Belize Manatees & Dolphins

Belize:  Our dolphin research encompasses the coast of Belize, while our manatee research is restricted to Turneffe Atoll.  The dolphin results are just now revealing many interesting aspects of their biology, many of which will be critical to their management and conservation.

For instance, despite the close proximity of the two study sites Turneffe and the Drowned Cayes, only one  photo-identified dolphin from Turneffe has turned up at the Drowned Cayes - suggesting that the populations are very localized in their movements.  Our researchers have recently reported sightings of another type of dolphin, the rough-toothed dolphin (Steno brenadensis), a species that is poorly known. Exactly how these distantly related species interact behaviorally and ecologically remains to be seen. 

The research on the West Indian manatee is working at determining how these threatened animals use different habitats, and how their foraging on various marine vegetation influences sea grass bed dynamics.  As Belize continues to develop as a country and as an ecotourism destination, the impacts on these small offshore islands are bound to increase and multiply.  Among our goals in this research project is to highlight the importance and sensitivity of the dolphins and manatees in Turneffe and the Drowned Cayes in hopes of encouraging the future protection of this area as a marine reserve.