18 



(Figures 10 m,n) and "BSLC" (Figures 10 o,p), emphasize one region, Sarasota or 

 Charlotte Harbor, over the other, but on occasion move between regions. The most 

 extreme movements were made by "SLIT" (Figures 10 q,r). This dolphin was 

 observed in eastern Charlotte Harbor in August 1990, and in southern Tampa Bay in 

 July 1991, a minimum swimming distance of about 125 km. It was not possible to 

 describe a pattern for this animal based on only two sightings. 



The longer-distance movements were similar to those demonstrated by 

 Sarasota males making occasional excursions into Tampa Bay (Wells 1993; Wells et 

 al. 1995). The gender is known for only three of the ten dolphins moving between 

 regions. Two of the dolphins traveling the longest distance between regions are 

 known males ("BSLC" and "RY34"), whereas one of the dolphins for which 

 sightings are more evenly spread across a more limited extent of border waters is a 

 female ("BRDO"). None of the other seven dolphins have been seen with a calf of 

 their own, suggesting, but not conclusively demonstrating, that they may be males. 



Limited movements between our Charlotte Harbor study area and waters to 

 the south were indicated by matches with 12 of 272 photographs provided by Shane 

 from her study area including southern Pine Island Sound and associated waters. 

 These findings also supported the concept of local residency for dolphins in this 

 region, since none of the dolphins matched between our Charlotte Harbor catalog 

 and Shane's photographs were seen north of regions three and four of our study 

 area. In addition, while another 12 Shane dolphins were identified in our records 

 from nearby waters outside of our Charlotte Harbor study area, none of Shane s 272 

 dolphins were known from our Sarasota or Tampa Bay identification catalogs. 

 Shane (1987) reported that several of her dolphins apparently inhabited home 

 ranges in Pine Island Sound. Thus, at least some of the Charlotte Harbor and Pine 

 Island Sound dolphins appear to follow the home range mosaic pattern seen 

 elsewhere along the central west coast of Florida, in Sarasota and Tampa Bay (Wells 

 1986; Wells et al. 1995.). 



Dolphins identified during only one year of the surveys were defined as 

 transients. There were a minimum of six and a maximum of 34 dolphins per year 

 that met our criteria for transience (Table 4) representing 4% to 14% of the annual 

 catalog size. This should be considered a maximum estimate, since it may also 

 include animals present during multiple years but not identified because of 

 undetected changes to the dorsal fin, or because they were not photographed. None 

 of the "transient" animals was seen in the Charlotte Harbor study area outside of the 

 survey season, nor were they seen in adjacent study areas, so their origins and 

 destinations remain undetermined. 



