Sargassum Seaweed, a Favorite Dolphin Toy
We talk a lot about sargassum seaweed being a favorite toy for the dolphins we study in the Bahamas, but what exactly does that mean? For our blog this month, we want to share more about this special seaweed, how the dolphins use it, and how we use it to
Meet the Board: President, Axel Stepan
We’ve decided to introduce you to our Board of Directors, to help you get a sense of the people who help the Wild Dolphin Project fulfill our mission! First up, is our current president, Axel Stepan. After receiving his MBA in 1999, Axel started his career as an
2021 Field Season Summary
Following an almost non-existent 2020 field season due to COVID-19, we were anxious to start this year. We did not have a full 2021 field season however, because every season has its bumps. But we did gather basic life history information and we saw plenty of dolphins! We saw a
Celebrating the Amazon River Dolphin, for World Rivers Day
“The boto is an endangered species and we need to protect them before they are lost forever.” — Suzanne Smith, founder and director of ARDCF. World Rivers Day, the last September Sunday, is a global celebration of the world’s waterways. So, here at the Wild Dolphin Project we’re highlighting a
Sharks? Boats? possibly Orcas?
This summer we observed many dolphins in our population with wounds. We try to keep track of scars and wounds because they can be used as identifiers throughout a dolphin’s life. Usually a few dolphins each summer receive a new nick or scratch, but this summer we had at least
No, That Dolphin is Not Smiling At You
It’s a familiar sight — whether at aquariums, in the movies, or Instagram photos — a friendly-looking dolphin with an open mouth, which gives the appearance of a smile. But, in the wild, that open mouth is anything but friendly. In the Bahamas, people have the incredible opportunity to swim
Plastic is Bad. Real Bad.
In the Bahamas, spotted dolphins play with sargassum seaweed. They play games of keep away and chase, passing the seaweed effortlessly from their rostrum, to pectoral fin to fluke. But sadly, they also play with plastic — we witness it. So far this summer, we’ve already observed dolphins playing with
Another Fourth Generation!
For 36 years, researchers with the Wild Dolphin Project have studied generations of dolphins in the Bahamas. As many of you know, it was founded in 1985 by our current research director, Denise Herzing, Ph.D. In 2016, the project reached a major milestone when the first fourth generation calf was
New Research Alert! Shifting Home Ranges in Spotted Dolphins
Recently, WDP graduate student Brittini Hill completed her master’s degree and thesis research. So, WDP sat down with Brittini to talk to her about her research and why she was interested in this question. Check it out. WDP: What was the goal of this research paper? BH: In 2013, an
Getting Ready for the Field
The 2021 field season is quickly approaching, so we thought we’d share what it takes to get ready! We live out at sea, which means we need to bring everything we could possibly need to collect data, to eat, and extra in the case of emergencies. Additionally, people join us