Only four days remain before I begin the trek to JFK and
then to Roatan. I seem to have a knack for identifying flights that leave
before the sun rises! I’ve reviewed the data sheets and made copies for the
field work. We have surface logs for notating animals within various distances
of the MVA from the surface viewpoint. We have blank sketch sheets for drawing
the marks of the dolphins. We need to update our sketches annually to match
with our video logs.
Tag: older content
MVA2 Upgrades and Prep for RIMS trip!
Any free time last week and this week are dedicated to
preparing for the last week of October to RIMS. My week at RIMS comes after a
two-year hiatus! I am very much looking forward to visiting RIMS and seeing the
dolphins again. To see how much the calves have grown and see who’s hanging out
with whom.
Last week was filled with re-formatting the MVA2 for a
tape-camera that John and I found on eBay. I was having issues with a tape-less
camera. We found an HDR camera and it just barely fit into MVA2.
Now Accepting Applications!
Join Sacred Heart University (SHU) in Bimini, The Bahamas for a 12-night field course in cetacean ecology!
This course was a huge success last year and we look forward to another success in 2014. The course begins with an online component, with Professor Deirdre Yeater, on 19 May 2014. By 27 May all students will arrive in Bimini, for classroom time and fieldwork! With 8 boat trips in search of Bimini’s wild dolphins, students will experience many facets of wild dolphin research.
All participants must take this course for credit through SHU, however visiting students are encouraged to apply.
The Dolphin Gazette, 17.3
We’re proud to announce the latest overflowing issue of our quarterly newsletter, The Dolphin Gazette. In this issue, Kathleen shares updates from her recent trip to Europe and we continue our push to achieve our FundAGeek goal. Justin is busy preparing for the second installment in his collaborative Apes and Dolphins Seminar Series. For those of you interested in our Bimini, Bahamas field site, we hope you enjoy updates not only from Kel, but also from our summer interns.
All by myself…(don’t wanna be)
Friday was a busy day. Nicole & Salma began their final day on Bimini with the sunrise, and continued to make the most of their final hours on-island by exploring and picking up last minute treats (can you say Mr. Charlie’s Bimini bread and guava jam?!). Sadly, all too soon, the water taxi was calling them, figuratively speaking, and they headed to South Bimini for their flights back to the US.
An Unbelievable Ending to the Best Internship Experience Ever!
Thursday was our (Salma’s and Nicole’s) last full day on Bimini. Though we are sad to go, we wanted to make the most of the time we had left. Our day began with a visit to the Shark Lab on South Bimini. There we learned about the different species of sharks found around the islands and were able to “meet” some lemon and nurse sharks. We also had the chance to hear all about the incredible things the scientists at the Shark Lab have been doing.
After a quick lunch, we set off on the boat with Bimini Adventures.
A Lucky Streak
Wednesday morning began with a beach clean-up here on the island. We did a loop that extended out to the water and into the trees. It was astounding to find so much trash hidden and buried beneath sand, soil, trees, and even more garbage! It was really eye opening to see all the forms of trash that will never integrate into and benefit the ecosystems in which they have been put.
What an Exciting Day!!
Tuesday was a busy day beginning with a presentation on the importance of, and skills required for, photo identification. The Hunter College students were very engaged, asking many good questions, and Salma and Nicole learned a lot as well!
After a break for lunch and a bit of computer work, we headed out with Bimini Adventures. A few hours after heading out, Captain Al spotted some splashing in the distance. We headed towards it and came across quite a few spotted dolphins. We caught the attention of two mother-calf pairs who started swimming alongside the boat.
Coral Reef II: The Second Edition
We spent Friday through Sunday off the water. Our time was spent doing as much office work as we could squeeze in with some last minute island activities. Monday started off like any other day, with some work before we would head off to various DCP engagements. First we had a talk with middle school students from the Chicago City Day School onboard the Coral Reef II (CRII). The kids were very eager to listen and to participate in the talk.
Help fund our research expedition
DCP needs your help! We are looking for science-fans to help fund our research expedition to the Roatan Institute of Marine Sciences (RIMS). We are investigating the nature of dolphin friendships, and need help transporting our equipment and researchers to RIMS where we’ll record the dolphins’ behavior and try to figure out how and why dolphins choose their friends. Any contribution would be an enormous help, and we’re offering some cool rewards to our supporters.
Love dolphins? Love science? You've come to the right place!
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.
The Dolphin Communication Project charitable solicitation number ch42894, meets all requirements specified by the florida solicitation of contributions act. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the division of consumer services by calling toll-free (800-435-7352) within the state of florida, or 850-410-3800 when calling outside the state. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state.