was evident for the number of male affiliates. For males, number of notches 

 was not linearly dependent on number of affiliates. 



DISCUSSION 



Radio transmitter life spans of 13-61 days made possible a detailed 

 analysis of ranges, individual interactions, diurnal behavior, eind habitat 

 preferences of 10 bottlenose dolphins in a warm temp>erate inshore ecosystem. 

 Tracking 10 or nearly 10 dolphins simultaneously resulted in a better overall 

 capability for analysis of affiliations and overlapping ranges than has been 

 accomplished for dolphins in the past via radio-tracking. We attribute the 

 success of the tagging /tracking work to a combination of package design and 

 to an exf)erienced, dedicated research team in the field. Often in past studies, 

 tag design, especially of the eintenna attachment; package attachment; or 

 follow-up tracking were faulty. These problems were minimized for this 

 work. We recommend that even very small transmitter systems be attached 

 for not more than 2-3 months, to avoid adverse reaction of the dolphins to 

 the package, by chafing or otherwise hindering the animals. Antennas and 

 packages will always be subject to tremendous stresses when dolphii\s leap, 

 rub along the bottom, or engage in boisterous social-sexual play. 



Some radio-tagged dolphins were wary of the research vessels, including 

 boats which were not present or which had the engines off during capture 

 and processing. The avoidance was variable; it did not appear dependent on 

 age, sex, or reproductive status. Evasiveness has been noticed before, reported 

 as strong in animals with large radio packages (Wiirsig 1982), intermediate 

 with intermediate "cigarette box" size packages (Norris et al. 1985, 1994), and 

 variably weak in the present situation. We have no explanation as to why 

 some dolphins appear to have no adverse behavioral response to tagging 

 while others seem quite disturbed by it. We also do not know how the tag 

 may affect normal movement and behavior patterns. However, we observed 

 all behavioral states, including socializing and bowriding, in radio-carrying 

 dolphins. 



MOVEMENT PATTERNS 



The ranges of most dolphins were about 20 km in diameter for seven 

 animals, and 50 km in diameter for three animals. Ranges overlapped 

 strongly for all 10 of the radio-tagged dolphins and most of the other freeze- 

 branded dolphins; except for the 10 individuals caught in the extreme 

 northeast of the study area, which apparently did not frequent the Port 

 O'Connor area or eastern Espiritu Santo Bay. 



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