Oceanic Society's Marine Mammal Sightings in Belize 1992 - 2011

Original provider:
Oceanic Society

Dataset credits:
Oceanic Society, CUNY Hunter College

Abstract:
In 1992 Oceanic Society began a study aimed at documenting the abundance, distribution, and behavioral ecology of bottlenose dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) in Belize. Our study site is Turneffe Atoll, a non-volcanic carribbean atoll ~40km east of Belize City with more than 200 mangrove cayes and surrounded by fringing coral reef. The atoll encloses a brackish lagoon whose shallow waters are the home to a population of bottlenose dolphins. To date more than a 175 dolphins have been identified in this region through photo-identification methods on surveys and follows. Studies on their abundance and distribution, habitat use, side-fidelity, and social affiliations have been conducted over the years since our work began.<br><br>

From 1997 to 2001 researchers at OS conducted a study of the population of bottlenose dolphins located at the Drowned Cayes 8 km off the coast of Belize City. The close proximity of these regions suggested the possibility of overlap, yet only 3 were matched to both sites spurring more questions about the home ranges of dolphin populations in Belize. All research is conducted from small boats inside the atoll.