Behavioral and Ecological Influences on Survival Strategies of Juvenile Bottlenose Dolphins in Sarasota Bay
By Katherine McHugh, PhD Student
University of California, Davis

Socializing subadult bottlenose     dolphins observed off the bow of one  of SDRP's research vessels

The juvenile life stage is both an extremely vulnerable and formative time for bottlenose dolphins. In the years between weaning and maturity, bottlenose dolphins face many risks and must learn to navigate a complex ecological and social landscape in order to survive and become successful adult members of the Sarasota area population. The focus of this project will be to better understand strategies for survival by juvenile bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay.  I plan to combine information from the long term data-sets maintained by SDRP with new information that I will collect through focal animal behavioral follows with current juveniles in the Sarasota population to test hypotheses regarding the critical influences on juvenile survival strategies.  By comparing and contrasting different behavioral, social, and ecological elements of the lives of juvenile dolphins, we hope to determine crucial ages of independence, better define social and behavioral maturity, and better understand patterns of mortality and survivorship of free-ranging juvenile dolphins.  Field work will likely begin in Summer 2005 so stay tuned for updates!

This work will be made possible through the generous support of NOAA Fisheries, the UC Davis Graduate Scholars Fellowship in Animal Behavior, and a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.