| Collaborator | Title | Collaborating Institution | Project Status | Project Significance |
| Dr. Stan Kuczaj | The effects of human activity on the behavior of free-ranging dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Mississippi Sound | University Of Southern Mississippi | Ongoing | Provide information about the extent to which dolphins engage in interactions with humans and/or are affected by human activity in the wild. Includes photo ID study. |
| Dr. Donald Baltz | Habitat use and population structure patterns of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Mississippi Sound and adjacent waters. | Louisiana State University | Ongoing | Gain knowledge of abundance and habitat use of bottlenose dolphins and to provide information to federal agencies to better manage the species in this sub-region. Includes photo ID study. |
| Dr. Stan Kuczaj | Mother-calf interactions among captive dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) during the first year of life: A developmental perspective. | University Of Southern Mississippi | Completed | Acquire knowledge of calf behavior and development and influences of the mother’s role on such development. |
| Dr. Steve Stanic | Ambient noise measurements in and around the Gulfport, MS harbor and its potential influence on marine mammals | Naval Research Laboratory | Completed | Pilot study to determine the feasibility of monitoring bottlenose dolphin 24/7 by their sound production while also measuring noise levels in their environ-ment around Gulfport harbor. |
| Dr. Stan Kuczaj | Does participation in dolphin-interaction programs affect the behavior of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)? | University Of Southern Mississippi | Completed | Study how dolphins’ behavior may or may not be affected by participation in human interaction programs. |
| Dr. Robin Overstreet | Parasites as indicators of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) health and biology | University Of Southern Mississippi | Completed | To identify symbionts that are either present or absent from the individual dolphins that can serve as an indicator of the hosts’ health. |
| Dr. Patty Rosel | Genetic diversity of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Mississippi Sound and adjacent waters |
NOAA Fisheries | Ongoing | Provide information on the genetic stock structure of bottlenose dolphins in this understudied region. Results of this study will help federal agencies better manage and protect bottlenose dolphins in this sub-region |
| Dr. Mark Mitchell | Epidemiological study of hemosiderosis (iron storage disease) in a captive population of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins | Louisiana State University | Completed | Study to determine etiology and prevalence of hemosiderosis in a captive population of bottlenose dolphins. |
| Dr. Kenneth Goldman | Age and growth of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Mississippi Sound and adjacent Gulf of Mexico waters |
Jackson State University | Ongoing | Will yield much needed information on life history and growth rates of bottlenose dolphin in the northern central Gulf of Mexico that will enable the creation of accurate demographic models and the better understanding of its ecology and population status. |
| Dr. Joal Newcomb | Anthropogenic noise in the Mississippi Sound; sources, monitoring and the potential impact on resident bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) | Naval Research Laboratory | Ongoing | Study to identify and determine sources of noise in the coastal north-central Gulf of Mexico and their potential impacts on habitat use and behavior of resident bottlenose dolphins. |
| Dr. Randal Buddington | The impact of long-term storage of the fish fed to dolphins - changes in food composition, blood chemistry, and systemic immune fxn | Mississippi State University | Completed | Track the nutritional changes in frozen fish over a period of time and evaluate their potential correlation with health of captive dolphins. |
| Dr. Karyl Buddington | Development of a non-invasive approach to detect gastric ulcers in dolphins | Mississippi State University | Completed | Develop a diagnostic procedure to detect gastro-intestinal changes by less invasive methods that will allow veterinarians to better monitor dolphins’ health and evaluate efficacy of treatment. |
| Dr. Donald Baltz | Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) food habits in the Northern Gulf of Mexico |
Louisiana State University | Ongoing | Results of this study will shed light on predator-prey interactions of bottlenose dolphins in this area and will help state and federal agencies manage and protect their resources. |
| Dr. Mark Mitchell | Evaluating the role of dietary supplementation on iron absorption in the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) | Louisiana State University | Completed | Evaluating the role of ascorbate and gastric pH on the absorption of dietary iron in a captive dolphin population, thereby enabling cetacean nutritionists to develop appropriate dietary recommendations to protect the long-term management of these animals in captivity. |
| Dr. Stan Kuczaj | Recognition of gestural cues across the senses of echolocation and vision in the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) |
Marine Mammal Behavior and Cognition | Completed | Demonstrate that dolphins can respond to underwater gestures through echolocation without visual cues. This would have significant implications for our understanding of how information from echolocation is represented and used. |
| Dr. Moby Solangi | Evaluating trends and causes of mortality for stranded Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Mississippi Sound |
Institute for Marine Mammal Studies | Ongoing | This research will yield valuable data on stranding trends, toxicology, pathology and infectious diseases associated with bottlenose dolphin mortality and strandings. It will provide much needed information on the biology and natural history of dolphins in the sub-region. |
| Dr. Stan Kuczaj | Long-term monitoring of Atlantic bottlenose dolphin population abundance in the Mississippi Sound |
Marine Mammal Behavior and Cognition | Ongoing | Provide data on the bottlenose dolphin abundance and density within the Mississippi Sound. It will increase our understanding of the dynamics that influence their use of the waters of the nGOM. |
| Dr. Bobby Middlebrooks | Study to measure baseline levels of immunoglobulin classes in captive dolphins | University Of Southern Mississippi | Completed | Establish baseline levels of immunoglobulins in captive dolphins to be used as a parameter to evaluate health status. |
| Dr. Steve Stanic | The correlation of Atlantic bottlenose dolphin acoustic signatures with their observed behavior and ambient noise conditions | Naval Research Laboratory | Ongoing | An attempt to correlate bottlenose dolphin sound production with their simultaneously observed behavior. |