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
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
New Research: Spotted Dolphins Riskier When Fighting Other Species
Despite their friendly appearance, dolphins aren’t just cute and cuddly. They are wild animals that engage in aggressive behaviors, just like any other animal. Since 1985, we’ve observed the interactions between two species of dolphins who share the waters of the Bahamas Banks, the spotteds (Stenella frontalis) and bottlenose (Tursiops
2020 Field Season: Trip 2
Trip #2 & maybe our last for the 2020 Field Season… The 2020 Field Season is proving to be an interesting and frustrating one. Due to delayed COVID-19 test results, this last trip started four days late and on top of that we also had rough seas for the remainder
2020 Field Season: Trip 1
As I am sure everyone is experiencing the impact of COVID-19 in some capacity, we are experiencing the same here at WDP. This pandemic has wreaked havoc on our summer field season. We are starting two months late, and unfortunately some people have had to cancel their trips with us
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
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
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
2018 Field Season: Trip 9
Trip 9 By: Cassie Volker, Research Assistant I can’t believe I am writing the last blog entry for the 2018 field season, man it flew by! But we couldn’t have had a better way to end the season. Trip 9 started out with a few quick encounters with some Bimini
2018: An Intern’s Perspective
I lived aboard the Research Vessel Stenella as an intern with the Wild Dolphin Project for the first trip of the 2018 field season. We embarked from the New Port Cove Marine Center in Palm Beach, Florida and set out for our anchor point in Bahamian waters. As we crossed