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PHOTO-IDENTIFICATION & SOCIAL STRUCTURE Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) live in complex fission-fusion societies. The compilation of "case histories" for known individuals is a powerful tool for learning about the lives and needs of dolphins.
The recognition of individual animals can be used as a tool for a large variety of natural history information (group composition, fidelity of certain animals to the group, area distribution, migrations, behaviour, etc.). Recognition of individual bottlenose dolphins is based almost entirely on natural marks (nicks and scars) and the shape of the dorsal fin, which is conveniently projected above the water surface each time a dolphin breathes. The effects of fisheries management could influence in bottlenose dolphins behaviour and social structure, and dolphins' responses to these closures should be investigated. Moreover, the functional aspects of human activities in the relative sex of preferred partners should be elucidated. |
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