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Abstract

THE NUTRITIONAL CONTENT OF BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN PREY FROM THE SHALLOW WATERS OF BELIZE.

Kristi L. West¹, Olav T. Oftedal² and Charles W. Potter^3
1Hawaii Pacific University
²National Zoological Park
³National Museum of Natural History
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Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are commonly sighted in the shallow waters of Turneffe Atoll, Belize. This represents one of the few tropical marine environments where photographic identification and behavioral studies have been conducted for T. truncatus. The foraging behavior of dolphins in this area and fish species prevalence has also been previously described. Our study involved in the collection of 337 potential prey items near Turneffe Atoll for comparison in nutritional content between seasons and years. The prey obtained during 3 collection trips represented 5 orders, 19 families, 22 genera and 35 different species from Turneffe Atoll. A maximum of 6 replicates of each prey species collected during a single sampling trip to Belize (totaling 260 samples) were analyzed for proximate composition, including a determination of dry matter, crude protein, fat, and caloric, calcium and phosphorus content. Comparisons indicated significant differences between seasons for the Blue-striped Grunt, White Grunt, Lane Snapper and the Schoolmaster Snapper. In the case of the Blue-striped Grunt, ash was greater during the winter. Dry matter was significantly greater in the winter for the Schoolmaster Snapper. Both protein and ash were greater in the winter in the White Grunt. All proximate components were significantly different among seasons when considering the Lane Snapper where dry matter, protein and ash were greater in the winter while fat and caloric energy were found to be greater in the summer. In addition to determining the nutritional content of potential prey in Belize waters, biopsy darts of tissue were obtained from 15 dolphins during a field sampling trip in the summer of 2007. Dolphin biopsy samples and potential prey items will be analyzed for fatty acid composition and stable isotope signatures to provide insight into the diet composition of bottlenose dolphins in Belize.