| Objectives of this research were to 1) estimate abundance of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in estuaries near Savannah, GA using the Pollock's Robust Design and capture-mark-recapture methods, and 2) create an educational activity that introduces two fundamentals of marine mammal science: abundance estimation and laws that protect and manage populations. Boat-based photo-identification surveys were conducted from 2013-2014. Abundance was greatest during summers (July/August 2013 Ntotal = 304; 95% CI = 284-334 and June 2014 Ntotal = 327; 95% CI = 307-357) and declined in winter (January 2014 Ntotal = 182; 95% = 162-213 and March 2014 Ntotal = 123; 95% CI = 106-148). The results from this study were the first abundance estimates of bottlenose dolphins in the estuaries of Savannah, GA. In addition, an educational activity was created to estimate abundance for bottlenose dolphins through photo analysis and statistical calculations. Baseline abundance estimates are essential for future research and management. Introducing students to the relevance of abundance estimation is fundamental to understanding ecology. |
