One of the world's highest concentrations of dolphins and whales was recently discovered off the coast of East Timor, Asia. Many of them are already protected and include blue and beaked whales, short-finned pilot whales and melon headed whales as well as six dolphin species.

The animals were migrating through deep channels off the Timor coast. Principal scientist Karen Edyvane said the researchers who carried out the study were all amazed to see such an abundance, diversity and density of cetaceans. They were also very excited because marine biologists only get an experience like this probably once every 10 years. To find so many whales and dolphins in one place is extraordinary. The study found that the deep ocean channels of the Wetar and Ombai straits, which plummet more than 3,000 metres, are a major migratory route for marine wildlife moving between the Pacific and Indian oceans, including large sharks and turtles. However the channels are also used by U.S. nuclear and Australian navy submarines travelling through the Indonesian islands.

Incredibly in just one day, more than 1,000 individuals and possibly as many as 2,000 whales in eight separate pods - each one containing up to 400 mammals - were spotted over a 50 kilometre stretch of coast. Concentrations were similar to those near Antarctica, where Japan's whaling fleet is currently carrying out its yearly five-month research hunt.