Naturally Kiawah Magazine Volume 41 | Page 42

Dolphins on Display Story and photographs by Lauren Rust, Executive Director, Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network I  f you’ve been lucky enough to make it to Captain Sams inlet, you have probably seen bottlenose dolphins in the Kiawah River. In fact, you have likely spotted one of the inlet visitors that feeds there regularly. These dolphins are part of the Charleston Estuarine population, approximately 350 animals. They live in the brackish rivers year-round and typically spend a majority of their time in a small area (their home range). Around Kiawah, this includes the Kiawah and Stono Rivers. Researchers in the dolphin education program run by the Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network (LMMN) are identifying individual animals and keeping track of their sightings. Since 1994 tagging and genetic studies have yielded a great deal of information about the sex, age, diet, and general health of these dolphins. Researchers use photographs of their dorsal fins, comparing each fin to a long-standing database. Identifying individuals allows tracking them over time to identify home ranges, family units, new calves, and associations between individuals. This information is critical for understanding the health of the population and their habitat. 40