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.

Purpose:
Photo-identification methods are used to track sightings of individuals who are recognizable through dorsal fin scarring. Some of our current research goals include the study of social and acoustic behavior in the dolphin population in this atoll conducted from small boats Of particular interest is the subset of the population classified as residents who demonstrate a side fidelity of nearly 20 years.<br /><br />
Located at the southernmost tip of Blackbird Caye researchers and partners of OS engage in scientific research on various aspects of the ecology and biodiversity of this complex and productive habitat. Some research has included the study of abundance and distribution of American crocodiles (<i>Crocdylus acutus</i>), sea turtles presence and nesting sites, and monitoring coral reef health. Antillean manatees (<i>Trichechus manatus manatus</i>) are also encountered in certain regions of Turneffe Atoll. Oceanic Society is partnered with researchers who conduct boat and aerial surveys for manatees.<br /><br />
Much remains to be understood cetacean abundance and distribution in this region as other cetaceans including Short-finned Pilot whales (<i>Globicephala marcorhyncus</i>) and Atlantic-spotted dolphins (<i>Stenella frontalis</i>) are occasionally sighted beyond just at the bounds of Turneffe Atoll.

摘要：1992年，海洋学会启动了一项旨在记录巴布亚新几内亚湾瓶鼻海豚（<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>）的丰富度、分布和行为生态学的研究。我们的研究地点是特伦佛尔环礁，位于伯利兹城以东约40公里的非火山型加勒比海环礁，拥有超过200个红树林岛屿，并被边缘珊瑚礁所环绕。该环礁包围着一个咸淡水潟湖，其浅水区域是瓶鼻海豚的栖息地。截至目前，通过调查和追踪，已在此地区识别出175多头瓶鼻海豚。自我们研究开始以来，已对其丰富度、分布、栖息地利用、侧向忠诚度和社会关系进行了研究。<br /><br />从1997年到2001年，海洋学会的研究人员在距离伯利兹城海岸8公里的淹没湾对瓶鼻海豚种群进行了研究。这两个区域的邻近性暗示了可能存在重叠，但实际上只有3只海豚在这两个地点都被匹配，这引发了更多关于伯利兹湾海豚种群栖息地范围的问题。所有研究都是在环礁内部的小船上进行的。<br /><br />目的：采用照片识别方法追踪可识别个体的出现，这些个体通过背鳍疤痕具有可识别性。我们当前的研究目标包括对环礁内海豚种群的社会和声学行为的研究，研究工作均在小船上进行。特别值得注意的是，被归类为居民的海豚子集，它们表现出近20年的侧向忠诚度。<br /><br />位于布莱克贝德岛的南端，海洋学会的研究人员及其合作伙伴就该复杂且生产力丰富的栖息地生态学和生物多样性进行了科学研究。部分研究包括对美国短吻鳄（<i>Crocodylus acutus</i>）、海龟的存在和筑巢地的研究，以及对珊瑚礁健康状况的监测。在某些区域还遇到了美洲海牛（<i>Trichechus manatus manatus</i>）。海洋学会与进行海牛船只和空中调查的研究人员合作。<br /><br />关于该区域鲸类物种的丰富度和分布，仍有诸多未知，因为包括短鳍领航鲸（<i>Globicephala marcorhyncus</i>）和北大西洋斑海豚（<i>Stenella frontalis</i>）在内的其他鲸类偶尔在特伦佛尔环礁边界之外被观察到。