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Sightings of the bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Trindade Island, Brazil, South Atlantic Ocean

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 March 2011

Mateus Souza de Carvalho  and
Marcos R. Rossi-Santos
Mateus Souza de Carvalho
Affiliation:
Instituto Baleia Jubarte, Avenida do Farol, s/n, Praia do Forte, Mata de São João, Bahia, Brazil, 48280-971
Marcos R. Rossi-Santos*
Affiliation:
Instituto Baleia Jubarte, Avenida do Farol, s/n, Praia do Forte, Mata de São João, Bahia, Brazil, 48280-971
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: M.R. Rossi-Santos, Instituto Baleia Jubarte, Avenida do Farol s/n, Praia do Forte Mata de São João Bahia, Brazil, 48280-971 email: marcos.rossi@baleiajubarte.org.br
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Abstract

The present work brings information about the first sightings of the bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, in the oceanic island of Trindade, 1140 km off the Brazilian coast. Nine days of opportunistic boat surveys were performed between December 2009 and March 2010, totalling 54 hours of sampling effort. Three sightings were obtained of the bottlenose dolphin, varying from 1 single animal to a group with 10 dolphins, including calves. One group was observed and filmed underwater. Sighting depth varied from 5 to 35 m and distance from the coast was registered between 70 to 300 m. Comparing our results with other studies in the Brazilian oceanic islands shows similarities in the location of the sightings as well the reported group size and the presence of calves suggesting that bottlenose dolphins may be using these environments to socialize and take care of the young dolphins. Because the oceanic islands constitute fragile and isolated ecosystems it is crucial to have a better understanding of the conservation of their marine life, including top predator animals such as the bottlenose dolphins.

Keywords

bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusdistributionTrindade IslandBrazil
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 4 , December 2011 , e15
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2011

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