Question: What data do you collect about dolphins and how do you collect it???? xx

Valeria Senigaglia answered on 13 Jun 2012:

I collected photos of their dorsal fins for photo-ID. Each dolphin has a uniques dorsal fin that we can use for identify it, like our finger prints.

I also collect behavioural data, so I record the species, how many they are in the group and how many calves (babies), where I saw them, what I think they are doing. I also take note on whether some individuals are always together, how individuals are spaced apart, if individuals are synchronized in their movements and how they react to boats presence.

To collect all these data I go out on a boat, I scan the horizon to find them and when I found them I approach them trying to reduce my disturbance to the bare minimum. Then I take out my gigantic camera and start taking pictures of their fins. Since I am not usually alone but in a group, we can take data on behaviour and take pictures at the same time. Sometimes we also stop the boat and drop our hydrophone (underwater microphone) to record their sounds.