The Dusky Dolphin

The Dusky Dolphin: Master Acrobat Off Different Shores covers various topics about the dusky dolphin, including its taxonomy, history and demography, ecology, and behavior. After introducing the dusky dolphin as a member of the genus Lagenorhynchus under the family Delphinidae, the book continues by describing its life history, its demographic patterns, and its role in the food web considering predation, parasitism, and competition. The book also includes chapters that discuss the interaction of the dusky dolphin with its habitats, such as the dusky dolphin’s sound production, its foraging at night and in daylight, its survival strategies in response to predator threats, the mating habits of New Zealand duskies, calf rearing, sexual segregation, and genetic relationships. Other chapters address the interaction of dusky dolphins with humans. This book offers information about dusky dolphins off Southern Africa and discussions about the patterns of sympatry in Lagenorhynchus and Cephalorhynchus. Finally, comparisons between dusky dolphins and great apes as large-brained mammals are also reviewed in this book. Only book fully devoted to the southern hemisphere "dusky" dolphin Heavily illustrated with charts, figures, tables, and all color photos Written by a cadre of experts intimately familiar with dolphin field work Written in an accurate yet accessible style for the scientist and natural historian alike

This thorough revision of the classic Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals brings this authoritative book right up-to-date. Articles describe every species in detail, based on the very latest taxonomy, and a host of biological, ecological and sociological aspects relating to marine mammals. The latest information on the biology, ecology, anatomy, behavior and interactions with man is provided by a cast of expert authors – all presented in such detail and clarity to support both marine mammal specialists and the serious naturalist. Fully referenced throughout and with a fresh selection of the best color photographs available, the long-awaited second edition remains at the forefront as the go-to reference on marine mammals. More than 20% NEW MATERIAL includes articles on Climate Change, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Sociobiology, Habitat Use, Feeding Morphology and more Over 260 articles on the individual species with topics ranging from anatomy and behavior, to conservation, exploitation and the impact of global climate change on marine mammals New color illustrations show every species and document topical articles FROM THE FIRST EDITION “This book is so good...a bargain, full of riches...packed with fascinating up to date information. I recommend it unreservedly it to individuals, students, and researchers, as well as libraries." --Richard M. Laws, MARINE MAMMALS SCIENCE "...establishes a solid and satisfying foundation for current study and future exploration" --Ronald J. Shusterman, SCIENCE

Interactions between humans and dusky dolphins in the coastal waters of New Zealand are increasing. My research focused on tourism interactions, with Kaikoura as the study site; and, on habitat use in an active aquaculture area, with Admiralty Bay as the study site. In Kaikoura, companies engaged in commercial cetacean tourism (For Hire Company) have permits issued by the New Zealand's Department of Conservation, allowing them to take paying customers out to view and swim with wild dusky dolphins. During summer and fall of 2005, I assessed the effectiveness of a voluntary 'rest period' established to give time free of humans to the dolphins. I used a theodolite to track the movements of large groups of dusky dolphins and recorded the arrival, departure and behaviors of all vessels approaching within 400 m of the group. The 'rest period' resulted in a reduction of vessel visits compared to non-rest periods, yet one For Hire Company and private recreational vessels continued to visit dusky dolphin groups during this time. To increase compliance with the voluntary regulation, more education is needed targeting private recreational vessels. Weekend traffic was higher compared to weekday traffic, during both rest and non-rest periods; a large increase occurred in weekend non-commercial vessel traffic. Swimming with calves is prohibited by New Zealand's Marine Mammal Protection Regulations of 1992, yet 71.4 percent of the swim attempts I observed on-board For Hire Company tours were conducted with groups containing calves. More should be done to reduce the number of swims conducted with groups of dusky dolphins containing calves. In winter of 2005, I used hourly theodolite scans to record the number of dusky dolphin groups using Admiralty Bay, a different near-shore environment with less tourism than off Kaikoura, and with near-shore mussel farms. Groups of dusky dolphins were observed in Admiralty Bay using the full extent of the bay. This re-enforces previous findings that Admiralty Bay is an important winter foraging ground for dusky dolphins, and further aquaculture development in the bay would remove available foraging habitat.

This book concentrates on the marine mammalian group of Odontocetes, the toothed whales, dolphins, and porpoises. In 23 chapters, a total of 40 authors describe general patterns of ethological concepts of odontocetes in their natural environments, with a strong bent towards behavioral ecology. Examples are given of particularly well-studied species and species groups for which enough data exist, especially from the past 15 years. The aim is to give a modern flavor of present knowledge of ethology and behavior of generally large-brained behaviorally flexible mammals that have evolved quite separately from social mammals on land. As well, the plight of populations and species due to humans is described in multiple chapters, with the goal that an understanding of behavior can help to solve or alleviate at least some human-made problems.

Experts survey the latest research on dolphin communication and cognition, offering a comprehensive reference to findings in the laboratory and from the field. Dolphin researchers have collected an impressive amount of data over the last twenty years, thanks to advances in technology for monitoring, recording, and analyzing dolphin behavior as well as increasing interest in exploring and modeling dolphins' cognitive capacities. This volume offers a comprehensive reference to the latest research on dolphin communication and cognition, reporting on findings from both the laboratory and the field. The contributors review a wide range of topics, including vocalization, abstract reasoning abilities, imitation and learning, social cognition, echolocation, and ethical issues in working with cetaceans. The book begins by examining the dolphin brain and its evolution, the anatomy of its unique sound production and reception systems, and its sensory abilities. It next treats communication, reviewing the complexity of dolphins' vocalization, and then describes research on cognition, from both experimental and developmental perspectives. Finally, the book considers the future of dolphin research, including a series of provocative questions that remain unanswered, posed by the volume's expert contributors. Contributors Mats Amundin, Whitlow Au, Ted W. Cranford, Nicola Erdsack, John Ford, Wolf Hanke, Louis M. Herman, Denise L. Herzing, Christine M. Johnson, Petr Krysl, Stan Kuczaj, Marc Lammers, Lori Marino, Paul Nachtigall, Julie Oswald, Adam A. Pack, Heidi Pearson, Sam Ridgway, Jeanette Thomas, Randall Wells, Thomas I. White, Hal Whitehead, Kelley Winship, Bernd Würsig

Dolphins have fascinated humans for millennia, giving rise to an abundance of stories and myths about them, yet the actual details of their lives in the sea have remained elusive. In this enthralling book, Kathleen M. Dudzinski and Toni Frohoff take us into the dolphins' aquatic world to witness firsthand how they live their lives, communicate, and interact with one another and with other species, including people. Kathleen M. Dudzinski and Toni Frohoff are scientists who have collectively dedicated more than 40 years to studying dolphins beneath the ocean's surface, frequently through a close-up underwater lens. Drawing on their own experiences and on up-to-the-minute research, the authors show that dolphins are decidedly not just members of a group but distinct individuals, able to communicate with one another and with humans. Dudzinski and Frohoff introduce a new way of looking at, and listening to, the vocabulary of dolphins in the sea, and they even provide an introductory "dolphin dictionary," listing complex social signals that dolphins use to share information among themselves and with people. Unveiling an intimate and scientifically accurate portrait of dolphins, this book will appeal to everyone who has wanted a closer glimpse into the hearts and minds of these amazing creatures.

Antarctica is the only major part of the Earth's landmass not directly governed by one nation, but under the control of a treaty, with a multitude of acceding nations. This reference brings together large quantities of information on the wide variety of factors, issues, and individuals influencing and relating to the Antarctic.

The eighty-nine cetacean species that swim our seas and rivers are as diverse as they are intelligent and elusive, from the hundred-foot-long, two-hundred-ton blue whale to the lesser-known tucuxi, ginkgo-toothed beaked whale, and diminutive, critically endangered vaquita. The huge distances these highly migratory creatures cover and the depths they dive mean we catch only the merest glimpses of their lives as they break the surface of the water. But thanks to the marriage of science and technology, we are now beginning to understand their anatomy, complex social structures, extraordinary communication abilities, and behavioral patterns. In this beautifully illustrated guide, renowned marine mammalogist Annalisa Berta draws on the contributions of a pod of fellow whale biologists to present the most comprehensive, authoritative overview ever published of these remarkable aquatic mammals. Opening with an accessible rundown of cetacean biology—including the most recent science on feeding, mating, and communication—Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises then presents species-specific natural history on a range of topics, from anatomy and diet to distribution and conservation status. Each entry also includes original drawings of the species and its key identifiers, such as fin shape and color, tooth shape, and characteristic markings as they would appear both above and below water—a feature unique to this book. Figures of myth and—as the debate over hunting rages on—figures of conflict since long before the days of Moby-Dick, whales, dolphins, and porpoises are also ecologically important and, in many cases, threatened. Written for general enthusiasts, emergent cetacean fans, and biologists alike, this stunning, urgently needed book will serve as the definitive guide for years to come.

A magical picture book about a dolphin that dreamed it can swim on land.

'Everyone who loves the sea and what's in it should own this book.' Bill Bryson From the blue whale to the Indo-Pacific finless porpoise, this handbook is the most comprehensive, authoritative and up-to-date reference to each of the world's 90 species of cetaceans. With more than 1,000 meticulous and specially commissioned illustrations – complete with flukes, blows and dive sequences – it includes detailed annotations pointing out significant field marks, as well as extensive distribution and migration maps. Many of the world's most respected whale biologists have collaborated on the text, helping to provide the ultimate guide to the identification, distribution, behaviour, life history and conservation of every species and subspecies of whale, dolphin and porpoise. This is an indispensable resource for anyone interested in these truly spectacular animals.

In this book, the editors present a view of the socioecology of primates and cetaceans in a comparative perspective to elucidate the social evolution of highly intellectual mammals in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Despite obvious differences in morphology and eco-physiology, there are many cases of comparable, sometimes strikingly similar patterns of sociobehavioral complexity. A number of long-term field studies have accumulated a substantial amount of data on the life history of various taxa, foraging ecology, social and sexual relationships, demography, and various patterns of behavior: from dynamic fission–fusion to long-term stable societies; from male-bonded to bisexually bonded to matrilineal groups. Primatologists and cetologists have come together to provide four evolutionary themes: (1) social complexity and behavioral plasticity, (2) life history strategies and social evolution, (3) the interface between behavior, demography, and conservation, and (4) selected topics in comparative behavior. These comparisons of taxa that are evolutionarily distant but live in comparable complex sociocognitive environments boost our appreciation of their sophisticated mammalian societies and can advance our understanding of the ecological factors that have shaped their social evolution. This knowledge also facilitates a better understanding of the day-to-day challenges these animals face in the human-dominated world and may improve the capacity and effectiveness of our conservation efforts.

A critical insight into the diverse socio-cultural, political, economic and ecological contexts of the global whale-watching industry.

A book on dolphins from Janet Evans featuring the world's top 6 most amazing and loved dolphins. This book brings these magnificent creatures brings its readings into the world of dolphins with its amazing pictures and numerous fun facts. This book also contains coloring pages of these dolphins for your children to enjoy after reading the book.

With coverage on all the marine mammals of the world, authors Jefferson, Webber, and Pitman have created a user-friendly guide to identify marine mammals alive in nature (at sea or on the beach), dead specimens “in hand , and also to identify marine mammals based on features of the skull. This handy guide provides marine biologists and interested lay people with detailed descriptions of diagnostic features, illustrations of external appearance, beautiful photographs, dichotomous keys, and more. Full color illustrations and vivid photographs of every living marine mammal species are incorporated, as well as comprehendible maps showing a range of information. For readers who desire further consultation, authors have included a list of literature references at the end of each species account. For an enhanced understanding of habitation, this guide also includes recognizable geographic forms described separately with colorful paintings and photographs. All of these essential tools provided make Marine Mammals of the World the most detailed and authoritative guide available! * Contains superb photographs of every species of marine mammal for accurate identification * Authors’ collective experience adds up to 80 years, and have seen nearly all of the species and distinctive geographic forms described in the guide * Provides the most detailed and anatomically accurate illustrations currently available * Special emphasis is placed on the identification of species in “problem groups, such as the beaked whales, long-beaked oceanic dolphin, and southern fur seals * Includes a detailed list of sources for more information at the back of the book.

In Kaikoura, New Zealand dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) are economically and ecologically important. However, more information on key habitat requirements is needed to develop an effective management plan for them. I use systematic shore-based observations and tour operator gathered boat-based observations and review night-time foraging observations to explore dusky dolphin occurrence and movement patterns. I discuss possible influence of prey on these patterns. From January to December 2006, I conducted crepuscular observations from three clifftop stations. With these geospatial data I examined occurrence, mean speed, and linearity over seasonal, diel, and tidal temporal scales. From October 1995 to November 2006 tour guides recorded GPS locations for over 5,000 dusky dolphin groups, allowing me to examine seasonal occurrence patterns. For both datasets I quantified occurrence patterns relative to depth, distance from the Kaikoura Canyon, and distance from shore. I reviewed the three studies conducted on dusky night foraging behavior in Kaikoura. I explore the effects of seasonal and lunar-scale changes in night-time light levels on dusky dolphin foraging behavior. Duskies exhibited seasonal and diel, but not tidal occurrence and movement patterns. Dolphins were found farther offshore, in deeper water, and travelling faster in winter and approaching sunset. The areas of highest sightings density were associated with the Kaikoura Canyon, and shifted almost entirely into the canyon in winter and approaching sunset. Dolphins made sharper turns during summer. Dolphins were, on average, closer to the Kaikoura Canyon than to shore. Seasonal occurrence patterns described by tour operator data agreed with those described by geospatial data collected by shorebased observers. Duskies exhibited flexible foraging behavior and appeared to use both seasonal and lunar phase specific tactics. Night-time light levels appeared to influence dusky foraging behavior, possibly through changes in prey behavior. Prey availability and behavior patterns appeared to influence dusky occurrence and movement patterns. The dolphins' affinity for the Kaikoura Canyon may reflect a strategy to maximize access to prey.

Consistent evaluation and new recommendations for action are required of protective measures to address threats that were unrecognized or non-existent until recently. Global warming, noise pollution and reduced availability of prey are now of great concern. The all too familiar threats of accidental killing in fishing gear and exposure to toxic chemicals remain almost intractable. This Action Plan reviews threats and offers possible solutions. It also contains a thorough review of the status of species and a list of 57 recommended research projects and education initiatives.

Brings together contributions from 68 leading scientists from 12 countries to provide an up-to-date review on the way we manage our interactions with whales, dolphins, seals and dugongs.