THE WONDERS OF THE WILD DOLPHIN PROJECT
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger Photographer: George Whylie Videographer: Maxine Nolan
It is amazing what wondrous creatures the serene sea gives us. We sometimes see them from afar but what do we really know about the Atlantic Spotted Dolphin?
There is one scientist that has made it her life mission to know and fully understand these intelligent mammals. For 27 years now, Dr. Denise Herzing has been studying these particular species of dolphins in the northern Bahamas. Her project is called the Wild Dolphin Project. She founded it in 1985 and she is highly respected as the expert on the species known as Stella Frontalis.
This is a long-term, noninvasive study of a specific pod of free-ranging Atlantic Spotted Dolphins and the project is designed to gather information on these dolphins. They concentrate specifically on their behaviors, social structure, communication and habitat. The findings are reported to the general public and the scientific community. The group lives by a very exigent motto and that is “In Their World, on Their Terms.”
There can be nothing more rewarding than to wake up at sea and glance out over the far-reaching waters to find a playful dolphin coming up from below to pay you a visit, take a breath and gain your undivided attention.
This is a familiar scene to Dr. Herzing and not only is this her profession, but she feels a closeness to these curious creatures. The dolphins have become almost like trusted friends and while that in itself is almost priceless, this has also been a labor of love to assemble observations in a database in order to try and learn more about the dolphin demographics, diet, fertility and social behavior. This hands-off interaction has built up an amazing level of confidence from the observer and the observee.
We all know that the dolphin has a strange and audible sound at times which is their main means to communicate with their species. Some is audible to the human ear and others are not but Dr. Herzing has recorded some of this and these sounds say something about the dolphins’ behavior.
It seems almost surreal but this team has been tracking three generations of the same Atlantic Spotted Dolphin pod. While they may all look somewhat the same to us, Dr. Herzing has come to know and differentiate each of these comical creatures. She could even tell you about their family history. There is Trimy, Flambe, Malibu and Goggle that seem to be crowd pleasers. She has wholeheartedly immersed herself in her environment. The Dr. and her team have developed noninvasive DNA techniques in order to track paternity as well as detailing complex family and social structure.
The dolphins are almost like dogs bringing their owner a bone, but in the same instance, the dolphin brings their intended human friend a clump of sargassum. If you were to ask Dr. Herzing what her most memorable experience was, she would most likely tell you, “When Paint (one of the female dolphins) had her first calf, she taught the calf to do the same behavior, right in front of me.”
This pod of dolphins have rarely been anything but healthy and the only cause for concern was when we had the back-to-back tropical storms in 2004 and 2005 and some of the dolphins disappeared for good never to return. The pod has slowly been recovering and the numbers are beginning to come back up to what they used to be.
But even though there couldn’t be a more stimulating way to pursue a career dream, Dr. Herzing has some beneficial words to convey, “I want people to understand that these dolphins are not just numbers in a book but are fully actuated individuals in a society, and deserve the right to live, have healthy family lives and be left in the wild to be dolphins.” Make sure you pay a visit to www.wilddolphinproject.org and see what the organization is all about and learn how you might also be able to play a part .
If you are looking to experience a wild dolphin encounter, check out these suggestions:
Swim with the Atlantic Spotted Dolphins in Bimini in the Bahamas. Neal Watson’s Dive Bimini gives you a super experience. (biminidive.com)
Check out the Bottlenose and Common Dolphins in the Galapagos. One of the best ways to gain the full experience is on a live-aboard. (buddydive-galapagos.com)
Another destination to be at one with the Bottlenose Dolphins is in Socorro Islands, Mexico. (rociodelmarliveaboard.com)
An exotic destination to experience swimming with the Spinner Dolphins is Oahu, Hawaii. (dolphin excursions.com)
As the Wild Dolphin Project would remind you, if you want to encounter dolphins responsibly, look for operators that do not chase pods of dolphins and forbid touching or feeding of the animals.
PHOTO CREDITS: Karen Marsh – Wild Dolphin Project Facebook Page
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