Nicks 'n' Notches Online
A monthly enewsletter from the
Sarasota Dolphin Research Program
December 2020
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The Celebration Continues |
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On Oct. 3, we celebrated a momentous occasion: The 50th Anniversary of the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program! We hope you were able to join us for our virtual celebration; if not, you can still watch here.
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While we’re still finishing it up, please take a look around. It includes a list (with links where open access is possible) to all of our scientific publications as well as summaries of some of our key approaches to dolphin conservation. The site also has some fun additions that will help you get to know the dolphins of Sarasota Bay.
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In “Meet the Dolphins,” not only can you find out information about individual dolphins, you can also listen to recordings of their signature whistles. Don’t know what a signature whistle is? Check out our new “Fun Facts” section!
We’ll be continuing our celebration in the new year, with virtual presentations, a special edition of the journal Frontiers in Marine Science entitled: “The Dolphins of Sarasota Bay: Lessons from 50 Years of Research and Conservation,” and more activities, so be sure to look for details on our Facebook page and in this space!
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Notes from the Field and Lab |
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As we near the end of 2020, I’m challenged by trying to summarize such a strange year. While the pandemic changed nearly every aspect of many of our personal and professional lives, the year did include a few bright spots.
While we had to shelve some of our regular projects — Sarasota Bay dolphin health assessments, for example — we were able to find work-arounds that are helping to provide some of the information we usually gather in the field. For instance, instead of briefly holding dolphins to collect biological information, we have been able to employ biopsy darting as an alternative.
This method allows us to gather a tiny skin and blubber sample (about the size of a pencil eraser) that can be used to determine sex, genetic relationships, paternity, estimated age, and also look at contaminant, fatty acid and hormone levels. Samples are also archived for use in future projects. Collecting these vital samples will help reduce the pressure to perform health assessments on these individuals in the future and allows us to continue our longitudinal studies of this dolphin population.
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We also made further developments on the TADpole, a pole-mounted Tag Application Device, that we are developing to deploy satellite-linked tags on free-swimming dolphins. The TADpole pneumatically applies and secures a tag to the dorsal fin with a single pin in a fraction of a second.
Michael Moore of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and I conceived the tool and worked with engineers at WHOI who built it. Building on our prototype with additional support for further refinements, Greg Skomal from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and colleagues have recently tested it on great white sharks for the first time.
Greg used it to attach satellite-linked tags to two white sharks and they did not react in any way; they simply continued on their way. The success of these initial deployments is very promising for future studies on the movements of marine animals, including dolphins under circumstances where capture-release for tagging would not be feasible.
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Tagging a white shark using TADpole. Photo courtesy of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. |
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We’ve also had additional time to work on reporting our latest findings through peer-reviewed scientific papers. To date for the year, SDRP staff/students are involved as senior authors/co-authors on 44 peer-reviewed publications, including 17 published manuscripts, two that are accepted/in press, and 25 that are in review — about 50 percent more than in previous years.
That’s certainly a lot of analyses and writing, but it is crucial to be able to make the information available for making a difference for conservation! And I couldn’t be prouder of our staff than I am this year. The pandemic has required them to pivot in ways we never had to consider before — both personally and professionally — and they’ve remained committed and dedicated throughout.
The same could be said of you, our supporters. Undertaking our virtual celebration in October gave me an opportunity to look back over the years and take stock in all we’ve achieved. One thing was very clear: We couldn’t have accomplished all that we have without the steadfast and unwavering support of our colleagues, friends and donors.
Thank you all for caring about the dolphins of Sarasota Bay.
Randy Wells
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2020 Adjustments — the Home Office: Field Coordinator Aaron Barleycorn working from his COVID-19 home office (the dining room table!) while training the next generation of dolphin researchers.
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2020 Adjustments — Masking in the Field: Aaron Barleycorn and Lab Manager Jason Allen, right, during a photo-identification survey. Staff now wear masks and maintain social distance on the boats.
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In October's enewsletter, we introduced you to dolphin FB54, who at age 49 is the oldest dolphin currently living in Sarasota Bay. (We've seen her more than 1,500 times during our Photo Identification Surveys!)
Did you know that studying her has helped us understand ranging patterns of dolphins and discover individual dolphins' home ranges?
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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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Follow Us on Social Media |
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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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