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Conservationists are listening out for harbour porpoises off Ilfracombe, with hi-tech help.

The elusive creatures are known to frequent the area, as they are often spotted by the public.

Researchers are now mapping the exact areas where the harbour porpoises visit, in the hope of discovering their favoured habitat and conditions.

This knowledge could be vital in conserving the species, which is listed as vulnerable because of diminishing numbers.

Alex McDonald is leading the project

Chemical pollution, habitat loss, fishing nets, and falling prey to other marine animals are possible factors.

The Ilfracombe research is a joint project by the Devon Wildlife Trust, the University of Exeter, and Natural England.

Electronic equipment - in the form of a T-POD - is being placed in several locations, to listen out for porpoise activity.

The T-POD (Timing Porpoise Detector), is attached to a lobster pot and put into position. It can detect porpoises when the creatures emit echo-location clicks nearby. Porpoises make these noises for communicating and finding prey.

The T-POD in a lobster pot

Project leader is University of Exeter student Alex McDonald, who positioned the T-POD on 13 June 2008.

"It will be out there for about six weeks," said Alex. "We are going to move it every couple of days.

"We need to find out what makes this area important to porpoises. How does the seabed or local characteristics of the area determine that porpoise will be found in a particular site? The findings will be valuable to future conservation efforts."

The information collected from the T-POD will be transferred to computer and analysed.

"I'm going to try and put a model together to see where the porpoises are found and look at the conditions to see which conditions they like.

"We hope this project will help unravel some of the mysteries of this amazing creature."