CESIMAR - CENPAT   25625
CENTRO PARA EL ESTUDIO DE SISTEMAS MARINOS
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Long range movements of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus and its implications for the protection of a declining Evolutionary Significant Unit in the coast of Patagonia, Argentina
Autor/es:
DEGRATI, MARIANA; GONZÁLEZ, RAÚL A; NIETO-VIELA, ROCÍO; DANS, SILVANA L; COSCARELLA, MARIANO; SVENDSEN, GUILLERMO M; CRESPO, ENRIQUE A
Lugar:
Bled
Reunión:
Workshop; 66th Meeting of the International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee; 2016
Institución organizadora:
IWC
Resumen:
The foto-identification technique has contributed significantly to the knowledge of the small cetacean species. Bottlenose dolphins in Patagonia were among first populations in which this technique was used. The current information shows that this population may be genetically isolated. There have been suggestions that dorsal fin morphology could help to differentiate geographical subgroups. Along the last 40 years it has shown evidence of declining, but the causes are unknown. A displacement to other areas has been suggested, but the home range of the individuals is unknown. We examined a data base comprising 184 good qualityphotographs and analyzed the captures of individually identified dolphins in San Antonio bay, Nuevo Gulf and the port of Rawson. During a span of 15 years dolphins were identified in the three localities; accounting individual movements of 450 km. Dorsal fins of both shapes were present in every location. San Antonio bay was established as a MPA, protecting the core habitat for this population, but our results indicate that these dolphins have large home ranges including the southernmost locality where bottlenose dolphins are regularly spotted.