Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) increase whistling in the presence of 'swim-with dolphin' tour operators

Abstract

The impact of cetacean eco-tourism on subject animals is not clearly understood. Studies that monitor this impact have traditionally concentrated on observable surface behaviour despite the fact that sound is the primary communication channel for cetaceans. This study monitored whistle production in free ranging bottle dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) to evaluate if dolphins vocalise at different rates in response to commercial dolphin-swim boats.