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Abundance estimation, group dynamics, and residence patterns of Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea) in the Dayer-Nakhiloo Marine National Park, Northern Persian Gulf, Iran

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Abstract

The Persian Gulf is positioned in the heart of the Middle East as one of the most critical water bodies. Indian Ocean humpback dolphins (Sousa plumbea) are distributed in nearshore waters and are therefore highly vulnerable to a variety of anthropogenic pressures. To our knowledge, there is a little information and data available about habitat use and abundance of this endangered species in Iranian waters. In the present study, baseline data about population size and site fidelity of Indian Ocean humpback dolphins in the Dayer-Nakhiloo Marine National Park in Northern Persian Gulf, Iran, has been explored for the first time. From March 2014 to December 2018, 127 boat-based surveys and 6436 km of survey effort were conducted. Overall, 127 groups of humpback dolphins were observed on 62% of the surveys. Humpback dolphin group size ranged from 1 to 14 individuals (mean 5.8 ± SE 0.3). Abundance estimates were calculated and fitted with open population models. Thirty (95% CI 22–38) humpback dolphins were estimated to inhabit the study area. There was a lack of seasonality in the occurrence of humpback dolphins and strong site fidelity within the Dayer-Nakhiloo Marine National Park. Most of the identified individuals used the study zone regularly (79.5%), while a smaller number were present less often. The results of this study provide important baseline information about humpback dolphin ecology in an area subject to significant anthropogenic pressures which can help to take effective conservation and management measures.

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Acknowledgements

This project was made possible through Financial support by the Nouri Petrochemical Company (especially Mojtaba Taheri, Taghi Sanei, Kourosh Pakbin, and Abdol Ali Khayami) and valuable support of Bushehr Province Administration of Environment, Marine Deputy, and in particular Davood Mirshekar (Head of Marine Eco-biology and costal Section in Department of Environment) and Elizabeth Stephenson chair of Marine Conservation Action Fund, New England Aquarium, USA. We are deeply indebted to Gianna Minton for the design survey of this work, Tim Collins and Phillip Hammond for their technical support. We would like to thank Ali Asghar Motahari, Hossein Delshab, Farhad Gholinezhad, Mehran Faghih, Ehsan Mousavi, Khosro Darvish, and Najaf Jamshidi. Special thanks to Jalil Foladi from the Administration of Environment of Bushehr province. We would like to greatly thank Hadi Fahimi, Hadi Baradari, Yasaman Pourghazi, Faezeh Khavari, Azita Tanha, Hamed Mohammadi, Haleh Razaghian, Hasti Haj Abolhassani, Iman Naghedi, and other members of the Plan for the Land Society who contributed during the fieldwork, in educational workshops of this conservation project. We would like to extend our appreciation to the local community, in particular Bordekhun city and Kaloo village and fishermen of this area.

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Hamed Moshiri, Nazanin Mohsenian, Shadi Karbalaei Hasan, and Shaghayegh Afkhami collected the data during the study. Bruno Díaz López analyzed the data with input from Nazanin Mohsenian and Séverine Methion. Nazanin Mohsenian wrote the manuscript with significant input from Bruno Díaz López, Séverine Methion, and Gill T. Braulik. All authors (Hamed Moshiri, Nazanin Mohsenian, Shadi Karbalaei Hasan, Shaghayegh Afkhami, Mohammad Amin Tollab, Mahmod Sadeh, Bruno Díaz López, Séverine Methion, and Gill T. Braulik) conceived and designed the study. All authors contributed critically to the manuscript and gave final approval for publication.

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Mohsenian, N., Methion, S., Moshiri, H. et al. Abundance estimation, group dynamics, and residence patterns of Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea) in the Dayer-Nakhiloo Marine National Park, Northern Persian Gulf, Iran. Eur J Wildl Res 68, 17 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-022-01565-y

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