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Prevalence of scars of anthropogenic origin in coastal bottlenose dolphin in Ecuador

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 May 2017

Fernando Félix ,
Ruby Centeno ,
Juan Romero ,
Melanie Zavala  and
Óscar Vásconez
Fernando Félix*
Affiliation:
Museo de Ballenas, Av. Enríquez Gallo entre calles 47 and 50. Salinas, Ecuador Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (PUCE), Av. 12 de Octubre 1076, Quito, Ecuador
Ruby Centeno
Affiliation:
Time for English and Spanish School, Av. Circunvalación 906, Guayaquil, Ecuador
Juan Romero
Affiliation:
Refugio de Vida Silvestre Manglares el Morro, Recinto Puerto El Morro, Barrio Cruz del Puerto, Guayaquil, Ecuador
Melanie Zavala
Affiliation:
Universidad de Guayaquil, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Escuela de Biología, Guayaquil, Ecuador
Óscar Vásconez
Affiliation:
Refugio de Vida Silvestre Manglares el Morro, Recinto Puerto El Morro, Barrio Cruz del Puerto, Guayaquil, Ecuador
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: F. Félix, Museo de Ballenas, Av. Enríquez Gallo entre calles 47 and 50. Salinas, Ecuador and Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (PUCE), Av. 12 de Octubre 1076, Quito, Ecuador email: [email protected]
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Abstract

The prevalence of scars and wounds of anthropogenic origin was assessed in seven different coastal bottlenose dolphin communities (Tursiops truncatus) on the south-western coast of Ecuador. Between 2011 and 2017 a total of 117 trips were conducted representing a total sampled distance of 6281 km. Twenty-five of the 189 (13.2%) free-ranging photo-identified dolphins were recorded with dorsal fin damage, V-shaped wounds, sawed edges and deformities in the caudal region. The scarring prevalence ranged from 0 to 44.4% and was associated with either fishing interactions or vessel strikes. Dolphin scarring increased five times in the last 25 years from 2.2 to 11.1% and was correlated with a decrease in population in the inner estuary of the Gulf of Guayaquil. Damaged dorsal fins are associated mainly with fishing gear. V-shaped wounds were recorded in three different communities, Posorja, Estero Salado and Salinas, and given their severity associated with either fishing gear or vessel strikes. During the study period three dolphins were found entangled in fishing gears, two in gillnets and one in a long-line, emphasizing the threats posed by current fishing practice to the species. More effective management measures are urgently needed to reverse the observed population decline. This may include reduction of fishing effort, implementation of area-based approaches to coastal planning (including Marine Protected Area designations) and support for further research to understand the problem. Given the difficulty in taking direct observations, scarring prevalence is proposed as a proxy for estimating boat traffic and fishing gear impacts upon cetaceans.

Keywords

vessel strikesfishing interactionTursiops truncatusconservationbottlenose dolphinscarringEcuador
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 98 , Special Issue 5: Marine Mammals , August 2018 , pp. 1177 - 1186
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2017 

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