Scientists use fake dolphin carcasses to study real dolphin strandings
Stranded dolphins can tell researchers a lot about the health of dolphin populations and potential dangers to human health. But figuring out how many wash ashore is difficult because scientists rely heavily on the public to report sightings. To better understand how and where ordinary citizens are most likely to report the beached mammals, researchers in a recent study used an unusual tactic: dolphin decoys.
To make the fake dolphins, the researchers worked with the University of South Alabama’s Department of Theater and Dance in the U.S. Each of the 12 decoys was made with environmentally friendly material filled with sand so they would stay put in the four different locations where researchers placed them: popular and unpopular beaches and marshes of Dauphin Island in Alabama. The decoys remained there for a week each during peak tourist times and in the offseason. Researchers affixed a tag to each dolphin with a phone number asking passersby to report their find and leave the decoy in place. Trained observers also looked for the decoys and used drones to search for them from above.
Not surprisingly, the public reported 2.5 times more dolphins during high tourist season as compared to the offseason. Trained observers found more decoys than the public, but the public did find two decoys that observers missed. Drones were slightly more successful than both.
