SINGAPORE – Scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) are calling for the increased protection status of marine mammals, as well as reduced vessel speed limits and restricted entry in certain coastal areas to raise the chances of their survival.

Gentle giants like the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin and the dugong

have endured in the Republic’s territorial waters

Marine mammals are a strong indicator of the health of ocean habitats, as they are sustained by large amounts of food and tend to have long lifespans.

The NUS study, published in interdisciplinary journal Ocean and Coastal Management in December, is thought to be the first comprehensive baseline for marine mammals in Singapore.

It compiled verified sightings spanning from 1820 to 2024 to identify the animals’ dynamics and hot spots, and found that the areas near the Sungei Johor Estuary, the Southern Islands and the Western Islands were hot spots for Singapore’s marine mammals.

To protect these habitats, the scientists recommended lowering vessel speed limits to 10 knots – which would...