PhD candidate Kate Sprogis is taking habitat modeling courses at Duke University, USA while research associate Krista Nicholson continues to collect dolphin data for the SWMRP
Another begging dolphin: Backpack
The Coastal and Estuarine Dolphin Project (CEDP) collects photo-identification, behavioural, and longitudinal data to support the long-term conservation of bottlenose dolphins in metropolitan waters of Perth, Western Australia. The beggars The illegal feeding of dolphins is a key conservation issue for dolphins in the Perth area. Finn et al. (2008) reported 14 dolphins resident in Cockburn [...]
Whales, flying fish, sea lions and dolphins galore
During our spring field season (Sept-Nov) in Bunbury, Western Australia, we were on the water for over 130 hours and encountered 64 groups of dolphins. Spring is an exciting time to conduct fieldwork because humpback whales pass on their southern migration. During this time, mother and calves pass closer to shore than on their northern [...]
Snubfin season?
Earlier this year, MUCRU commenced research on the poorly understood Australian snubfin and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins in the Kimberley region of northwest Australia. Here, MUCRU Phd candidate Alex Brown reports on an exciting second trip to the Cygnet Bay study site in September 2012.
WA Winter Wanderers
Where do adult male dolphins go during winter off Bunbury, Western Australia? We hypothesise that they move offshore, helping to explain their larger home ranges. Here, Kate Sprogis reports on her winter field season.
A challenging month on the Cambridge Gulf
In the middle of May, MUCRU’s Kimberley inshore dolphin team left the blue waters of the Dampier Peninsula to travel deep into the eastern Kimberley. With sealed road access to the coast entirely absent for over 900 km east of Derby, our options for launching a vessel in this area were somewhat limited. So we chose Wyndham [...]
Gizmo is Free
Update on the Coastal and Estuarine Dolphin Project – Winter 2012 Fieldwork for the Coastal and Estuarine Dolphin Project (CEDP) has been underway for more than a year now. The project, based in the metropolitan waters of Perth, Western Australia, uses photo-ID and behavioural research to support conservation efforts for bottlenose dolphins in the Perth [...]
Update from Bunbury: male dolphins, lots of calves and hammerhead sharks
It has been over a year since Kate began her PhD project as part of the South West Marine Research Program. Her project is investigating the habitat use and population dynamics of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in Bunbury. Here are some of the recent highlights.
Bunbury summer dolphin transects complete
Summer season field work complete Over the summer season (December- February) we encountered 62 dolphin groups. We were on the boat for 25 days (> 144 hours), completing: Six replicates of each of the Inshore, Backbeach and Buffalo Beach transects; and Three replicates of the Busselton, Backbeach offshore and Buffalo Beach offshore transects (see study [...]
New publication on bottlenose dolphin acoustics
Title and publication details: Jensen, F. H., Beedholm, K., Wahlberg, M., Bejder, L., and Madsen, P. T. 2012. Estimated communication range and energetic cost of bottlenose dolphin whistles in a tropical habitat. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 131: 582-592. Abstract and research conclusions: Bottlenose dolphins depend on whistles for many aspects of their [...]
