Marine Project Highlights – Sentinels of the Sea
One of the most exciting discoveries of the project was the collection of the first recordings of bottlenose dolphin bray calls in Cardigan Bay! Along with echolocation bray calls are another way of indicating foraging activity in dolphin acoustic data. This may have conservation applications in the future for understanding important sites for this species. Please note - Bray calls have been recorded in bottlenose dolphins in other parts of the world.
• We have also re-detected the dolphin signature whistles in different areas throughout Cardigan Bay, allowing us to gain insight into individual dolphin site use.
• Photo-id images captured have enabled us to identify bottlenose dolphins first photographed in Cardigan Bay in the 1990’s.
• Our Sentinels of the Sea day enabled us to showcase our research as part of this project to the local community and members of the public.
• We have been able to train volunteers in acoustic and photo id data collection and analysis.
• WTSWW’s marine team have also produced a 4 minute animation for dissemination online through our media outlets and three large format interpretation boards for display in the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Visitor Centre.
• Provided opportunities for citizen scientists, including early career scientists to have first-hand experience of scientific surveys and data collection.
Dr Sarah Perry, Marine Manager at WTSWW said, "The Nature Networks Fund Project has enabled us to enhance our bottlenose dolphin research in Cardigan Bay. As part of this project we have worked alongside the University of Bristol to collect visual and acoustics data year round and conduct boat-based marine mammal surveys throughout the year. We have been able to train citizen scientists in data collection and analysis techniques, helping to improve our and their understanding of bottlenose dolphins in Cardigan Bay.
Funding from this grant has allowed us to purchase vital equipment as well as enabling us to create an animation highlighting the research techniques we are using to discover more about bottlenose dolphins in Cardigan Bay. Using data collected we have begun populating a bottlenose dolphin signature whistle catalogue, obtained photographs of individual dolphins to add to our existing photo-id catalogue and have collected the first recordings of bottlenose dolphin bray calls in Cardigan Bay. This project has enabled us to understand more about individual movements, site usage, dolphin social and vocal behaviour.”
Janet Baxter