DIURNAL and SEASONAL BEHAVIOR PATTERNS OF BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS (<i>TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS</i>)

The behavioral patterns of the estuarine dolphin, Sotalia guianensis (P. J. van Bénéden, 1864), were compared between two populations along the Brazilian coast: Caravelas (Bahia), along the eastern coast, and Norte Bay (Santa Catarina), along the southern coast. Applying the focal-group sampling in both areas, information such as the geographic position (UTM) of groups and predominant behavioral patterns were obtained. Geographic positions were used to calculate the total distance traveled by estuarine dolphin groups on each observation day. Since the distance traveled varies with time, the daily mean speed of the dolphin’s group was used as an index of movement intensity. Two comparable and easily recognizable behavioral patterns were considered: travelling and foraging. Overall movement intensity and behavioral pattern frequency were similar between both areas. However, a seasonal variation was observed in both parameters in Norte Bay, while in Caravelas these parameters were homogeneous throughout the year. Variation in the behavior of the estuarine dolphin was consistent with variations in environmental factors, such as water temperature.

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“…SHANE 1990a, BRÄGER 1993. SHANE (1990a) noted that Tursiops truncatus increases the time spent in feeding activity when the temperature falls.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioral patterns and movement intensity of Sotalia guianensis (P. J. van Bénéden) (Cetacea, Delphinidae) in two different areas on the Brazilian coast

et al. 2007

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“…When dolphins were sighted, the survey was paused to allow habituation (10 min) while their location was recorded using a GPS (Garmin eTrex Legend). Dolphins were then observed until their behavior was determined ad libitum (Altmann 1974) and classified into one of the most commonly used categories which were: 1) Feeding, 2) Socializing, 3) Traveling, 4) Avoiding, 5) Resting, and 6) Undetermined, following the literature (see Shane 1990;Bräger 1993;Chilvers and Corkeron 2002;Constantine et al 2004;Steiner 2011). Subsequently, the group was approached with caution to avoid disturbing them, at the time that group size was estimated; we used an inclusive definition of group, consisting in all dolphins observed in apparent association, moving in the same direction and often, but not always, engaged in the same activity (Bräger et al 1994); however, some groups included only one dolphin (Fazioli et al 2006).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Individuals may join or leave a group in response to the gains or losses of participating with the partners involved within a given social unit (Wrangham et al 1993). Thus recording the activities of animal groups is useful to establish behavioral patterns in a specific habitat (Bräger 1993;Steiner 2011), but also to determine the current state of individuals within a community (Beddia 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The structure of such social units is often affected by age, sex, reproductive status, hierarchy and kin selection (Beddia 2007); all these aspects may modify the behavior of individuals (Bräger 1993) and determine how the animals spend their time in certain areas, thus producing different patterns of residency, seasonality or migration that change their associations and the social structure of the population (Scott and Chivers 1990). Dolphin societies or communities (sensu Wells et al 1987) are generally composed by individuals that inhabit the same general area and have frequent interactions with each other (Goodall 1986); thus marine mammalogists often use this term to describe assemblages of individuals of the same species, instead of assemblages of different species as referred in texts of classic ecological theory (Roughgarden 1989).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Inter-individual association levels correlate to behavioral diversity in coastal bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from the Southwestern Gulf of Mexico

Vital

Morteo

Serrano

et al. 2015

Therya

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Las asociaciones entre individuos se correlacionan con la diversidad de las conductas en delfines costeros (Tursiops truncatus) del Sureste del Golfo de MéxicoInter-individual association levels correlate to behavioral diversity in coastal bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from the Southwestern Gulf of Mexico Introduction: Societies in mammal species are influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors that affect the temporality of the associations among individuals. Coastal bottlenose dolphins generally live in small fluid aggregations variable in composition, but the nature of their associations is commonly unknown. Our goal was to determine if school size was influenced by dolphins' behavior, and if individuals associated to develop particular activities within the coastal waters of Alvarado, Mexico. Methods:In total, 80 boat-based surveys were conducted (2002 -2003 and 2006 -2009), where group size, behavior, and photo-identification data were collected. From 237 sightings and 2,021 dolphins the mean school size was 8.5 animals (s. d. = 8.6), but individuals and pairs were observed more frequently (33 %).Results: Temporal differences in school sizes and behavior conveyed with habitat seasonality (P < 0.05), but were inconsistent across years; thus short-term factors such as marine traffic and fisheries intensity were deemed important. Dolphins were commonly feeding (29 %) corresponding to groups of 4 -6 animals, whereas solitary individuals typically showed evasion (P < 0.01). Discussion and Conclusions:Association coefficients computed for 89 of the 232 identifiable dolphins proved not random only in 6 % of the 3,915 combinations (P < 0.05), and these coefficients were positively correlated to the diversity of activities developed by each dyad (P < 0.01), thus the nature of their associations in most cases (93 %) became richer with time. The community is likely formed by very small units that frequently exchange members; this may be due to large food availability and low predator abundance in the area, but also to avoid detection and threats posed by local artisanal fisheries.

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“…Diel variation in behaviour has been reported for several dolphin species (e.g. bottlenose dolphins, Saayman 1973, Bra¨ger 1993spinner dolphins, Norris et al 1994;dusky dolphins, Wu¨rsig et al 1997;Heaviside dolphins, Elwen et al 2009), and is usually interpreted to relate to prey availability (e.g. Wu¨rsig et al 1997;Freeman et al 2004;Elwen et al 2009).…”

Section: Foraging Patternsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acoustic monitoring of habitat use by bottlenose dolphins in Doubtful Sound, New Zealand

Elliott

Dawson

Henderson

2011

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research

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Passive acoustic methods are increasingly used to study cetacean habitat use and behaviour. The Timing Porpoise Detector (T-POD; www.chelonia.co.uk) is a self-contained acoustic data logger, which records echolocation by cetaceans. This study used nine T-PODs to document habitat use by bottlenose dolphins in Doubtful Sound, New Zealand, over a 12-month period, collecting data over 76,104 h (of a possible 78,840). T-POD records show that dolphin distribution varied seasonally, with inner fiord sites being used most often in summer and autumn, and outer fiord sites during winter and spring. This seasonal pattern was positively correlated with surface water temperature. Echolocation activity in general and buzzes, which are usually indicative of foraging, were both significantly more common during dawn and/or dusk, suggesting crepuscular foraging. T-POD data suggest that parts of the 'Dolphin Protection Zone', in which boat traffic is restricted, are used frequently while other parts are not, and provide a basis for refining this management tool.

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DIURNAL and SEASONAL BEHAVIOR PATTERNS OF BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS (TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS)

Cited by 60 publications

References 4 publications

Behavioral patterns and movement intensity of Sotalia guianensis (P. J. van Bénéden) (Cetacea, Delphinidae) in two different areas on the Brazilian coast

Behavioral patterns and movement intensity of Sotalia guianensis (P. J. van Bénéden) (Cetacea, Delphinidae) in two different areas on the Brazilian coast

Inter-individual association levels correlate to behavioral diversity in coastal bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from the Southwestern Gulf of Mexico

Acoustic monitoring of habitat use by bottlenose dolphins in Doubtful Sound, New Zealand

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