These data sets include a compilation of small vessel based studies of bottlenose dolphins that reside within Biscayne Bay, Florida, adjacent estuaries and nearshore coastal waters. The data consist primarily of photo-identification studies that use natural markings on animal dorsal fins to identify individuals over time. Surveys consist of line transects aboard small boats with concentrated effort to collect photographs of individuals. These photographs are reviewed to identify and catalog individual animals. In addition, several targeted studies have been conducted within this program to collect tissue biopsy samples for genetic and contaminant analyses. These data are used to examine demographic structure and population dynamics of the Biscayne Bay Estuarine System stock of bottlenose dolphins.

These data sets include a compilation of small vessel based studies of bottlenose dolphins that reside within Barataria Bay, LA, Mississippi Sound, MS and nearshore coastal waters. The data consist primarily of photo-identification studies that use natural markings on animal dorsal fins to identify individuals over time. Surveys consist of line transects aboard small boats with concentrated effort to collect photographs of individuals. These photographs are reviewed to identify and catalog individual animals. In addition, several targeted studies have been conducted within this program to collect tissue biopsy samples for genetics, stable isotope, and contaminant analyses. These data have been used to support estimates of reproductive success and estimate abundance of bottlenose dolphins in support of the injury assessment for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

These data sets include a compilation of small vessel based studies of bottlenose dolphins that reside within Mississippi Sound and nearshore coastal waters. The data consist primarily of photo-identification studies that use natural markings on animal dorsal fins to identify individuals over time. Surveys consist of line transects aboard small boats with concentrated effort to collect photographs of individuals. These photographs are reviewed to identify and catalog individual animals. In addition, several targeted studies have been conducted within this program to collect tissue biopsy samples for genetic and contaminant analyses. These data are used to examine demographic structure and population dynamics of the Mississippi Sound stock of bottlenose dolphins.

Data from these surveys have been used to help discriminate among stocks and estimate population sizes.

The NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Fisheries Science Center conducted a common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) photo-identification mark-recapture and biological sampling project in Choctawhatchee Bay, Florida from 24 July to 30 August in 2007. A model-averaged estimate of the superpopulation of bottlenose dolphins in and around Choctawhatchee Bay was 232 (SE = 13) animals. Estimated resident abundance was 179 (SE = 8), which was lower than the number of unique animals encountered (n=188). This data collection includes dorsal fin photographs and sighting histories for unique photo-identified individual dolphins, including information about spatial distribution, mark characteristics, biological samples obtained, and GIS data such as survey track and waypoint files.

Common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) photographic-identification surveys were conducted by the Texas A&M University at Galveston (TAMUG) Marine Mammal Behavioral Ecology Group, on the Texas coast and included Galveston Bay, West Bay, Matagorda Bay, Corpus Christi Bay, the lower Laguna Madre, and adjacent coastal waters from 1990 to 2001. Photos were initially collected using 35mm film cameras and converted into slides or developed into print photographs and archived in physical storage. The slide film and hardcopy images of individuals with distinct dorsal fin contours were later digitized and embedded with metadata. This dataset includes the digital photographs of dolphin groups, and individual dorsal fin images embedded with metadata including general geographic locations, dolphin mother-calf associations, calf identification, and dolphin group composition. This dataset also includes some tabular data that were recorded for the West Bay study area related to the digital photos.

Data resulted from dolphins during/capture release sampling for health assessments.

Data from satellite tags on bottlenose dolphins

Photos of fish, marine mammals, turtles, ships, and other related subjects for use by students, educators, scientists, media, etc.