​By Jolinde Vlaeyen, Lab Manager and PhD Candidate

It’s hard to believe that over a month (editor's note: because of the hurricanes these posts were delayed, the summer season ended in mid September) has passed since the field season came to an end! This year felt like a whirlwind—in the best way. We spent 42 days on the water and encountered dolphins an incredible 182 times. Out of those, 85 sightings contributed directly to my PhD research. We collected approximately 67 hours of acoustic data, capturing the dolphin’s unique vocalizations, and over 35 hours of drone footage, providing a bird’s-eye view of their behaviors. Through these lenses, we witnessed fascinating driver-barrier feeding variations, interesting social interactions and cute mother-calf interactions. We even collected data on foraging dolphins at night on Justin Dymond's boat under the full blue moon. What also made this field season special was the incredible
team of field assistants. Their high skill level and dedication made the long days feel smoother, and the camaraderie we built made even the tough days enjoyable.

Of course, the data collection didn’t come without its challenges—though compared to last year, these felt like minor hurdles! The biggest challenge for me this summer was finding small groups of dolphins in areas with good water visibility. Water quality here can change almost daily. One day it would be crystal clear, and then just a few days later, we’d return to find murky water where we could hardly see anything.

Last year, we wrapped up our season by helping UFMAR with a stranded dolphin. This year, we started with UFMAR—but thankfully, it wasn’t anything too serious. We assisted with a dolphin that had overstayed in the dam near Inglis. At first, we couldn’t match it to our catalog, but after several sightings, a few sightings of a familiar mother, GTYR, without her calf, led us to a breakthrough. Last year, we saw GTYR frequently with her calf, HEGT, and after much puzzle-solving, we realized this "mystery dolphin" was none other than HEGT. As it was a rather clean fin as a calf, we were able to match it thanks to its blaze.

It was also a relief to see Dit again, the calf we encountered last year entangled in fishing line. While sightings of Dit were fewer this year, each time we saw it with its mother, Nail, they were thriving—socializing and interacting with other dolphins. It was a small victory in itself to see them both doing so well.

Due to the weather, and a specific focus this year to also include a lot of driver-barrier, Yankeetown was our most launched location. This led to repeated sightings of the same dolphins, which was quite nice as they became familiar individuals. One of them, Fling, has been a familiar face since 2018. It got to the point where it felt strange not to see it whenever we launched in Yankeetown (but we would usually see it later in the day, or sometimes even throughout the whole day in each sighting).

This season felt particularly special to me because, for the first time, I truly knew the dolphins well—their personalities and their history since my first encounter with them in 2018. Watching some individuals grow and mature, while others remain remarkably unchanged, is a rewarding reminder of how far we’ve come in understanding these incredible animals. As the season ended, I couldn’t help but reflect on how lucky I am to be part of this project. I sincerely hope this won’t be my last season with the Cedar Key Dolphin Project—but we will see what the future has to offer!

The second in this year's series of Exit Interviews comes from Field Assistant Carrie! She is a returning assistant, having helped us out in 2023. Carrie has a gift for photo ID and for puzzles! The assistants left in September but these posts were delayed by the hurricanes:

What was unexpected or surprising about the experience as a field assistant?
This was my second year as a field assistant, so there weren’t too many surprises for me! However, the dolphins never fail to surprise me with their interesting behaviors! I was especially surprised at how often we were able to observe driver-barrier foraging this year. 
What was your favorite job as a field assistant?
My favorite job is taking photos of dolphins. It can be really challenging and chaotic, especially during what we call “dolphin soup” sightings, in which we are surrounded by many dolphins. The challenges make it so satisfying when you finally get a great shot!  
What did you learn about dolphins from this summer?
Because I got to see calves grow up over the past two summers, I ended up learning a lot about maternal care in dolphins. For example, I learned that calves may remain closely associated with their mothers for up to around six years, but this amount of time can vary a lot! It was really cool to see one mother, Bow (BWDI), several times with her two-year-old calf Quiver (QRBW), and her calf born this year, Feather (FRBW)! It was also interesting to see an older calf, Velocity (VYSD), foraging without its mother, Speed (SDWE), this year, because Velocity was consistently seen with Speed last year!
Favorite dolphin experience? 
My favorite dolphin experiences this year were probably when we discovered new participants in driver-barrier foraging. Observing this behavior is always exciting for me, because it’s unique to this population of dolphins, as far as we know. It’s also just really cool to see dolphins stick their heads out of the water to catch fish! Finding out that new dolphins are participating in driver-barrier is especially exciting, because it raises so many questions about how this behavior is learned and transmitted throughout the population.  
Favorite place to boat to (dolphins or no) and why? 
I love boating through the creeks around the Waccasassa Bay area. Being surrounded by mangroves while following dolphins through the winding, narrow paths feels so surreal! 
Favorite dolphin of the season and why? 
This is a tough one. My favorite may have been Billy (BLWB), a driver-barrier participant who we spent a lot of time observing this year. We learned that she is a female this summer after seeing her mating with fellow driver-barrier participants, Thor (TRWB) and Peacock (PKWE)!
Other than dolphins, what animal(s) did you like seeing out on the water?
As a marine mammal nerd, I loved seeing manatees. We saw a lot more this year than we did last year, which was encouraging! Another highlight was seeing a small shark leap fully out of the water! I also loved seeing lots of Roseate Spoonbills, with their bright pink plumage and goofy bills!  
Most memorable day or moment on the boat?
My favorite moment this year was probably observing a one-year-old calf, Treasure (TESG), foraging for fish alongside its mother, Smaug (SGYR). It was so cool to see such a young calf practicing its new foraging skills!
What would your advice be for future assistants? 
Photographing dolphins and photo-ID work will feel difficult at first, but know that it gets easier with practice! On the boat, stay hydrated and reapply sunscreen often! Stay curious about what you are observing and ask tons of questions. Don’t forget to enjoy watching the dolphins while you’re working hard! 
Key food item for the field? 
This season, I was introduced to the Canadian delicacy, All Dressed chips, which are my new favorite chip flavor!   
What do you wish you had brought with you this season? 
I think I actually managed to bring everything I needed this year! 
What is the one thing you could not do without?
I couldn’t do without my electrolyte tablets on the boat. They did wonders for keeping me hydrated in the intense heat and humidity!

Like last year, we asked our Assistants to participate in an Exit Interview where they answered some serious and fun questions about their experiences! Their time ended in September; these posts were delayed by the hurricane. First up is Mira! She is also a very talented artist, and look for new merchandise designed by her in the near future!

What was unexpected or surprising about the experience as a field assistant?
Before becoming a field assistant, I did not know whether finding dolphins out in the wild would be a difficult task. I was surprised to discover that it is pretty easy to find dolphins around Cedar Key, and it is not unusual to see groups as large as 15-20 dolphins! 
What was your favorite job as a field assistant?
My favorite job as a field assistant was taking pictures of the dorsal fins of dolphins when we were out on the water. I enjoyed being on my feet, staying vigilant, and observing the dolphins up close.
What did you learn about dolphins from this summer?
From conducting surveys out of Yankeetown, Cedar Key, and Waccasassa, I quickly learned that some dolphins clearly prefer certain areas. For example, this summer we would always see the dolphin called Lightning at Waccasassa, while the dolphin named Fling seemed to like spending his time at Yankeetown. 
Favorite dolphin experience? 
My favorite dolphin experience was the day when we went out of Cedar Key and found ourselves surrounded by a group of 60 dolphins! Although sorting through the photos from that sighting was no easy task, it was amazing to see so many dolphins (moms, calves, juveniles, and adults) traveling together!
Favorite place to boat to (dolphins or no) and why? 
My favorite place to launch from was Yankeetown because we observed the most Driver-Barrier behavior in this area this summer.
Favorite dolphin of the season and why? 
My favorite dolphin this season was LUMM because its fin is shaped like the head of a beluga whale!
Other than dolphins, what animal(s) did you like seeing out on the water?
There are many animals I liked seeing out on the water, including manatees, roseate spoonbills, and sharks. One of my most memorable encounters with one of these animals was when we saw a shark torpedo out of the water and spin like a ballerina.
Most memorable day or moment on the boat?
The most memorable day on the boat for me was when we went out one night to Crystal River to collect data. Not only was it interesting to see up close how the dolphins took advantage of our boat lights to catch fish, but it also happened to be the night of the super blue moon!
What would your advice be for future assistants? 
I would advise future assistants to always remember to reapply sunscreen and stay well hydrated! Additionally, developing skills such as being vigilant and maintaining good attention to detail will help a lot both in the field and in the lab when sorting through photos.
Key food item for the field? 
I loved a refreshingly crisp apple!
What do you wish you had brought with you this season? 
Something that I had wished that I had brought with me this season was closed-toe water shoes. It would have been nice to have more protection against the sun on my feet, as even with sunscreen, the sun beating down directly on your feet is harsh.
What is the one thing you could not do without?
One thing I could not do without was my hat and polarized sunglasses. Not only was it essential for keeping the sun out of my face all day, but the polarized sunglasses were helpful in spotting dolphins and bars beneath the surface of the water.

By Carrie Cramer, Field Assistant

The dolphin photo-identification (photo-ID) process often feels like solving a puzzle, especially when dealing with calves! To identify dolphins, we primarily analyze the nicks and notches gained over time on their dorsal fins. Scars can sometimes also be used, although they often fade or disappear over time. The overall shape of the dorsal fin can be an additional clue, but it can look deceivingly different when viewed from different angles. Because calves usually have not accumulated many nicks, notches, and scars, their dorsal fins can be extremely difficult to identify. Check out the photos below to see how the dorsal fins of some calves have changed over the past year.

Dorsal fin of one-year-old calf Treasure (TESG) in 2023 (left) versus 2024 (right). Treasure’s fin hasn’t changed much over the past year. Can you spot the two tiny, new notches in the photo from this year?

​Dorsal fin of one-year-old calf Artemisia (AAOO) in 2023 (left) versus 2024 (right). Artemisia’s  fin has changed quite a bit over the past year. We have sighted this calf in close association with its mother, Orazio (OOWB), several times this year, which helped us confirm that it is indeed Artemisia. 

Dorsal fin of two-year-old calf Chomp (CPBE) in 2023 (left) and with fresh wounds in 2024 (right).
 
Dolphin calves remain closely associated with their mothers for their first several years of life, so we can usually identify who their mothers are. When a calf is seen repeatedly swimming and surfacing right alongside an adult, this is a good indication that the adult may be the mother. However, we need to wait a few times to see them, because sometimes other adults will swim closely to calves. Especially in sightings with multiple calves and many other dolphins, it can be tricky to identify the mom-calf pairs. Calves are also notoriously difficult to photograph because they surface more quickly than adult dolphins, as they are still experimenting with their buoyancy. For these reasons, we wait to name a calf and add it to the catalog until it has been seen with its mother on at least three separate days.
 
This year, we’ve been able to identify and name twelve young-of-the-year (YOYs), which are calves born this year. Four of the mothers of these YOYs were not known to be females until they were observed with their calves this year. We have been excited to see one known mother, Bow (BWDI), with two calves in tow this year! Her older calf, Quiver (QRBW), was born in 2021, and Feather (FRBW) was born this year. There are six remaining calves sighted this year who will hopefully gain their names next year!

Furthermore,we recently solved a calf mystery that began in 2022! This calf was only seen once in 2022 with its mother, Mavis (MSWB). Mavis was also only seen once in 2023, and we didn’t get any clear pictures of her calf during that sighting. This year, we saw Mavis with her calf on four separate days, so we were able to name it Beacon (BNMS)! We were excited to discover that Beacon is still alive and well, especially since it had a fresh shark bite wound in 2022. Because Beacon’s dorsal fin has changed a lot since 2022, the scars from this wound were actually very helpful for identifying this dolphin (see photos below).

Calf Beacon (BNMS) with a fresh shark bite wound in 2022 (left) and in 2024 (middle and right). Can you spot the shark bite scars in the photos taken this year?
  
In another interesting calf sighting, we observed the three-year-old calf Velocity (VYSD) without its mom, Speed (SDWE), for the first time. Velocity was seen foraging with six-year-old Bumps (BSWE), who is also a calf of Speed! While we know that dolphin calves nurse and remain closely associated with their mothers for several years, we don’t know exactly how long this period lasts in this population. A long-term study of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in Shark Bay, Australia, revealed that the average age that calves were weaned was around four years old, with the youngest weaning ages around two years old and the oldest over eight (Karniski et al. 2018). This is an example of the insights that can only be gained from long-term studies, such as those conducted by CKDP!
 
As we are always collecting more data, we are looking forward to solving more calf mysteries while learning more about the communication and behavior of these fascinating animals!
  
References
 
Karniski, C., Krzyszczyk, E., & Mann, J. (2018). Senescence impacts reproduction and maternal investment in bottlenose dolphins. Proceedings. Biological Sciences, 285(1883). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.1123

By Carrie Cramer, Field Assistant

We have reached the halfway point of the 2024 field season, so we have lots of updates to share! Unfortunately, Hurricane Debby made landfall on August 5th in Florida’s Big Bend region, near Cedar Key and our other field sites, which range from Crystal River to the Suwannee River. We will resume our surveys as soon as it is safe to get back on the water. Over the next few weeks, we will be researching whether there are any observable effects of the storm on the dolphin population.

Before the hurricane, we were able to complete 23 days of research on the water. We have spent the other days hard at work in the lab processing photo-ID, acoustic, and drone and Insta360 video data. So far, we have conducted 83 “sightings,” which are behavioral and photo-ID surveys completed every time we encounter one or more dolphins. We have also completed 19 focal-follow surveys, during which we follow a specific dolphin to collect more in-depth data on interesting behaviors, such as mom-calf communication or driver-barrier foraging. We have identified 169 unique dolphins in these sightings, with many yet to be identified! Similarly to last year, we have encountered quite a few large groups of socializing dolphins. The largest group we have seen this year was observed right off the Cedar Key boat launch, an area where dolphins often congregate to socialize for unknown reasons. This sighting contained at least 53 dolphins!

​Our first field day was spent on the unusual task of assisting University of Florida Marine Animal Rescue (UF-MAR) with monitoring a dolphin that was sighted repeatedly this summer in the Withlacoochee River and Cross Florida Barge Canal. It was often seen near the Lake Rousseau Dam, which is approximately 12 km from the ocean! Although bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) can tolerate exposure to fresh water for brief periods of time, prolonged exposure can lead to skin lesions and life-threatening physiological health issues (Ewing et al. 2017). Visually monitoring this dolphin for lesions can help determine when it begins facing serious health risks due to the freshwater exposure. While surveying this dolphin, we observed it traveling in the river and foraging at the Lake Rousseau Dam, perhaps taking advantage of the barrier to catch fish. After analyzing the survey photos, we determined that it was not a known individual in our catalog and named it Dam (DMWE). We were pleased to see Dam again on July 27th in saltwater, indicating that it is able to find its way out of the river.

We have had lots of exciting calf sightings throughout this field season! We identified and named four young-of-the-year (YOYs), which are calves born this year. At least nine additional YOYs have been sighted, but they have not been named yet. To ensure that we correctly identify their mothers, we wait to name calves until we have seen them on at least three separate days. We have also re-sighted seven of the eleven calves added to the catalog in 2023 and eleven of the twenty-seven calves added in 2022. It is always exciting to see that a calf has survived its first few years of life, as they are particularly vulnerable during this time. We were especially thrilled to see one-year-old D’it (DTNL), calf of Nail (NLCT), who became entangled in aquaculture netting last year. In August 2023, CKDP participated in the successful disentanglement of D’it in collaboration with UF-MAR and the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program. Check out this blog post for more information about this process. We’re happy to report that D’it’s scars caused by the netting appear to have healed remarkably well! Stay tuned for more information on calves in the upcoming weeks.  ​

Despite the challenges brought by Hurricane Debby, we are pleased with the amount of data we have collected so far during this field season. Our field manager, Jolinde, is looking forward to analyzing the concurrent acoustic and drone video data that we have collected for her PhD research on turn-taking. Check out this blog post for more info on her project. We have also been lucky to observe driver-barrier foraging many times this year, and have identified several new dolphins who participate in this type of cooperative foraging! We have captured acoustic and drone video data of this, which will allow us to better understand how dolphins communicate and coordinate their actions during driver-barrier foraging events. See this blog post to learn more. We are very excited to see what the rest of the field season will bring!

References

Ewing, R. Y., Mase-Guthrie, B., McFee, W., Townsend, F., Manire, C. A., Walsh, M., Borkowski, R., Bossart, G. D., & Schaefer, A. M. (2017). Evaluation of serum for pathophysiological effects of prolonged low salinity water exposure in displaced bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 4, 80. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2017.00080 ​

By Mira Johnson, 2024 Field Assistant

Hello! My name is Mira Johnson, and I am excited to be one of the CKDP field assistants this summer! I recently graduated from Lawrence University where I majored in Biology with a special interest in marine mammal behavior. My interest in marine animals began at a young age over many trips to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and tidepools of California while visiting my grandparents during winter break. In my second year of college, I participated in my university’s small Marine Program where I had the opportunity to conduct a study on the cleaning behavior of reef fish. This experience confirmed my interest in marine biology as the field I wanted to
pursue further while awakening in me a newfound interest in animal behavior.
 
Living in the Midwest, most of my research experience in animal behavior has been on terrestrial wildlife and freshwater organisms. The summer of my sophomore year I had the opportunity to work with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Snapshot program to conduct research using camera traps to study wildlife populations. This study was where I was first introduced to cameras as a useful tool in the study of animal behavior. The following summer, I worked as a Lawrence Summer Research Fellow at the Center for Limnology Trout Lake Station. There I conducted a study that experimented with infrared videography to study the
migration patterns of freshwater zooplankton in northern WI lakes. I am very excited to be drawing upon the methods I practiced in these previous experiences (i.e., photo identification, data entry, fieldwork, etc.) and applying them to my interest in marine mammal behavior. Spending a summer working with the CKDP team seems like the perfect introduction to what it is like to study marine mammal behavior before committing to a graduate program in the next few years.
 
As I am interested in cameras as a tool for studying animal behavior, what I am most excited about this summer is learning about how audio recordings and drone footage can be used to quantify behavior. I am curious to learn about how these various techniques can be used to study how dolphins communicate and engage in coordinated or synchronized behaviors. Working with the CKDP this summer is a fantastic opportunity to grow my understanding of communication and cooperative foraging tactics in bottlenose dolphins through hands-on field and lab work. I can’t wait to be part of the team and hope to get the chance to observe driver-barrier foraging in
action!