French PhD devotes to dolphin protection in Sanya

Agathe Serres, a French PhD, has devoted herself to marine biological resources protection in China for eight years. Her story is a vivid practice of the enduring friendship between China and France.

From 2016 to 2024, Agathe spent eight years in China, participating in research on the behavior and conservation of two main cetacean populations in China, the Yangtze finless porpoise and the Chinese white dolphin.

She currently serves as an assistant researcher at the Marine Mammals and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory in Sanya.

She has been recognized as a high-level talent in the Hainan Free Trade Port and is applying for a Chinese Green Card. She has expressed her desire to settle in China and her love for the lifestyle there.

Since 2021, she has been collecting and analyzing data on the habitat of Chinese white dolphins in Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan regions, particularly in areas like Qinzhou Sanniang Bay and the Pearl River Estuary in Zhuhai.

Agathe highlights the threat to Chinese white dolphins posed by unregulated fishing activities, aquaculture, marine engineering, and coastal tourism, emphasizing the need for conservation measures.

A recent report of frequent sightings of a Chinese white dolphin near Phoenix Island since July has captured Agathe's attention. She notes the dolphin's sensitivity to noise and thunderous ship engines and speculates that the dolphin lingers near the island due to the presence of preferred food sources and the lack of harm from humans.

Agathe believes establishing marine protected areas can raise awareness and create a safer environment for Chinese white dolphins.

In September, Agathe participated in a deep-sea expedition with the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Marine Mammal Research Team in the South China Sea, taking a significant step towards understanding and protecting more marine mammals.

In the vast South China Sea, Agathe aims to contribute to protecting these adorable marine creatures. She calls for international collaboration in integrated marine management, scientific research, ocean observation, disaster risk reduction, ecological conservation, and capacity building.

Agathe Serres. [Photo/Sanya Daily]