First report on unusual "nursery" birthing behavior by coastal bottlenose dolphin in Orange County, Southern California.
Dennis L. Kelly, Professor
Marine Science Department
Director: Coastal Dolphin Survey Project
Orange Coast College, 2701 Fairview Rd. Costa Mesa, CA. 92628
Beginning in December of 1982 an unusual behavior, never before reported in the literature, was observed exhibited by coastal bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) during a survey in Orange County in southern California by the Coastal Dolphin Survey Project (CDSP). The behavior has since been designated by the author as "nursery" behavior and the actual configuration of the dolphin group performing the behavior been named a "birthing circle". The author theorizes that this behavior and configuration was assistance by other dolphins to a pregnant female involved in the process of birthing of a calf. This behavior has been observed and recorded an additional ten times at one specific location within the CDSP survey area (Crystal Cove State Park) and one time each at three additional locations in southern California. Finally, images of the behavior were captured on video tape and shared with other coastal dolphin researchers in southern California.
|
