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Principal Investigator: Mariano Alberto Coscarella

Funding year: 2022

Main objectives:

  • The aim of this project is to gain a better understanding of the population dynamics, structure and viability of bottlenose dolphins in Argentina.
  • Specific scientific objectives of this project are:
  • Establish a network with Argentinean colleagues to stimulate national collaboration and the generation of one large national dataset.
  • Conduct photo-identification surveys in the main concentration areas (see map below) to assess:
                       o Abundance and population dynamics
                       o Survival and birth demographics, with a special focus on recruitment rate
                       o Population viability (extinction risk under several management scenarios)
                       o Movement patterns and population connectivity
  • Obtain skin and blubber biopsy samples to:
                       o Further investigate genetic diversity and population structure within Argentina, and their relationship with the southern Brazil-Uruguay ESU.
                       o Assess pollutant load in blubber samples (PCB, DDT, HBC)
                       o Investigate hormone levels in adult females to assess reproductive status and/or pregnancy

Main Outcomes:
To follow.

Reports/Papers:
To follow.