Population viability analysis of coastal bottlenose dolphins targeted by dolphin-watching boats in the Archipelago of Bocas del Toro, Panama
Jones, Amanda
Jones, Amanda
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Abstract
The resident bottlenose dolphins of the Archipelago of Bocas del Toro are targeted by the largest dolphin watching industry in Panama. The combination of a high number of boats interacting with the dolphins and a lack of compliance to national regulations have resulted in the deaths of 12 dolphins due to boat collisions and a significant decrease in foraging time, raising concerns about their future. Using photo identification capture-recapture data, we model changes in population size over time and in response to dolphin-watching boat traffic. The government of Panama has declared this bottlenose dolphin population as vulnerable and is currently evaluating the establishment of a marine protected area to preserve their habitat. Understanding how dolphin-watching activities affects this dolphin population can help the Panamanian government to implement management strategies directed at enforcing regulations and controlling for boat numbers within critical dolphin habitat.
Description
1:00pm-3:00pm
Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Date
2020-01-01