KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 -- Do whales, dolphins and dugongs really exist in Malaysian waters?

Yes, they do - and they're not just passing through. They live here, said marine biologist and scientific officer at MareCet Research Organisation, Vivian Kuit.

Partially debunking the belief that such marine mammals only exist abroad or in cold climates, Kuit said the species found in Malaysia are not migratory strays but permanent residents.

"In fact, there are 27 species of marine mammals recorded in Malaysian waters. Among them are Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, Indo-Pacific finless porpoises, spinner dolphins, dugongs, long-beaked common dolphins, Irrawaddy dolphins, Bryde's whales and Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins," she told Malay Mail i...