All dolphin photography taken under MMPA Permit #21938-03.
May not be used for commercial purposes.
As the weather turns towards fall and we are entering our regular population surveys, it is fun to look back at the summer field season! We asked the field assistants to answer a fun "exit interview" about their experiences! First up is Carrie! Read what she wrote below. Check in later for Nemo's answers!
What surprised you about this work? I was surprised by how challenging it is to research dolphins in Cedar Key and the surrounding areas! The water is extremely shallow and murky, making it difficult to navigate the boat around obstacles. Some of the places where we frequently spot dolphins are only accessible to us (and the dolphins) at high tide. The murkiness of the water also often makes it impossible to see dolphins underwater, so quick reaction times are necessary to get good pictures of dolphins when they surface. On top of these challenges, the summer heat and humidity is no joke! This experience made me really appreciate how much time and effort goes into field work, and how amazing it is that CKDP is able to collect great data on these animals! What surprised you about the dolphins? I was surprised by how much time these dolphins spend socializing! Observing them in the wild made it clear how incredibly important social behavior is in their lives. I knew that lots of research had been done on how dolphins communicate vocally, but I was surprised to observe how important physical touch is in their communication as well. I was also surprised by how many different specialized techniques these dolphins use to forage. It made me so curious about what environmental and social factors influence how they forage and how these behaviors are learned. Favorite dolphin experience? My favorite experience was following two mom-calf pairs through narrow, mangrove-lined canals in the backwaters of Waccasassa. I always love watching moms and their calves interact with each other, but this experience was extra special because the area was so naturally beautiful and felt very remote from the outside world. When we emerged from the canals into Waccasassa Bay, they joined up with a huge group of socializing dolphins, which was so fun to watch! Favorite place to boat to (dolphins or no)? Waccasassa Bay was my favorite place to boat! It’s within a beautiful nature preserve that gives you a glimpse into what Florida’s Gulf Coast used to look like before development. We saw lots of large social groups of dolphins in this area, which were difficult to collect data on but really interesting to observe! Favorite dolphin of season? On my first field day, I somehow managed to take a picture of Crayfish (CHWE) leaping fully out of the water, right alongside our boat! He or she quickly became my favorite for giving me that fantastic photo op. We saw Crayfish many more times throughout the field season. His or her dorsal fin is easy to identify in the field, with its large triangle-shaped notch and vertical rake marks. Most memorable day or moment on the boat The most memorable day on the boat was definitely the last day of our field season, when CKDP partnered with the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program and UF Marine Animal Rescue to disentangle a calf who had plastic netting wrapped around its body and pectoral fins. We had been monitoring this entangled calf for weeks, so it was really gratifying to finally see it be released from the netting. The situation gave us a unique opportunity to collect data on the mom-calf pair’s behavior and communication before, during, and after the disentanglement, so I’m excited to see what we learn from this. What would your advice be for future assistants? The hardest part of the role for me was dealing with the heat on the boat. Make sure to drink tons of water, reapply sunscreen every two hours, and get comfortable with being drenched in sweat! Any skills related to boating and action photography would be super useful for field assistants, but don’t worry if you don’t have them - I certainly didn’t. Most importantly, stay curious about what you observe and how much more there is to learn about these animals. This is a great learning opportunity, so ask tons of questions and be open to feedback about how you can improve your skills. Key food item for the field Watermelon tastes incredible on the boat! Favorite/memorable phrase or saying? Everyone on the boat yelled “KNUCKLES!” every time the dolphin named Knuckles came up for a breath. I’m not sure why it was so funny, but it got me every time. “Hydrate or diedrate” was also a good one. What do you wish you had brought with you this season? I wish I had brought some long-sleeve fishing shirts or UV protection shirts to help keep me cooler and reduce the need to constantly slather my arms with sunscreen. Most valuable item for the boat? A good pair of polarized sunglasses is absolutely essential for protecting your eyes from the sun and spotting dolphins! They also help you see things underwater, like dolphins, other cool animals, or oyster bars that you are about to run into.
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