Dolphin Communication Project

Casa
Honduras
Sandy Bay
Dolphin Communication Project

DCP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to both dolphin research and education. Learn more at www.dolphincommunicationproject.org!

17/06/2026

Last month, thanks to a sponsored program through DCP, CMOL/DCP's master's student Abby joined DCP's RIMS field course with St. Mary University. Abby says, "It was a week well spent in Roatan, Honduras, collecting data, learning from my mentors and colleagues, and making new friends. It was an honor to finally meet the dolphins I've spent the last few years watching on a computer screen - and research days are even better when dolphins stop by to say hello! Plus, there was time in between data collection and classroom sessions to explore the reefs and waters around Roatan. Thank you for making this program possible for me!"

14/06/2026

Our PhD student, Hayley, is examining the Burst-Pulse vocalizations in bottlenose dolphins. To do that, she will use specific acoustic measurements, so let’s dive into some of those! Amplitude is the loudness of a sound (measured in decibels or dB). The greater the amplitude, the louder the sound, and the smaller the amplitude, the quieter the sound. Frequency is the pitch of a sound (measured in kilohertz or kHz). The greater the frequency, the higher the pitch (think Snow White), while the smaller the frequency, the lower the pitch (think Darth Vader).

09/06/2026

Though DCP did not present research at this spring's EAAM symposium, Kathleen & Manon did represent DCP! This spring has been so busy, we didn't get a chance to post. But over the next few days, check out our stories for some looks at the gathering.

07/06/2026

Burst-Pulses Part 2:
Why are burst-pulse acoustics understudied and not as well understood in the scientific community? One reason is because they are labeled onomatopoeically. Onomato-ally-what? Burst-pulse calls have been labeled based on how they sound to each researcher leading to confusion, overlapping definitions, and ambiguity. Some of these call labels include squawk, screech, moan, bray, and bark. Not sounds you would imagine a dolphin capable of creating! A DCP graduate student is aiming to use quantitative acoustic parameters like frequency, duration, amplitude, and repetition rates to help clarify burst-pulse call definitions. By combining quantitative parameters with the current naming system, she hopes to reduce confusion surrounding burst-pulses!

04/06/2026

Our PhD student, Hayley, presented a poster at the Florida Marine Science Educator’s Association (FMSEA ) annual conference on April 24th. This was FMSEA’s first year having poster presentations, and she was 1 of 26 students presenting on their research. Her poster, “Characterizing burst-pulse vocalizations in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)” helped her meet other marine scientists from Florida, including some from the Panhandle area! Hayley enjoyed her experience presenting her first poster, attending her first conference, and making connections with scientists across Florida. The theme of this year’s FMSEA conference was “connecting the dots” and she heard from speakers who discussed using art murals, to encourage students to be environmental stewards, and producing films to showcase the beauty of our oceans for students around the world. How is Hayley connecting the dots with her own research? She aims to improve the current characterization of burst-pulse vocalizations in bottlenose dolphins so that we can better understand when these sounds are used behaviorally and socially. By connecting the first iteration of a burst-pulse from a tiny calf to a mature sound produced by an adult, Hayley also strives to help marine bioacousticians map the development of these vocalizations of bottlenose dolphins. A PDF of her poster is available on the DCP website:
https://www.dolphincommunicationproject.org/scientific-publications/

01/06/2026

Update: Recording is posted! See links in the comments.

Live (free!) webinar THIS Wednesday 3 June @ 11:30 AM EDT
Kathleen will discuss her recent publication, "The Influence of Dolphin Offspring to a Social Group."
Zoom Mtg 843 6786 8000
Password is required, so don't forget to message us!

Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences
Loro Parque
Women in Ocean Science
Cetal Fauna

31/05/2026

Burst-Pulses Part 1:
In addition to whistles and echolocation clicks, dolphins produce a third vocalization type: burst-pulses! Burst-pulses are currently considered social sounds, but they are widely understudied compared to whistles and echolocation. These vocalizations are considered energetic, emotional, high arousal sounds. All dolphins produce burst-pulse sounds; you can see these young males engaged in social play which often includes these vocals. While scientists have figured out the developmental period for whistles and echolocation clicks, they have yet to discover how, when, and what influences the development of burst-pulse vocalizations. One of our graduate students is hoping to investigate this with her dissertation work!

30/05/2026

What a great final day for the CSU group! Very active dolphins during AM data collection, a great snorkel (eagle ray!!), final project meetings, and some final time to enjoy Anthony's Key Resort. Another successful DCP field course is a wrap - check out the students' final thoughts in the DCP blog:
https://www.dolphincommunicationproject.org/last-day-for-everyone/

Department of Biology at Colorado State University
Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences

29/05/2026

The CSU students began and ended the day with water! For DCP data collection, Tank was in selfie mode, and little Lightning stole the show. The students spent time with Gizmo during their encounter and had bucket-list-worthy experiences during their swim. There was classroom time and then a fantastic night snorkel. What a day!
Full blog: https://www.dolphincommunicationproject.org/a-day-book-ended-under-water/

Department of Biology at Colorado State University
Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences

28/05/2026

During AM data collection, underwater visibility wasn't great, but Kathleen still recorded dolphin behavior, including Georgie and Lenca swimming together and away. Tank seemed to want a turn operating the MVA, but Kathleen declined. And with dolphins on the brain, we're seeing them everywhere, including breakfast fruit!
Read more about the classroom topics in the blog:
https://www.dolphincommunicationproject.org/classroom-time/

Department of Biology at Colorado State University
Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences

Dirección

Anthony's Key Resort
Sandy Bay
IB3100

Página web

http://www.dolphincommunicationproject.org/

Notificaciones

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