whale tourism approaches.
Professor Edyvane hopes her research can serve to protect and conserve marine life in Timor-Leste’s waters, showcasing the potential for tourism to foster economic growth in a country where average incomes are low, especially in rural districts like Subaun. The da Cunha family has adapted to this growth by preparing local meals from fresh catches, thus diversifying their income. Young Zacarias is also actively engaged in the project, providing drone services while learning to communicate effectively about whale conservation, fostering a community committed to protecting their marine environment.
