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Bottlenose Dolphins
Antillean Manatees
BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS
Turneffe has a resident population of Bottlenose Dolphins, which includes a population of nursing calves. Turneffe's dolphins have been studied for more than a decade by the Ocean Society, a Turneffe-based environmental NGO.
Links to some pertinent publications are listed below.
Campbell, G. S., et al. (2002).
"Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Turneffe Atoll, Belize:
occurrence, site fidelity, group size, and abundance." Aquatic Mammals 28(2): 170-180. Oceanic Society
Eierman, L. E. and R. C. Connor (2014).
"Foraging behaviour, prey distribution, and microhabitat use by bottlenose
dolphins Tursiops truncatus in a tropical atoll." MEPS 503: 279-288. Oceanic Society
Grigg E and Markowitz H., "Habitat use by bottlenose
dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at Turneffe
Atoll, Belize”, Aquatic Mammals 1997, 23.3, 163-170.
Campbell GS. 2004. Quantitative
comparison of Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops spp.) whistles from three
geographic regions. [San Diego, CA]:
San Diego State University.
Dick DM, Hines EM. Using
distance sampling techniques to estimate bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops
truncatus) abundance at Turneffe Atoll, Belize. Marine
Mammal Science. 2011.
Ramos EA, Lammers M, Reiss D,
May-Collado LJ. 2014. A Study of Variation in Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops
truncatus) Whistles at Turneffe Atoll, Belize, Using Two Acoustic Monitoring
Techniques. In: 16 Reunión de Trabajo de Especialistas
en Mamíferos Acuáticos de América Latina, SOLAMAC, IV Congreso Colombiano de
Zoología, Cartagena.
Ramos EA, Reiss D. 2014.
Foraging-related Calls Produced by Bottlenose Dolphins at Turneffe Atoll,
Belize. In: 16 Reunión de Trabajo de Especialistas
en Mamíferos Acuáticos de América Latina, SOLAMAC, IV Congreso Colombiano de
Zoología, Cartagena. Colombia
ANTILLEAN MANATEES
An estimated population of 25-30 Antillean Manatees inhabits Turneffe Atoll. These manatees regularly move between the coastal areas near Belize City, and Turneffe. The Oceanic Society has actively studied Turneffe's manatees for several years. Pertinent publications are listed below.
Holguin. S. B. P. (2004). Contextual Conservation: Antillean Manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus) of Turneffe Atoll, Belize. Geography: Resource Management and Environmental Planning, San Francisco State University. Master: 122. Oceanic Society
Edwards HH, Stone SB, Hines EM, Gomez NA, Winning BE.
Documenting Manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) Presence at Turneffe Atoll,
Belize, Central America and its Conservation Significance. Caribbean Journal of
Science
48(1): 71-75. 2014.
Auil, Nicole
E., "Abundance and Distribution Trends of the West Indian Manatee in the
Coastal Zone of Belize: A Thesis submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies
of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE, May 2004
Platt S., Rainwater T.,
Miller B., AND Miller C, "Notes on the mammals of Turneffe Atoll,
Belize”, Caribbean Journal of Science, Vol. 36, No. 1-2, 166-168, 2000
Copyright 2000 College of Arts and Sciences University of Puerto Rico,
Mayagu¨ez
Auil-Gomez NE. 1988. Belize
manatee recovery plan. BZE/92/G31, UNDP/GEF Coastal Zone Management Project,
Belize/UNEP Caribbean Environment Programme, Kingston, Jamaica.
Auil-Gomez NE. The fate of
manatees in Belize. In: Too Precious to Drill: the Marine Biodiversity of
Belize.Edited by M. L. D. Palomares and D. Pauly: Fisheries Centre Research Reports, p. 175. 2011.
Castelblanco Martínez DN,
Powell J, Galves J, Auil Gomez N. Preliminary information from first tagged
manatees in Turneffe Atoll (Belize) reveal regular travel patterns to the
mainland. Sirenews
6012-13. 2013.
Castelblanco-Martínez DN,
Edwards H, Hines E, Stone SBP. 2013. West Indian manatees in Turneffe Atoll,
Belize: pros and cons of living in paradise. In:
International Sirenian Symposium, Dunedin, NZ.
Castelblanco-Martínez DN, Müller V, Ramos
EA. 2014. Turneffe Atoll‚ Belize: A
salty but rich refuge for manatees? Simposio
Latinoamericano para la Investigación y Conservación de manatíes, 16 Reunión de
Trabajo de Especialistas en Mamíferos Acuáticos de América Latina, SOLAMAC, IV
Congreso Colombiano de Zoología, Cartagena, Colombia.
Hunter ME, Auil-Gomez NE,
Tucker KP, Bonde RK, Powell J, McGuire PM. Low genetic variation and evidence
of limited dispersal in the regionally important Belize manatee. Animal
Conservation 13(6): 592-602. 2010.
Morales-Vela B, Olivera-Gomez LD, Reynolds
III JE, Rathbun GB. Distribution and
habitat use by manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus) in Belize and
Chetumal Bay, Mexico. Biological Conservation
95(1): 67-75. 2000.
