Chilean Dolphin

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CHILEAN DOLPHIN By: John Hancock and Audra Day

description

By: John Hancock and Audra Day. Chilean Dolphin. Also Known As…. Cephalorhynchus eutropia Black Dolphin White-Bellied Dolphin. Physical Description. Smaller cetaceans Average length of 5.5 feet and 130 pounds Stocky body shape B lunt, beakless heads Round paddle shaped flippers - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Transcript of Chilean Dolphin

Page 1: Chilean Dolphin

CHILEAN DOLPHIN

By: John Hancock and Audra Day

Page 2: Chilean Dolphin

Also Known As… Cephalorhynchus eutropia Black Dolphin White-Bellied Dolphin

Page 3: Chilean Dolphin

Physical Description Smaller cetaceans

Average length of 5.5 feet and 130 pounds

Stocky body shape Blunt, beakless heads Round paddle shaped

flippers Gray in color with lighter

coloring on the ventral (bottom) side. White markings on the

lips, throat, forehead, and behind each flipper.

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Distribution Endemic Species Found only in the

cold, coastal waters of South America, from Valparaiso, Chile,

down to Cape Horn, Argentina.

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Reproduction and Lifespan Currently unknown

due to lack of research

They are thought to be similar to Hector's and Commerson's dolphinsWith a gestation

period of 10 months to one year

And a maximum longevity of 20 years.

Hector’s Dolphin

Commerson’s Dolphin

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FeedingThey have been known to eat:

Green AlgeaCephalopodsCrustaceansSmaller fish

○ Such as sardines and anchovies

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Habitat From the Journal of

the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom:“Fine-scale habitat

selection of Chilean dolphins (Cephalorhynchus eutropia): interactions with aquaculture activities in southern Chiloé Island, Chile.”

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Purpose of the study:

“… to investigate the environmental and behavioral determinants of habitat use, and to evaluate the interactions between this species and aquaculture activities”○ Conducted between January and April

2002.○ 293.5 hours of observation

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Habitat Selection Dolphins were found

to spend 91% of their time in areas within 500 m. of the coast, in depths between 5-10 m.Only 21% of the study

area

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More findings Foraging was the most observed behavior Scanning or

searching for food, possibly benthic feeding

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Interactions with Aquaculture No significant association between intense habitat

use and distance to salmon farms. However, mussel coverage restricts space available

for biologically important behaviors They avoid areas of

high mussel density.About 15.3% of their

preferred habitat was unavailable due to mussel coverage.

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Threats Hunting dolphins is illegal in Chile

Accidental catching is a huge threatThey are sometimes killed for human

consumption or crab and swordfish bait○ 1,300-1,500 dolphins have been reported

harpooned each yearRemote locations make enforcing laws

difficult

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Conservation Status Population size is

estimated in the low thousands, so they are vulnerable.Not a lot of

information available, but populations seem to be declining

IUCN lists the Chilean Dolphin as Near Threatened. Pending more

research