Fall is baby season for dolphins!

All summer long we observe wild dolphins in the Bahamas — and some of those dolphins are pregnant. Based on long-term observation of individuals, Denise Herzing, founder and research director of the Wild Dolphin Project, determined that female Atlantic spotted dolphins have two peak calving seasons in early spring and

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2019 Field Season: Trip 7, 8, 9

End of Season Blog – A challenging end to our field season. After a spectacular season of trips and data collection during May, June and July, our August trips were challenged by weather and other issues. We escaped the brunt of Hurricane Dorian but with the approaching storm we ended

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Of Dolphins and Hurricanes

On September 1, Hurricane Dorian struck the Bahamas, including the Abacos and Grand Bahama Island. It was the first major hurricane of the 2019 season, with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph. We’re heartbroken for the people of the devastated islands who have lost their homes, jobs and loves ones.

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Meet WDP Cook, Theresa Carlsen.

  We’ve said here at the Wild Dolphin Project many times — it takes a team to make the project (and in particular) the field season run smoothly! To study dolphins in the Bahamas every summer, we live on our 65-foot Research Vessel Stenella. The boat holds 12 people and

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2019 Field Season: Trip 6

Trip 6 had it’s ups and downs, but overall it was a great trip! We had passengers from all over the world. We had a couple from Germany, a passenger from New York, an intern from Brazil, and two other interns who were local. This trip brought a lot of

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2019 Field Season: Trip 5

This trip marked the halfway point in the summer field season, I still can’t believe how fast it goes! We had a little bit of everything, including some weather. This summer has been amazing weather wise, so I guess we were due. It wasn’t the worst we have had, but

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2019 Field Season: Trip 4

Calm Seas and Pregnant Females!! We found ourselves on Trip 4 with another spectacular stretch of good weather. Consecutive flat days, with no wind, are unusual, especially in the spring. But the first half of our 2019 field season has proven to be very calm. Although with no wind it

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Are Dolphins and Porpoises the Same Thing?

    Ever wondered what —  if any — the differences were between porpoises and dolphins, and why it even matters? It turns out that while the words are used interchangeably, dolphins and porpoises are in fact, different. To understand how, first you need to understand taxonomy. As humans, we

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2019 Field Season: Trip 3

Trip 3: June 4th – 12th By: Liah McPherson and Brittini Hill Trip three started strong! On our first full day, we had three encounters up on the Little Bahama Bank. Our Northern field site covers a large search area and has relatively few spotted dolphins compared to Bimini, so

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The Marine Mammal Protection Act and Why It Matters…

While we all want to connect with nature, sometimes it’s best left alone or observed from a distance.   It’s summer and that means more people in the water and potentially, encountering marine life. If you’re out on a boat and spot some dolphins, it may be tempting to motor

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