After our second dolphin observation session, we had a yummy breakfast and then a brief informal discussion about sampling protocols. Then, we boarded a shuttle bus followed by a boat for a trip to Maya Key. The island is part of AKR and has rescue/rehabilitated animals.
Category: Blog & Field Reports
Good Morning Roatan – our first plenti-full day!
This morning was our first dolphin observation session – we met the dolphins at Bailey’s Key for the first time. We also learned how to recognize the individual dolphins and spent time snorkeling with the fish and learned how to ID many species of fishes. It was a busy day … and we share our recollections and impressions below.
Camille – I found the fish ID talk very interesting and I’m looking forward to using some of the techniques in observations he talked about to look for different behaviors in the fish when we are snorkeling.
What a Day of Travel!!
Before we go any further … we are mostly all here!
The group from Miami arrived early afternoon (on time, with no delay, and a smooth flight) and got to Anthony’s Key Resort to settle in and get the data collection gear ready.
The group from Denver, on the other hand, had some delays.
Pre-Check Forms Done, Bags Packed – Ready to Go!
Happy New Year! We at DCP hope everyone has a festive and safe new year celebration and that 2022 will be a year of lessening pandemic issues, as well as a year of new experiences and learning.
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Ending with a Bang!
Our last AM data collection session was filled with many exciting interactions and all kinds of switch-a-roos – between adult females and calves and young dolphins playing amongst themselves! After a fortifying breakfast, we returned to Bailey’s Key to meet Maury and Poli during our encounters, and then to swim with the dolphins! The swim was amazing!! It was a lot of group swimming, some speed swims, lots of interest by Poli and Sandy in several of us. There was also some rough housing between Rocky and Buzz.
Rain, not-Rain, then more Rain, followed by some “fun in the sun”
The dolphins were playful again this morning. There were some side leaps, some chases, and lots of seagrass and seedpod play. Our observations were ‘dry’ as the rain held off until breakfast. The downpour postponed our encounter and swim from this morning to tomorrow morning because the underwater visibility dropped severely. So, we shifted to some indoor and some outdoor (between rain drops) activities. We had a brief career informal discussion followed by more inter-tidal critter GIS tagging and a bit of data entry.
Data – dolphins, space use, tidal zone critters – and Fiesta Night!
Our water taxi ride at 6:15 AM was smooth and deposited us to Bailey’s Key where the dolphins were playful and engaged! We had several mom/calf pairs swimming all around and almost everyone playing! Sandy was never without a blade of seagrass. Buzz and Rocky wrestled and mouthed at each other. And, there was much allo-parenting (i.e., babysitting) ongoing. Bailey hung out with Calli and her calf. Poli swam with Gracie’s calf … while Gracie was close by and monitoring. And Elli seemed to herd her calf away from Maury.
The Night Snorkel! Intertidal zone observations and, of course, dolphin data collection
This morning was a quiet session for the dolphins – lots of pair swims and low activity levels. But, the visibility was good and we were able to see the mother/calf pairs in group swims. After a yummy breakfast, we spent the morning identifying animals that live in the inter-tidal zones around Anthony’s Key. There were crabs, urchins, chitons, and more. Late morning had us entering our space use data and confirming GIS positioning from the panoramic photos. This is a new method but should help us examine how dolphins are using their space in the main lagoon.
Instructions are important!
Today was a great day that began with dolphin observations at Bailey’s Key (Lots of play was observed – see Tank here with a mangrove seed pod!) and then we spent the day at Maya Key snorkeling, investigating the replica of the Mayan ruin at Copan, and checking out the rescued animals calling the key home.
Leo – Due to today’s incredible snorkeling experience I have decided that I would like to have more experience working with coral. Because it’s amazing how much a colony of small organisms can group and sustain their ecosystem over time in different ways.
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