Photo-ID.................................................................. SOUNDPRODUCTION AND ECHOLOCATION PHOTO-ID OF WHITEBEAKED DOLPHINS IN THE ORION BELT. Conducted by Viking Explorer, Chris Lytken and Marianne H. Rasmussen PHOTOGRAFIC EQUIPMENT. Cannon EOS 5 with motor, Cannon 35mm wideangle Cannon 70-210mm zoom, Cannon 200mm tele. Film materials with great discounts by FUJIFILM. M E T H O D I C S IDENTIFICATION BY COLORATION Identification by the destinctive coloration of whitebeaks is generally possible. Rasmussen, Island 98/99 concentrated on one side of the dolphins body,(right side). Sea Watch Foundation, western Scotland, ongoing , uses the back and one side of the dolphins. For this survey the latter method should be utilized, since the most of the relevant Photo-ID material available from other studies is based on this method. Besides the distinctive colorations other, more permanent markings will be included. IDENTIFICATION BY OTHER MARKINGS Other markings for possible identification should be divided into three categories. Permanent mark. Missing pieces from the trailing edges of the dorsal fin, permanent scars etc.. Not so permanent marks. Scaring from symptoms of dermal diseases, decolorations/miscolorations, etc. Short time marks. Dermal disease symptoms, rake marks, skin lesions which can heal within days or weeks, etc.. Since the observation takes place over a period of two years it seems to be best to include identification marks from the first and second category, while marks from the third category should be excluded. METHOD OF REGISTRATION The film used is color film slides. Each film is developed, cut into stripes and put into clear plast pocket sheets. An information sheet is added to the plast sheet, containing information about each survey. Geographical position, time of day, ammount of individuals counted at each sighting, sex, age, distance from the nearest shore line, deepness of the water where the encounter took place . The films are numbered and details of each frame are registered, while each slide is examined to see if the dolphins show any of the marks agreed upon for identification, that allow them to be recognized. For each encounter the best immage is mounted into a slide mount and the newly mounted immages are compared with existing pictures. If a match is found it will be added to a hanging file for that particular dolphin. If there were distinctive markings and no match was found it will be given a new ID-number. General information about each sighting and dolphin, date, time, position, distance to the next shore, deepness of water, sex, age, presence of pray fish stock in the area, behavior etc.. is registered and recorded in a PC-based database. STOCK DEFINITION AND GEOGRAPHIC RANGE Whitebeaked dolphins are observed in the research area between March and November. Nothing is known about their migrations from the Orion Belt during the winter months. Sightings of whitebeaks during the winter month in the western North Sea, north of the Dogger Banks support the theory that there exists some connection between the Orion Belt and the western North Sea area. We hope that Photo-ID materials can help solve the question about a connection, eventually by finding partners that would be able to conduct a Photo-ID in the north western North Sea during the winter months in the nearest future. By registering the geographical position, deepness of the water, distance to the nearest shore, time of the year, sex and age of the observed whitebeaks, we hope to be able to give a definite answer to the question weather whitebeaks give birth to calfs in the area and if yes, if and where there may be particular areas used as nurseries during certain periods of the year. The registration of the deepness of the water may also contribute to determine weather lagenorhynchus albirostris preferes the continental shelf area. POPULATION SIZE ESTIMATE Photo-ID materials are to be used for an estimate of the population size by comparison of recognizable and unrecognizable individuals during sightings. Registration of observed calfs. To make later evaluation of increase or decrease of the population size possible, the ammount of observed calfs should be registered. The total abundance of whitebeaked dolphins in the area is unknown, and the only data of whitebeakes abundance that include the research area are data from the SCANS survey dating back to 1996, giving an estimate of 8.000 whitebeaks in the area of the Irish Sea, the English Channel, the North Sea and Skagen. There are no abundance estimates for whitebeaks in the Orion Belt available for comparison with our project, for this reason minimum abundance estimates are not available either. POPULATION TREND, PRODUCTIVITY RATE. The determination of a population trend during the two year period of our project is hardly possible. Anyhow the mothods of registration should be developed with the possibility of a prolongation of the project, and an eventual co operation with a SCANS II project in mind. The registration of age and sex can eventually provide some information about the productivity rate in general anyhow. HUMAN CAUSED MORTALITY / FISHERY INFORMATION... There are no procedures established for the registration and conduction of post mortem on whitebeaks in the area. Viking Explorer is trying to initiate such registrations and post mortems by discussing the possibilities for such with our partners, who may have better contacts and possibilities for initializing such registrations etc... PHOTO-ID MATERIAL AND HUMAN CAUSED MORTALITY ETC... Under any circumstance the Photo-ID materials should be analyzed for registration of signs of serious human inflicted injuries. RESEARCH SITE DEFINITION, NAMMCO AND SCANS II Until now a true definition of the research area is not established, but basically the site can be explained as the Orion Belt, an area between Skagen Reef and the Norwegian Trench. It is worth taking into consideration the latest discussions about the definition of the North Sea, Skagerak, etc..., and the boundaries of previous studies conducted by the NAMMCO, as well as the possibilitiy of a SCANS II project, which is projected to take place from 2002 or 03, depending on funding, so data from this project could be transferred to a SCANS II. In this case it would be unwise to define the research site without taking a later participation in a SCANS II into consideration. Until a true definition of the research area is established, we will limit the interpretation of the site to being the Orion Belt. SYMPTOMS OF DERMAL DISEASES AND PHOTO-ID, AND THE ANALYSIS OF BIOPSY MATERIALS. Researchers at Morey Firth state that they have successfully used photo materials for the identification of 16 symptoms of different dermal diseases. The personel responcible for the two modules, Photo-ID and Biopsy analysis, should establish wether a co operation can enhance the result of the Biopsy module and if so, methodics should be established. OTHER RESEARCH AND PHOTO-ID . The co operative use of photo materials for the enhancement of further modules will be discussed by the respective responcible persons for such modules. SOUNDPRODUCTION AND ECHOLOCATION If photo documentation of fouraging and play back experiments can enhance the result methodics and procedures should be established. BIOPSIES The possible use of photographic materials as support and supplementary data for an analysis of stock identity, genetics, etc.. should be discussed.
Soundproduction and Eccolocation, by Marianne Rasmussen WELLCOME TO OUR SOUNDPRODUCTION AND ECHOLOCATION INFORMATION SITE. An initial text and initial information is about to be written. PLEASE VISIT US SOON AGAIN. THIS SITE WILL BE REGULARY UPDATED WITH THE LATEST RESULTS FROM THE PROJECT ! With best regards Irina Lehmann
Night observations, by Rasmussen and Lytken NIGHT OBSERVATIONS, by Rasmussen and Lytken. Equipment / Night Owl Mono Nightvision NOCC3WR / Light amplification max. 15.000 times. Range 2,5 M to indefinite. Plus Infrared lightsource. THE PROJECT BEGINS IN JUNE 2001. INITIAL INFORMATION IS ABOUT TO BE WRITTEN. THIS SITE WILL BE PERMANENTLY UPDATED WITH THE LATEST RESULTS FROM THE PROJECT. With best regards Irina Lehmann
Latest information ! PROJECT START. JUNE 2001.
INFO SERVICE For slide shows and information events in your school or organization, contact the Viking Explorer secretariate. Go to our PR-site at www.vikingexplorer.20m.com
ADOPT A DOLPHIN In connection with the Photo-ID, Viking Explorer will start an ADOPT A DOLPHIN CAMPAIGN where You can adopt a dolphin from the Orion Belt and receive regular information about when and where it will be sighted. As soon as the project's in field work begins in June 2001, we will puplish photos of Whitebeaked Dolphins from the research site on this site's PHOTO-pages.We will inform You about more details as soon as possible. More information about ADOPT A DOLPHIN can also be found on ANIMAL PLANET, as soon as the campaign begins. With best regards Andrei Khodak Vice Chairman
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