These posts are about ecology studies conducted by the SDRP.
What Happens When Dolphins and Freshwater Mix? Prolonged exposure to freshwater is linked to adverse health conditions, immune deficiencies, and even dolphin deaths, but there’s still a lot we don’t understand. SDRP Post-doctoral Scientist Dr. Christina Toms was conducting photo identification surveys in Pensacola Bay, Florida, as part of an
Seagrass Matters This summer (2021), we've continued our purse-seine catch-and-release fish surveys in Sarasota Bay. These surveys, conducted seasonally since 2004, allow us to gain an indication of the relative abundance of fish in Sarasota Bay — important information for understanding one of dolphins’ main ecological drivers: their prey. Our
This 2008 photo shows researchers preparing to release a tagged franciscana dolphin in Argentina. Dolphins were held for a brief period while satellite-linked tags were applied and then the dolphins were released on site. Lessons Learned in Sarasota Are Applying to Dolphin Conservation in Argentina and Brazil With research
Dolphins & Hurricanes One question we’re frequently asked is what dolphins do during hurricanes. The short answer is that we just don’t know. Since it’s not safe for humans on boats to be out during storms, we have to rely on opportunistic reports for insights. A few years ago, we
What is Happening to the Dolphins Near Piney Point? We're monitoring the dolphin community near Port Manatee for impacts from the Piney Point discharges of polluted water If you’ve been following the news lately, you’ve probably heard about the discharges of phosphorous and nitrogen polluted waters from Piney Point,
Crunch! Understanding Eagle Ray Diets For the first time, a team of researchers has demonstrated that passive acoustic recorders can be used to help identify the prey that whitespotted eagle rays (Aetobatus narinari) eat, based merely on the crunching sounds the rays make when they crush a mollusk shell. From
Uncovering Spotted Eagle Ray Migrations Along Florida’s Coastlines A new study is providing insights into the mysterious migrations of whitespotted eagle rays — uncovering interesting differences in the movements of rays along Florida’s east and west coasts and providing important information for species conservation. The whitespotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari)
