An Overview of Increasing Incidents of Bottlenose Dolphin Harassment in the Gulf of Mexico and Possible Solutions

Vail, Courtney S.

doi:10.3389/fmars.2016.00110

Cited by 12 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…comm., 5 June). Such provisioning can become a welfare issue when dolphins are fed inappropriate or contaminated food items (11, 32) or, potentially, when they approach boats for food and are badly treated in return.…”

Section: Discussion—the Life Of the Solitary-sociable Dolphinmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Unfortunately, there are many reports of wild dolphins, including solitary-sociable dolphins, being deliberately harassed and injured (22, 32). This may be after they come into perceived or real conflict with people when their behavior disrupts human activity (such as fishing), damages property (for example, fishing gear) or when they exhibit aggressive behaviors (22).…”

Section: Discussion—the Life Of the Solitary-sociable Dolphinmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Deliberate attempts to shoot, spear or injure dolphins with a variety of weapons have been recorded (22, 32). For example, “Beaky,” who was seen in various places in the United Kingdom in the 1970s, had a scar from a healed bullet wound (4).…”

Section: Discussion—the Life Of the Solitary-sociable Dolphinmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Global Reassessment of Solitary-Sociable Dolphins

Nunny¹,

Simmonds

2019

Front. Vet. Sci.

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Dolphins are typically regarded as highly social animals. However, some individuals live apart from their own species and may come to socialize with people through a recognized series of stages which are presented and expanded on in this paper. The term “solitary-sociable dolphins” has been used to describe these animals and such individuals have been identified from several different species and reported in many parts of the world. In many instances, the interactions with people that may follow their original isolation, and which typically become more intense over time, have created situations where the welfare of the animal has been compromised by disturbance, injury, the feeding of inappropriate items and aggressive human behavior. Several solitary-sociable dolphins have also been deliberately injured and killed by humans. People who interact with these dolphins may also put themselves at risk of injury. This paper reports on recent cases drawing on published and unpublished sources. Since 2008, 32 solitary dolphins have been recorded including 27 bottlenose dolphins (25 Tursiops truncatus and two Tursiops aduncus), two striped dolphins and three common dolphins. Four solitary belugas have also been recorded. There are some ten solitary dolphins and one beluga known at the present time. Laws and guidelines currently in place to protect solitary-sociable dolphins need to be strengthened and interactions with people should be avoided or, at the least, carefully managed to protect both the dolphin and the humans involved in the interaction. Terms, such as disturbance and harassment which are included in laws need to be clearly defined. Additionally, management plans for solitary-sociable dolphins need to be developed and adapted on a case by case basis taking into account the individual dolphin's sex, age, personality, stage of sociability and home range. It is also important that government officials and local stakeholders work together to implement guidelines which set out how the public can observe or interact with the dolphin safely.

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Section: Discussion—the Life Of the Solitary-sociable Dolphinmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussion—the Life Of the Solitary-sociable Dolphinmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Global Reassessment of Solitary-Sociable Dolphins

Nunny¹,

Simmonds

2019

Front. Vet. Sci.

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“…). Bottlenose dolphins have been reported to depredate fishing nets and lines in areas where they frequently overlap with fishermen (Gunter , Leatherwood , Powell and Wells , Vail ). The attraction of top predators to large marine structures may be a necessary consideration in the planning and monitoring of artificial reefs, FADs, and offshore energy structures.…”

Section: Maximum Detection Ranges Were Estimated For Recorded Sounds mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The overlap in use of this reef by dolphins and humans elevates the risk of adverse interactions such as entanglements, boat-strikes, and dolphin-human familiarization (Barco et al 2010, Donaldson et al 2010, Christiansen et al 2016. Bottlenose dolphins have been reported to depredate fishing nets and lines in areas where they frequently overlap with fishermen (Gunter 1942, Leatherwood 1975, Powell and Wells 2011, Vail 2016. The attraction of top predators to large marine structures may be a necessary consideration in the planning and monitoring of artificial reefs, FADs, and offshore energy structures.…”

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confidence: 99%