Discipline of Zoology (Westville)
School of Biological & Conservation Sciences
University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 4000, South Africa

BSc (Hons), University of Natal
M.Sc. Environmental Biology, University of Natal
Ph.D. Zoology, University of Port Elizabeth

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Ecology, behaviour and conservation biology of cetaceans, focusing on cetacean interactions with the shark nets set off KwaZulu-Natal for bather protection and their impact on nearshore dolphin populations. This research includes conducting aerial surveys on nearshore cetacean populations, mark-recapture (photo-ID) studies, behavioural observations, and development of suitable bycatch mitigation measures for this fishery.

Recent studies are investigating the impact of human activities (particularly tourism, habitat degradation and pollution) on cetacean populations off South Africa and attempts to find solutions to these issues e.g. development of sustainable marine mammal eco-tourism models.

SELECTED RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS

Atkins, S., N. Pillay and V.M. Peddemors. 2004. Spatial distribution by Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) at Richards Bay, South Africa: Environmental influences and behavioural patterns. Aquatic Mammals, 30(1): 84-93.

Natoli, A, A.R. Hoelzel and V.M. Peddemors. 2004. Population structure and speciation in the genus Tursiops based on microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA analyses. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 17: 363-375.

Keith, M., V.M. Peddemors, M.N. Bester. and J.W.H. Ferguson. 2002. Population characteristics of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins at Richards Bay, South Africa: implications for incidental capture in shark nets. South African Journal of Wildlife Research, 32(2): 153-162.

Peddemors, V.M., P.B. Best, V.G. Cockcroft and W.H. Oosthuizen. 2002. Report on the recent categorization of South African cetaceans according to the 2001 IUCN Red List criteria (ver. 3.1). Paper SC/54/O22 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, April 2002, Shimonoseki, Japan (unpublished). 17pp.

Best, P.B., V.M. Peddemors, V.G. Cockcroft and N. Rice. 2001. Mortalities of right whales and related anthropogenic factors in South African waters, 1963-1998. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management (Special Issue 2): 171-176.

Peddemors, V.M. 2001. A review of cetacean interactions with fisheries and management thereof in South Africa. Paper Sc/53/E17 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, July 2001, Hammersmith, London (unpublished). 42 pp.

Peddemors, V.M. 1999. Delphinids of southern Africa: a review of their distribution, status and life history. Journal of Cetacean Research, 1(2): 157-165.

Peddemors, V.M. 1999. Developing fisheries and developing countries, two scenarios affecting possible use of pingers in reducing incidental mortalities of cetaceans. Paper Sc/51/SM31 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, May 1997, Grenada (unpublished). 6 pp.

Peddemors, V.M., Aitken, A. and Allen, B. 1999. Fish Reactions to pingers - can fishers afford to deploy pingers? Paper Sc/51/SM30 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, May 1997, Grenada (unpublished). 6 pp.

Peddemors, V.M. and A.D. Goodson. 1999. The efficacy of passive sonar reflector floats in reducing bottlenose dolphin bycatches in the shark nets off South Africa. Paper Sc/51/SM29 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, May 1997, Grenada (unpublished). 10 pp.

Peddemors, V.M., S. de la Mère, M. Keith. 1999. Indo-Pacific hump-backed dolphin (Sousa chinensis) reactions to pingers: implications for effective long-term deployment of active acoustic devices in permanently set coastal fisheries. Paper Sc/51/SM28 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, May 1997, Grenada (unpublished). 17 pp.

Peddemors, V.M., V.G. Cockcroft and P.B. Best. 1997. Exploitation of small cetaceans off South Africa: 1978-1996. Paper Sc/49/SM37 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, September 1997, Bournemouth (unpublished). 13 pp.

Peddemors, V.M. 1995. The aetiology of bottlenose dolphin capture in shark nets off Natal, South Africa. Unpubl. Ph.D. thesis, University of Port Elizabeth. 138pp

Peddemors, V.M. 1993. Bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus research in Natal, South Africa: A review. Lammergeyer, 42: 24-34.

Peddemors, V.M. and V.G. Cockcroft. 1993. Dolphin capture in Natal shark nets. Final Reports to the South African National Committee for Oceanographic Research, Vol. 13: 31-44.

Cockcroft, V.G., G.J.B. Ross, V.M. Peddemors and D. Borchers. 1992. Estimates of abundance and undercounting of bottlenose dolphins off northern Natal, South Africa. South African Journal of Wildlife Research, 22(4): 102-109. Cockcroft, V.G., V.M. Peddemors and G.J.B. Ross. 1991. Distribution and status of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus on the south coast of Natal. South African Journal of Marine Science, 11: 203-210.

Cockcroft, V.G., V.M. Peddemors. 1990. Seasonal distribution and density of common dolphins Delphinus delphis off the south-east coast of southern Africa. South African Journal of Marine Science, 9: 371-377.

Cockcroft, V.G., G.J.B. Ross and V.M. Peddemors. 1990. Bottlenose dolphin distribution in Natal's coastal waters. South African Journal of Marine Science, 9: 1-10.

Peddemors, V.M., V.G. Cockcroft and R.B. Wilson. 1990. Incidental dolphin mortality in the Natal shark nets: a preliminary report on prevention methods. In: Cetaceans and cetacean research in the Indian Ocean Sanctuary. Leatherwood, S. and G.P. Donovan (Eds.). Nairobi. United Nations Environment Programme, Marine Mammal Technical Report #3. pp 129-137.