Local dolphins and the UNF Bottlenose Dolphin Research Program

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of sharing a conversation with Quincy Gibson, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of North Florida (UNF) Coastal and Marine Biology Program. Gibson is also the Director of the UNF Dolphin Research Program. Gibson has been conducting dolphin research in Northeast Florida continuously since 2011. In our conversation, Gibson shared lots of local dolphin stories that left me feeling inspired, puzzled, stunned, and amazed. In this three-part series, I will share with you fascinating tales Gibson and the UNF Dolphin Research Program have uncovered about our local dolphin population.

Dolphins are considered messengers from the sea by many cultures around the globe. Dolphins offer many lessons for humanity. They show us that communication is created by patterns and rhythms of sound, which carry energy. This energy, known as manna, is the breath of life. Dolphins ask us to be mindful of the breath of life we share. And, not to forget to spread laughter and joy as we ride the waves of life.

When sharing a conversation with Gibson about her work with dolphins, I immediately felt the joy she was spreading with her breath. She shared the lessons she and her team have learned about dolphin relationships. The stories are beautiful and very entertaining. At the same time, Gibson did not sugarcoat the harsh reality of dolphin life. She painted a very clear picture of the stress dolphins must endure daily to survive.

At one point Gibson stated, “Dolphin social relationships are very dynamic; it is like watching a soap opera for dolphins.” After listening to Gibson describe what the UNF Dolphin Research Program has uncovered, I agree. Local bottlenose dolphin populations have multi-level relationships just like humans. No other animals have been found to share this level of complex social traits, according to Gibson.

Gibson began researching dolphins in Northeast Florida in 2011. She was a founding member of the Northeast Florida Dolphin Research Consortium. This group of researchers began studying dolphins along the east coast of Florida. Founding members identified and selected different regions from the St. Marys River to Indian River Lagoon for research.

Gibson decided to focus on dolphins in the St. Johns River region because these dolphins face many harmful risks. The dolphins in the St. Johns River are exposed to anthropogenic impacts; human impacts that cause all kinds of harmful stress. Quincy said she wanted to be the voice for the St. Johns River dolphins. She wanted to be the one to help improve the situation.

Research on local dolphin populations was scarce when Gibson began her work. The last person Gibson was aware to study this area was MaryJane Coldwell. Coldwell had done her Ph.D. work on Northeast Florida. Her work included dolphins from Nassau Sound in Nassau County, south to the St. Johns River and a portion of the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) south of the St. Johns River.

Coldwell’s data showed three distinct groups of dolphins in the region. The dolphins from Nassau Sound were not mixing with the dolphins from the St. Johns River. And the dolphins from the St. Johns River were not mixing with the dolphins to the south in the ICW.

Florida Harbor Branch and Oceanographic Institute conducted dolphin research from the St. Johns River south in the ICW. Gibson concentrated her efforts in the St. Johns River. Several other groups were formed and they covered the waterways and inlets along the east coast between the St. Marys River and the Indian River Lagoon in Volusia County.

The consortium coordinated efforts for researchers to go onto the water in each region on the same day at the same to conduct dolphin surveys. Then, they would share all the data with each member. This enabled the research teams to see what was going on a typical day in the dolphin world along the east coast of Florida. This massive collaborative undertaking lasted about 5 years. Eventually, the consortium fizzled out. Group members moved on, or team funding was lost, essentially ending partnerships.

Gibson went on to explain that when the consortium fell apart, it ended the last formal study of dolphins between Nassau Sound, just south of Amelia Island to the St. Johns River. According to Gibson, no other team has stepped up to monitor dolphins in this region since 2016.

Gibson has the required research permits from NOAA to conduct dolphin surveys from Nassau Sound to the St. Johns River. However, she does not have the resources to add this region to the UNF Dolphin Research Project schedule. Gibson said that if she had the funding and the staff, she would be covering Nassau Sound to the St. Johns River without a doubt.

Next week, I will shine the spotlight on dolphin social behavior unique to northeast Florida. All the characters one would expect to find in an old-fashioned daytime soap opera are mimicked by dolphins in our region. Families, friendships, alliances, hardships, battles, love, and death all play a role in the social life of local dolphins. Tune in next week for more stories about our local dolphin population.