Population status of small cetaceans off Aragua, Central Coast of Venezuela 2009

Since 2001, the non governmental organization Sea Vida has been promoting responsible dolphin watching in the State of Aragua, on the basis of previous research efforts by the Venezuelan Ministry of Environment and Sea Vida. Attempts have been made to gather baseline information on the bio-ecological and population aspects of cetaceans in the region. Opportunistic and systematic surveys have confirmed the presence of the Atlantic spotted (<i>Stenella frontalis</i>) and bottlenose (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) dolphins. Encounter rate with dolphin groups is about 70%. Preliminary results indicate that at least a proportion of the population is resident to the area, with recaptures ranging from a few days to at least 12 years.