Today was a day of transition – CSU Group 1 departed for home while CSU Group 2 jetted south to Roatan. We also had two students from the University of Bologna Master Course in Large Marine Vertebrates (MCLMV) join us.
We had our last data collection session with group 1 and about 2/3 of the way through the session it poured rain! (See the cover photo for the rainy sky.) Kathleen did not notice as she was underwater but the rest of us ran for cover on to the platform or the palapa.
The bad news is that we are leaving. The good news is that we get to go home! It was another full, exciting day here at AKR. It began with our second-to-last data collection session on the dolphins at Bailey’s Key. The underwater vis was not great and the dolphins were quiet, but it was still a good morning! After breakfast, we received a talk from Samir Galindo, General Manager and one of the proprietors of AKR. We learned a bit about the history of AKR, as well as their conservation and education programs.
Today was a full day of activities! We started the day with dolphin data collection followed by breakfast and then a talk about acoustics. But the next morning activity was the best – we had our dolphin encounter and swim! Half of us met Tilly and Carl and the other half met Maury and Kenly.
The swim provided much dolphin play and good underwater visibility. Lunch was a delicious feast! We then listened to Jennifer tell us about coral reef restoration and the coral nursery they have here off AKR.
Another very packed day was had by all of us! Our boat was waiting for us at 6:15 AM for our aquatic trek to Bailey’s Key. The dolphins were waiting.
The forgotten title was something good … but we are a bit tired from all the activity today!
Our day was full! We started with good surface activity and space use data collection, as well as observing Kathleen with the dolphins. We were able to collect activity levels and panoramic photos, too. After breakfast, Dr. K gave his physiology lecture and regaled the students with fun tidbits that were engaging and educational.
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.
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.
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.
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.
*Content warning: As the title indicates, this talk discusses sexual interactions in non-human animals. The speaker uses vocabulary and shows images related to sexual interactions and reproductive body parts in non-human animals, particularly beluga whales. As such, we recommend this presentation for mature audiences.*
In this Deep Dive, you’ll learn about how sexual play behaviors develop in young belugas.
Whether you’re a young student interested in learning more about dolphin biology, a college student looking for internship experiences working with dolphins, or a seasoned researcher hoping to connect with colleagues on topics of dolphin behavior, ecology, or cognition, you’ve come to the right place.
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