A rainy and foggy day – good for catching up on data processing.
So, we stayed in port today and worked on past data and confirmed entries from this year so far. Robin and I also worked with Mai-chan and Masaki-san on confirming several attendant dolphin identifications for an observation made last year. Mai and a few other MIK members observed a dead sub-adult bottlenose dolphins off Nango. There were several sub-adult and adult males and one adult female dolphin all around the dead body. They seemed to be checking it out and posturing somewhat aggressively to each other. They approached the boat head down and head-scanned it. After about 45 minutes, the other researchers were able to retrieve the body which was later necropsied. (This is an autopsy on a non-human animal.) The dolphin drowned. Remember that they breathe air. We are not yet sure why or how, but are analzying the video. When we have more information it will be posted to the reports of DCP's web site on the Japan page. Well, time to watch some more positive video and think about getting out on the water tomorrow. Several researchers from ICERC Japan and the Kenkyuukai arrive tomorrow for two days of training. Will be neat to meet them and share ideas. Till tomorrow, Kathleen