Nicks 'n' Notches Online
A monthly enewsletter from the
Sarasota Dolphin Research Program
March-April 2021
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New Book Available on Dolphin Skin Conditions |
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Marine mammal Veterinarian Dr. Forrest Townsend, a long-time collaborator of the Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program (CZS-SDRP), has completed the first-ever field reference guide to dolphin skin diseases — a comprehensive guide that field biologists, veterinarians, researchers and others who study wild dolphins can use to identify skin conditions.
The guide, Atlas of Skin Diseases of Small Cetaceans, includes more than 190 images, discusses 37 skin conditions and serves as an essential tool that can be used to identify health issues in individual animals and dolphin populations — especially at-risk, threatened or endangered species. The Atlas includes contributions from 31 experts, including images and information from the CZS-SDRP.
Dr. Townsend is providing the Atlas for free in return for a suggested $50 donation to the CZS-SDRP.
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Notes from the Field and Lab |
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We’ve been able to take advantage of the relatively few days of excellent boating weather this winter/spring season to conduct our monthly Photographic Identification Surveys.
We undertake at least 10 survey days per month in our main study area — southern Tampa Bay, including Terra Ceia Bay and the Manatee River, to Venice, and offshore to within about ½ mile of the Gulf beaches — and we try to cover the entire area at least three times each month.
When our survey teams see dolphins, they record:
- Date
- Time
- Location
- Environmental parameters
- The numbers of dolphins and calves, including young-of-the-year
- The animals’ activities
- Whether the dolphins are interacting with humans
We’re happy to report that we’ve been able to photograph all 10 of the remaining dolphin calves born in 2020 and more than 90 percent of the members of the long-term resident Sarasota Bay dolphin community! That’s a great way to start the year and we thank the Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation for their long-term support of these important baseline surveys.
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You can learn more about our research and the program’s history in a recent webinar I presented during the European Cetacean Society’s annual conference (held virtually this year). The webinars — covering everything from killer whales and narwhals to bottlenose dolphins — are available on YouTube.
As we head into Florida’s spring/summer boating season, I also want to offer a reminder to watch out for dolphins and other marine life while you’re on the water. As you can see in the video below, dolphins often spend time in very shallow seagrass meadows and sand flats that can make it hard for them to hear approaching boats and prevent them from diving to avoid collisions. Please take special care when boating in shallows — move slowly, look for swirls, pressure waves, and other signs of animals swimming beneath the surface, and give animals extra space to keep them safe. If approached by a dolphin, put your engine in neutral and allow the animal to pass by. And please be careful not to damage the seagrass with your propeller — these meadows support the dolphin prey fish — and the fish you like to catch!
Here’s wishing you fair winds and following seas!
Randy Wells
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Name: C250
Age: 5
Sex: Male
A Dolphin's Life: C250 is the 10th calf of FB25 and we’ve observed him more than 120 times since his birth in 2016. We usually see him between the north Siesta Key Bridge and Venice Inlet.
While the Sarasota dolphin community members do not live in family groups or pods, they do interact with related dolphins from time to time. Not too long ago during a population monitoring survey, we watched C250 socializing with his 2-year-old sibling and another 4-year-old juvenile named Nori.
C250’s mom is one of the two most productive mothers we’ve documented. Each has given birth to 11 calves so far (FB25's most recent calf was born in 2019). You can learn more about FB25 — including listening to what her signature whistle sounds like — here.
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C250 takes a break from socializing to peek at our boat, which was drifting in neutral. |
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C250 (right) is socializing with his 2-year-old sibling (left). FB25 was feeding nearby. |
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Nori (middle, underwater), and C250 take a break from socializing to catch a breath. |
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Celebrating
50 Years of Research,
Conservation and Education
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Support Dolphin Research Today |
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Each year, it takes approximately $1 million to fund the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program. Each grant and each gift helps to ensure that we can continue to learn about and help some of the world’s most fascinating creatures.
You can help ensure the future of this important and unparalleled wild dolphin research by making a gift today.
Gift options
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Donate to the Dolphin Biology Research Institute. This Sarasota-based nonprofit organization was established in 1982 to provide critical logistical and other operational support to the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program.
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For more information on how you can help support wild dolphin research, please contact Cindy Zeigler, CZS Chief Advancement Officer, at cindy.zeigler@czs.org or 708.688.8263.
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Dolphin Biology Research Institute — DBA Sarasota Dolphin Research Program — is dedicated to research and conservation of dolphins and their habitat. Community Foundation of Sarasota County Giving Partner Profile available here.
DBRI IS A 501(C)3 ORGANIZATION — FEDERAL TAX ID #59-2288387. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION (#CH1172) AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE OR AT WWW.FDACS.GOV/CONSUMER-RESOURCES/CHARITIES. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
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