KoKo and Kai. Step.
Volunteers for LMMN have identified six strand feeders
that rely on the inlet for daily feedings. Strand feeding is a
learned behavior passed from mother to calf. There is some
thinking that mothers return to the area where they learned
to teach their young this unusual feeding method. Over the
past year, there has been a mother, KoKo, teaching her young
calf, Kai, to feed in this area. On some days this pair spends at
least twenty percent of their day at the inlet playing, feeding,
and likely nursing. KoKo may be one of the few breeding
females that use the spit to strand feed. We have seen at least
three mother/calf pairs frequent the inlet, indicating that this
is currently a safe space to bring their young.
A dolphin named Step is one of the longest-studied dolphins
in Charleston, having first been noted in 1995. Since then, she
has been spotted over 70 times in the Stono River, indicating
she is a Stono River resident. LMMN volunteers have recorded
her presence in the Kiawah River and have confirmed her
as a strand feeder. She is not a regular feeder, but she does
play a matriarchal role. Local researchers have seen her with
at least five calves. Two of these, High Scoops and Rosie, are
inlet strand feeders. Although these calves are older, 16 years
and 11 years, respectively, and independent from her, we have
seen them socializing with each other and even strand feeding
together in a place they likely learned to feed as young calves.
Step has not been seen with a new calf in several years, and due
to her age, her reproductive years may be over. Males will pair up in mid-life and stick together until one
dies. Small Nick and Times are believed to be a male-bonded
pair. This gives them advantages in feeding and mating. Times
3 has been confirmed as a male through genetic testing, and
Small Nick is a probable male by association. They can often
be seen cruising the spit and strand feeding together.
Watching these animals feed at the inlet can be exhilarating,
but we all must proceed with care. Research shows that
dolphins will change their behavior due to human interference
which would be a massive loss to both the dolphin and us.
On a summer day, the presence of hundreds of onlookers
can increase stress on the dolphins and lead to a change of
behavior, illness, and reproductive failure. Without your help,
we are at risk of losing this unique feeding behavior.
Know before you go—under the Marine Mammal
Protection Act it is illegal to touch, feed, swim with, or harass
dolphins with associated fines up to $100,000. Harassment
is defined as any human disturbance that alters the dolphin’s
behavior (such as that which makes the dolphins stop feeding,
chuff, slap tails, or leave the area). NOAA recommends not
approaching dolphins within 50 yards from any vessel. From
land, avoid approaching feeding dolphins, and we recommend
keeping a distance of 45 feet when the dolphins are feeding.
Use binoculars and a long lens, sit down, and keep noise to a
minimum. Thank you for helping us to protect our resident
dolphins and preserve this unique strand feeding behavior. NK
Small Nick and Times. Strand feeding dolphins.
WINTER/SPRING 2019 • VOLUME 41
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