Suspected broadhead arrow injuries in two common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) along the Alabama Coast

Human influence on bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) strandings in the northern Gulf of Mexico

“…Had we not normalized data by area of shoreline for each state or considered the effects of effort through time, it is likely the substantial increase in HI-related strandings in an area of relatively small shoreline like Alabama or the Florida panhandle (compared to all of Florida) would be overlooked. Of note, the types of HI-positive Frontiers in Environmental Science frontiersin.org strandings in Alabama represent the wide range of HI types, which are often described but rarely quantified in publications, for bottlenose dolphin strandings in U.S. waters (Samuels and Bejder, 2004;Byrd et al, 2014;Vail, 2016;Powell et al, 2018;Maze-Foley et al, 2019;Collins et al, 2020), further emphasizing the broad nature of HI in this local area. Our analytical approach provides a method for other researchers to similarly evaluate anthropogenic impacts, including historical assessment of response effort, on marine mammal strandings and identify areas of high occurrence for other species and geographical locations.…”

“…The most commonly reported anthropogenic drivers of marine mammal strandings (animals alive and in distress or dead washed ashore or floating) include various types of pollution, fisheries interactions, and boat strikes, which can have a range of effects that tend to be poorly defined even when animals are recovered dead (e.g., Desforges et al, 2018;Harvell et al, 1999;Laist et al, 2001;Nowacek et al, 2007;Read et al, 2006). Marine mammals may also depredate commercial and recreational fisheries species and become entangled in fishing line or caught incidentally in nets and drown (Zollett and Read, 2006;Read, 2008;Deming et al, 2020). In some locations, these human interactions include intentional or unintentional harassment and associated changes in natural behavior and feeding or cause purposeful injury to marine mammals (Spradlin et al, 2001;Samuels and Bejder, 2004;Vail, 2016;Collins et al, 2020).…”

“…Marine mammals may also depredate commercial and recreational fisheries species and become entangled in fishing line or caught incidentally in nets and drown (Zollett and Read, 2006;Read, 2008;Deming et al, 2020). In some locations, these human interactions include intentional or unintentional harassment and associated changes in natural behavior and feeding or cause purposeful injury to marine mammals (Spradlin et al, 2001;Samuels and Bejder, 2004;Vail, 2016;Collins et al, 2020). As a result, increased interaction with humans can increase the rate of marine mammal strandings, especially among coastal and estuarine species that are in close proximity to human activities such as fishing and tourism (Cunningham-Smith et al, 2006;Powell et al, 2018;Collins et al, 2020).…”