Daisy Kaplan has been studying the behavior of dolphins and whales for over a decade. She completed her Master’s degree at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, where she studied juvenile social interactions among wild spotted dolphins in White Sand Ridge, Bahamas, while leading ecotourist groups for Oceanic Society. She then served as a researcher and naturalist for The Whale Center of New England, studying the behavior of humpback whales. Her PhD work looked at the acoustic characteristics and contextual use of whistles in sympatric species of wild bottlenose and spotted dolphins in Bimini, The Bahamas.
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The Vaquita Porpoise: A Conservation Emergency
The vaquita porpoise (Phocoena sinus) is considered by many to be the rarest and most-endangered species of marine mammal in the world. in May 2016, the population size of the vaquita is considered to be 60, based on the results of a 2015 vessel survey and acoustic study. It is the smallest of only seven species of true porpoises, and is the only one that lives in warm waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Hungy bottlenose, threatening squalls and playful spotteds
Though I hope to be on a few day trips later this month, Monday was my last scheduled dolphin trip of 2016. And, it was a great one! We departed shortly after 1500 and with a tip from another operator, we spent extra time searching an area right at the edge of the shallow and deep waters. At 1619 we were rewarded with bottlenose dolphins! We observed them from the surface for nearly 20 minutes (and saw a group of spotted dolphins nearby!).
Big Splashes
Sunday began the final dolphin week of Bimini Adventures’ 2016 season. Though it was strange to prep for a boat trip without Nicole, I was happy to meet the new guests and search for dolphins in calm seas. About 45 minutes into the trip, the guests had their first swim break, giving them an opportunity to test their snorkel gear, practice getting on and off the boat and generally acclimate themselves to Bimini’s waters. It was not long after this that I saw a splash. It was far, but it was big and soon crewman Michael saw it too.
Hello Dolphins, See You Soon Nicole
Thursday was the final boat trip for this week’s Bimini Adventures group. It was also Nicole’s last boat trip of the season so we were very optimistic that it was going to be a good one! The weather was on our side and the guests saw true, Bimini sunshine for the first time.
Definitely making up for bad weather
Wednesday was yet another cloudy, windy, drizzly day but we set off as usual at 1500, hoping our weather luck would change and our dolphin luck would get even better. Sure enough, less than an hour into our trip (and with lighter winds and no rain) we came across a group of 10 Atlantic spotted dolphins! The waves made it difficult to identify individuals from the boat but Nicole saw at least one female that we know from the White Sand Ridge group. After some good surface observations, we decided to try an underwater encounter.
A trip cut short
Tuesday was another cloudy, humid day on Bimini. We spent part of the morning working on our data and then got ready to head over to the Sea Crest Hotel. At 12:30 we met with the tourist group to have a chat about DCP, dolphins and the research we are doing in Bimini.This turned out to be wonderful and the guests had many interesting questions for us. Thank you for your interest – and for supporting DCP!
We grabbed a quick lunch and then Nicole prepared for the boat departure at 1500.
Pay It Forward for Conservation
As you may have noticed, DCP has been expanding and growing, with our mission statement reaching farther than ever before. DCP has been fortunate to gain the support and interest of so many people, which was evidenced in our recent matching fundraiser in June—surpassing our fundraising goal of $2,000 by more than 15%! Feeling so grateful about the support received, DCP has decided to give back in its own way. To that end, DCP has started a new program to pay it forward to a conservation organization in two ways.
Dogs, Puppies and Dolphins
Monday was a busy, busy day on Bimini! We left the house early, shuttling dog crates and supplies to the ferry; we carried them to South Bimini so we could meet the rest of the team and head up to Resorts World Bimini…oh, wait. We’re getting ahead of ourselves, aren’t we?
Long story short, Kel is a regular volunteer at local vet clinics and with efforts to get island strays into foster and forever homes.
New guests and lots of bottlenose
Wednesday through Saturday were off-the-boat days for DCP. In lieu of dolphin-searching, we filled our days with data entry, photo ID and (Master’s) project preparation. We also spent some time preparing for the rescue of 7 puppies and 5 adult dogs found on North Bimini–Island Paws Rescue is coordinating these efforts and we wanted to lend a hand! Stay tuned for details!
By Sunday we were ready for the newest Bimini Adventures tourist group. Nicole was on the boat at 1500 to join the guests on their first boat trip.
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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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