Pulu Keeling National Park Management Plan
Marine MammalsMarine Mammals
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Marine Mammals
Two species of dolphin are regularly seen in the Park: the common dolphin Delphinus delphis and the bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus (Murray 2002, pers. comm.).
An unidentified whale has been recorded passing through the waters of the Park, and a species of beaked whale has been washed up on the southern atoll (Tranter 1995, pers. comm.). Humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, and their calves have been filmed migrating past the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and there have been several sightings of Cuviers beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris, and unidentified pilot whales. A dead sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus, washed up on South Island in October 2003 (Murray 2003, pers comm.). A dugong, Dugong dugong, has been sighted by residents a number of times in the past ten years in the lagoon of the southern atoll, and in May 2002, one appeared to take up residency (Murray 2002, pers. comm.).