US EditionWhat do dolphins get up to beneath the waves? Their poo has the answers
- Scientists in Cardigan Bay, west Wales, are collecting bottlenose dolphin poo to study their diet and ecology using DNA analysis.
- This project developed because researchers need to know what dolphins eat to support conservation amid uncertainties about seasonal diet changes.
- Researchers use fine nets at sea to gather quickly sinking samples and apply forensic-style DNA to identify individual dolphins' sex, kinship, and prey items.
- Dr Sarah Perry explained that to effectively protect these creatures, it is essential to understand their reasons for being in the area, with a key aspect being knowledge of their diet and whether it varies throughout the year.
- The research aims to inform future protection efforts for Cardigan Bay's approximately 250 bottlenose dolphins amid concerns over population changes.
6 Articles
6 Articles
Marine detectives shine a light on secret lives of Cardigan Bay dolphins
SOME of the mysteries surrounding the underwater lives of Cardigan Bay’s bottlenose dolphins are being uncovered as part of an innovative research project. Researchers from the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales are spending time at sea collecting the dolphins’ poo to learn more about their diet and behaviour. The stool samples are then being analysed by scientists at Aberystwyth University, who are using the latest environmental DNA (eDNA) …
What do dolphins get up to beneath the waves? Their poo has the answer
Scientists are turning detective to work out what British dolphins are up to beneath the waves – by using forensic-style DNA techniques on their poo. Conservationists have been studying the 250 or so bottlenose dolphins living in Cardigan Bay, west Wales, over many decades. Up to now, they have only been able to observe the dolphins as they surface to breathe or play, identifying the animals from the unique marks on their dorsal fins to establis…
What Do Dolphins Get Up To Beneath The Waves? Their Poo Has The Answers - Great Yorkshire Radio
Conservationists have been studying the 250 or so bottlenose dolphins living in Cardigan Bay, west Wales, over many decades. Up to now, they have only been able to observe the dolphins as they surface to breathe or play, identifying the animals from the unique marks on their dorsal fins to establish which animals were hanging out together and where. But now for the first time scientists are using DNA excreted by the dolphins in their poo to buil…
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