Our history

Led a series of dedicated cetacean surveys and Rapid Ecological Assessments (REAs) — combining visual and acoustic methods — across eastern Indonesia, including the early marine protected areas of Bunaken, Sangihe-Talaud, Komodo, Derawan, Solor-Alor, and Bali-Lombok.

Trained local marine monitoring teams across these survey regions.

Served as technical advisor to the national government (Ministry of Forestry, Ministry of Fisheries) on management and policy development for Indonesia’s marine mammals.

Served as on-board cetacean scientist for the ecotourism expedition Voyage of the Odyssey, investigating persistent organic pollutants and other industrial markers in sperm whales, on the Papua New Guinea (Bismarck Sea) leg.

Appointed to the IUCN SSC Cetacean Specialist Group as an expert member.

Contributed to the establishment of new MPAs in eastern Indonesia, with a particular focus on including important cetacean habitats: Raja Ampat, Alor, Savu, Derawan, South Bali, Banda Neira, and the Lease Islands.

Designed and led specialist live-aboard “conservation travel” expeditions focused on our priority Areas of Interest. These voyages built in a strong citizen-science component – logging cetacean sightings during “whale patrols,” recording marine debris, and exploring reefs and culture in remote corners of the Coral Triangle – and were often paired with local capacity building for marine mammal conservation.

Co-led the Solomon Islands Coral Reef and Cetacean Expeditions (with partner Oceanic Society), as part of a multi-year and specialist conservation travel series in the Coral Triangle.

Continued survey and policy work in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), focused on the pre-MPA Savu Sea, Solor-Alor, Lamalera, and responsible whale watching.

Elected to the Explorers Club by peer nomination, in recognition of contributions to exploration and marine science.

Continued cetacean REAs and surveys in Timor-Leste (Dili, Atauro, and Baucau regions), including satellite telemetry work on migrating blue whales.

Worked with the IUCN on a regional (Asia) workshop to identify and delineate Important Marine Mammal Areas, as part of their global IMMA initiative.

COVID period (2020–2022): Co-designed and co-delivered several online webinars – with over 1,000 combined participants – with the Ministry of Fisheries and other partners, covering cetaceans and MPAs in the Coral Triangle, threats to marine mammals in Indonesia, and related conservation initiatives.

Post-COVID: Rebuilt established long-term programs in NTT and Maluku.
Established a dedicated program for sustainable whale and dolphin tourism development in NTT, with Alor as the priority demonstration site, in partnership with the provincial government.

Provided technical assistance to provincial-level Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) initiatives in NTT, Maluku, and Bali.

Led a series of dedicated cetacean surveys and Rapid Ecological Assessments (REAs) — combining visual and acoustic methods — across eastern Indonesia, including the early marine protected areas of Bunaken, Sangihe-Talaud, Komodo, Derawan, Solor-Alor, and Bali-Lombok.

Trained local marine monitoring teams across these survey regions.

Served as technical advisor to the national government (Ministry of Forestry, Ministry of Fisheries) on management and policy development for Indonesia’s marine mammals.

Served as on-board cetacean scientist for the ecotourism expedition Voyage of the Odyssey, investigating persistent organic pollutants and other industrial markers in sperm whales, on the Papua New Guinea (Bismarck Sea) leg.

Appointed to the IUCN SSC Cetacean Specialist Group as an expert member.

Conducted a series of marine mammal ecology and stranding workshops in Jakarta, Bali, Kupang, and Sorong, in partnership with the Ministry of Fisheries and The Nature Conservancy’s Indonesia Program, with broad stakeholder participation.

Designed and led a long-term cetacean research program in the northern Savu Sea.

Through pioneering surveys, identified the Solor-Alor migration corridor – a regionally significant cetacean hotspot – and conducted multi-year assessments of Lamalera (Lembata), a traditional sperm whaling village undergoing rapid modernization.

Pioneered satellite telemetry on sperm and blue whales in the Savu and Banda Seas.

Served as lead scientist for the cetacean component of the Solomon Islands Marine Assessment (SIMA), a 28-day marine science expedition with world experts on corals, fish, seagrass, marine turtles, and marine mammals, alongside community outreach work. Designed and conducted the first dedicated cetacean survey in the Solomon Islands, including an on-site assessment of a traditional dolphin hunt in Fanalei, Malaita. SIMA confirmed the Solomon Islands as part of the Coral Triangle under strict scientific biodiversity criteria.

Integrated deep-sea habitats into seascape-level conservation planning across the Lesser Sundas, Bird’s Head, Sulu-Sulawesi, and Bismarck-Solomons seascapes, with an emphasis on habitats critical to oceanic whales and dolphins – migration corridors, canyons, seamounts, and persistent upwelling zones.

Led capacity-building workshops on cetacean ecology, management, conservation, and whale strandings.

Appointed to the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas as an expert member.
Served as invited expert on the World Bank’s Extractive Industries Review, submitting formal statements of concern on deep-sea mining and submarine tailings placement.

Contributed to the establishment of new MPAs in eastern Indonesia, with a particular focus on including important cetacean habitats: Raja Ampat, Alor, Savu, Derawan, South Bali, Banda Neira, and the Lease Islands.

Designed and led specialist live-aboard “conservation travel” expeditions focused on our priority Areas of Interest. These voyages built in a strong citizen-science component – logging cetacean sightings during “whale patrols,” recording marine debris, and exploring reefs and culture in remote corners of the Coral Triangle – and were often paired with local capacity building for marine mammal conservation.

Co-led the Solomon Islands Coral Reef and Cetacean Expeditions (with partner Oceanic Society), as part of a multi-year and specialist conservation travel series in the Coral Triangle.

Continued survey and policy work in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), focused on the pre-MPA Savu Sea, Solor-Alor, Lamalera, and responsible whale watching.

Elected to the Explorers Club by peer nomination, in recognition of contributions to exploration and marine science.

Deepened collaborations with the Ministries of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, the Ministry of Tourism, and local NGOs and marine stakeholders.

Published a comprehensive business model on sustainable development of boat-based whale watching for NTT province (Savu Sea), with Alor island identified as a high potential area.

Continued survey and policy work in NTT, focused on the pre-MPA Savu Sea, Solor-Alor, and the rapid modernisation of Lamalera’s (previously) traditional hunting techniques, combined with the expanded target species and commercial distribution of the catch.

Conducted initial cetacean Rapid Ecological Assessments (REAs) and surveys in Timor-Leste (Dili and Atauro regions).

Continued cetacean surveys in Timor-Leste (Ombai Strait, north coast).
Provided technical advice to Timor-Leste’s Parliament through the “Whales of Timor-Leste” program.

Provided content and field support for the multimedia series Timor-Leste From Below, including three episodes featuring sperm whales, blue whales, and the region’s dolphin migratory corridor.

Continued cetacean REAs and surveys in Timor-Leste (Dili, Atauro, and Liquiçá regions).

Expanded partnerships with IUCN, the Coral Triangle Center, and the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI), among others.

Contributed to the IUCN World Parks Congress and its Handbook, including technical articles on transboundary conservation of the cetacean migration corridor between Indonesia and Timor-Leste (Ombai-Wetar Strait).

Continued pioneering cetacean REAs in the Banda Sea, focused on species distribution, relative abundance, threats, and opportunities for marine tourism.

Conducted a field study on blue whale mating and calving grounds in the northern Banda and Ceram Seas.

Co-led further Solomon Islands Coral Reef and Cetacean Expeditions as part of the ongoing specialist conservation travel series.

Ran multi-day workshops for stakeholders across Maluku and NTT Province on cetacean ecology, conservation, and management, including field days focused on survey technique training.

Appointed to the IUCN Working Group on Protected Areas for Marine Mammals as an expert member, including the flagship Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMA) initiative.

The UN Ocean Summit and UN Decade for Ocean Science formally recognized the “UN Ocean Commitments” toward improved management of oceanic cetaceans and their near-shore, deep-sea habitats in the Coral Triangle.

Named ADEX Ocean Ambassador in Singapore.

Appointed to the IUCN Specialist Group on Transboundary Conservation.

Continued cetacean REAs and surveys in Timor-Leste (Dili, Atauro, and Baucau regions), including satellite telemetry work on migrating blue whales.

Worked with the IUCN on a regional (Asia) workshop to identify and delineate Important Marine Mammal Areas, as part of their global IMMA initiative.

COVID period (2020–2022): Co-designed and co-delivered several online webinars – with over 1,000 combined participants – with the Ministry of Fisheries and other partners, covering cetaceans and MPAs in the Coral Triangle, threats to marine mammals in Indonesia, and related conservation initiatives.

Post-COVID: Rebuilt established long-term programs in NTT and Maluku.
Established a dedicated program for sustainable whale and dolphin tourism development in NTT, with Alor as the priority demonstration site, in partnership with the provincial government.

Provided technical assistance to provincial-level Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) initiatives in NTT, Maluku, and Bali.

Expansion of conservation travel expeditions in the Solomon Islands and Indonesia: Raja Ampat, Komodo, the Solor-Alor archipelago and the Banda Sea (up to six expeditions per year).

Developed a Code of Conduct (CoC) and Standard Operating Procedures for responsible whale watching in Alor, including training workshops for tourism operators, local government, and marine monitoring teams.

Assigned to co-lead a technical working group that guided the development of the NTT Governor Decree No. 36/2025 (state law) for sustainable cetacean tourism in all MPAs and surrounding provincial waters.

Continued capacity building on sustainable whale tourism in NTT, including development of licensing processes and certification courses for established tourism operators in the Alor MPA.

Deepened collaborations and partnerships with both local and international NGOs and conservation bodies.

Initiated several innovative conservation programs such as “Beat the Flush” riverbed clean-up project on plastic waste before the onset of the wet season in Kalabahi, Alor.