Potential Infanticide Attempt of Common Bottlenose Dolphins on a Young Calf in a Tropical Caribbean Atoll
- Behavior
Abstract
Infanticidal behavior (i.e., the intentional killing of young) is common in the animal kingdom. Common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) engage extensively in intraspecific agonistic behaviors, and infanticidal behavior has been documented in many dolphin populations. However, these behaviors remain poorly understood in dolphins as descriptions of these events remain rare. Here, we report on an event involving agonistic intraspecific behavior of multiple bottlenose dolphins directed towards of a young calf at Turneffe Atoll, Belize. Boat-based surface observations, brief surface video, and photo analysis were used to identify individual dolphins. All dolphins were confirmed as part-time and long-term residents by matching dorsal fins to the long-term photo-ID catalog of local dolphins. Multiple dolphins displayed agonistic and likely injurious behavior towards the calf, including ramming and flipping it into the air and forcefully submerging it. Vocalizations recorded in surface video (whistles and burst-pulses) coincided with calf surface times. The repetition of a downsweeping contour was possibly associated with its distress.
Ramos, E.A., Szczepaniak, I.D., Kaplan, J.D. and Reiss, D., 2022. Potential Infanticide Attempt of Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) on a Young Calf in a Tropical Caribbean Atoll. Aquatic Mammals, 48(2), pp.132-141.
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