Poor water clarity in the lagoon, the reflection of light off the water, and changing light and water conditions created other documentation problems. They are elusive and non-directional, making them difficult to photograph. Dolphins spend little time on the water's surface. Harbor Branch spent three years seeking a better imaging system, evaluating a dozen of them to determine which one best satisfied various challenges. For every day in the field, researchers spent two or three days in the lab analyzing and archiving data.
The outlines of dorsal fins were traced to a "master" log to document and identify different dolphins.
Slide images were analyzed and results were entered manually into the archives. The tracking process was time consuming and expensive. Prior to the digital imaging solution, Harbor Branch used 35mm cameras to capture images. The images identify the dolphins by nicks, scars, and pigmentation. Canon's EOS D2000 digital cameras and XL1 digital video camcorders are used with personal computers to store dolphin dorsal fin images in an analytical database. forms the data collection backbone for scientists at the Fort Pierce research center. Documenting Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins To Save This Endangered SpeciesĪt the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, researchers have found a new way to identify and disseminate information about Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins that inhabit Florida's Indian River Lagoon.ĭigital imaging equipment donated by Canon U.S.A., Inc.