Mating patterns of dusky dolphins (<i>Lagenorhynchus obscurus</i>) explored using an unmanned aerial vehicle

Orbach, Dara N.; Eaton, Jordan; Fiori, Lorenzo; Piwetz, Sarah; Weir, Jody S.; Würsig, Melany; Würsig, Bernd

doi:10.1111/mms.12695

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…For example, we observed dolphins engage in a variety of sociosexual behaviors during feeding and food sharing, and it is unclear how sexual behavior may be related to feeding behavior in this species. Our findings illustrate the power of small aerial drones to track and document the fine‐scale behavior of dolphins (Orbach et al, 2020; Ramos et al, 2018a; Weir et al, 2018). Similar to other marine mammals (e.g., Hartman, van der Harst, & Vilela, 2020; Landeo‐Yauri et al, 2020), individual rough‐toothed dolphins can be identified by their scarring and skin pigmentation patterns.…”

Section: Figuresupporting

confidence: 68%

Food sharing in rough‐toothed dolphins off southwestern Mexico

Ramos

Kiszka

Pouey‐Santalou

et al. 2020

Marine Mammal Science

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Food sharing can be defined as a resource owner allowing a conspecific to consume part of a food item originally acquired by this owner, although the latter could defend this resource (Hadjichrysanthou & Broom, 2012; Stevens & Gilby, 2004). This behavior has been widely documented in a range of species, including insects (Boggs, 1995) and birds (Elgar, 1986; Heinrich, 1988), but has been more frequently documented in mammals, including the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus; Carter & Wilkinson, 2013) and primates (De Waal, 1989; Goodall, 1986; Ruiz-Miranda et al., 1999). Documentation of food sharing has been rare in cetaceans as this behavior (and feeding in general) can be inconspicuous to boat-based observers. Most reports are anecdotes from both captive and wild delphinids (Connor &

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Section: Figuresupporting

confidence: 68%

Food sharing in rough‐toothed dolphins off southwestern Mexico

Ramos

Kiszka

Pouey‐Santalou

et al. 2020

Marine Mammal Science

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“…Among odontocetes, to the authors' knowledge, drones have only been implemented to study a few species of dolphins. Example applications have included identifying dolphin presence and habitat use [137][138][139][140][141][142].…”

Section: Traits Of Dolphinsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Operational Protocols for the Use of Drones in Marine Animal Research

Raoult

Colefax²,

Allan

et al. 2020

Drones

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The use of drones to study marine animals shows promise for the examination of numerous aspects of their ecology, behaviour, health and movement patterns. However, the responses of some marine phyla to the presence of drones varies broadly, as do the general operational protocols used to study them. Inconsistent methodological approaches could lead to difficulties comparing studies and can call into question the repeatability of research. This review draws on current literature and researchers with a wealth of practical experience to outline the idiosyncrasies of studying various marine taxa with drones. We also outline current best practice for drone operation in marine environments based on the literature and our practical experience in the field. The protocols outlined herein will be of use to researchers interested in incorporating drones as a tool into their research on marine animals and will help form consistent approaches for drone-based studies in the future.

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“…Promising research approaches may include the use of theodolites (deployed effectively in relation to aquaculture; e.g. Johnston, 2002; Ribeiro et al, 2007; Piwetz et al, 2018) or unoccupied aerial vehicles (Durban et al, 2015; Christiansen et al, 2016; Orbach et al, 2020; Ramos et al, 2021). These vehicles could be used to collect biological samples (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bottlenose dolphins share fish farm areas while maintaining sexual segregation: Investigating group memberships through spatially and temporally explicit parameters

Bonizzoni¹,

Genov

Bearzi

2022

Aquatic Conservation

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Group membership is a key attribute of animal societies and central to the study of social structure in several taxa. However, social structure analyses are sensitive to the way data are collected and associations defined. In this study, a time–space method was used to investigate the social structure of common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus observed and photographed across 7 years in the semi‐enclosed Gulf of Corinth, Greece. Instead of adopting traditional group definitions, individuals were considered as being members of the same group if photographed within a specific time and space window. This approach can be applied post hoc across studies and can offer advantages under challenging sampling conditions (e.g. when dealing with groups spread over vast areas or when group membership is otherwise hard to assess). Dolphins were mostly found around coastal cage aquaculture facilities farming European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax and gilthead seabream Sparus aurata. Dolphins formed clusters largely or entirely composed of individuals of the same sex, suggestive of sex‐based homophily. Habitat partitioning was not detected: there was substantial spatial overlap among dolphin clusters, with all individuals using a relatively small area in the northern portion of the Gulf, where most of the productive fish farms were located. Associations between females were stronger than those between males, and daughters tended to stay in the group of their mothers. Sex‐based social clustering may allow females and calves to limit interactions with potentially aggressive males, while individuals of both sexes benefit from prey concentrated around fish farms. Adaptation to foraging around farms can result in trade‐offs between the costs and benefits of nourishment and social interaction. This may have both positive or negative effects on the animals that should be considered in the context of ensuring their favourable conservation status.

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Mating patterns of dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) explored using an unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract: Few studies have explored the mating patterns of freeranging cetaceans, largely because of logistical challenges. We used an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to follow and video-record 25 groups of mating dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) near the surface of the water and

Cited by 13 publications

References 33 publications

Food sharing in rough‐toothed dolphins off southwestern Mexico

Food sharing in rough‐toothed dolphins off southwestern Mexico

Operational Protocols for the Use of Drones in Marine Animal Research

Bottlenose dolphins share fish farm areas while maintaining sexual segregation: Investigating group memberships through spatially and temporally explicit parameters

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