Dolphin Census : Hundreds of Southland Spotters to Assist

In what organizers are calling the largest mass effort to sight bottlenose dolphins ever attempted in the United States, several hundred volunteers are expected to be stationed simultaneously along the Southern California coast to monitor the species July 23.

It is the third--and most ambitious--bid by Orange Coast College marine biologist Dennis Kelly to identify the number of dolphins in local waters on a single day.

Kelly said the observations will be catalogued and used to monitor fluctuations in the mammals’ population.

The findings will be used to test the theory that there is a large, permanent population of dolphins living along the Southern California coast, particularly in waters off Orange County.

Identifying the dolphins, Kelly said, is a key to understanding and protecting their fragile habitat, which is under increasing threats from pollution and heavy commercial boat traffic.

Without knowing the dolphins’ population, he said, it will be hard to tell whether the species is thriving or dying.

“A mass sighting is like having one continuous eye out in the ocean,” said Kelly, who has studied dolphins for nearly a decade.

In November, Kelly coordinated a mass sighting of dolphins along the county coast. In March, he expanded the effort to include portions of shorelines in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Stationing volunteers about a mile apart on piers, bluff tops and jetties to count and chart the mammals’ movements proved so successful that Kelly will broaden the effort this time to include the San Diego coast.

His ultimate goal: A mass sighting from the Mexican border to Point Conception, a 232-mile stretch of coast that is home to a dolphin population he estimated at 600 to 800 mammals.

For the July 23 sighting, Kelly said enough volunteers have been enlisted to cover about 120 miles of coast, including most of San Diego and Orange counties. Two research boats and a single-engine plane will also be used to watch for the pods.

Based on the number of participants and the coastline covered, Kelly said it will be the largest such effort ever of its kind.

Kelly and several San Diego biologists have compiled a “mug book” of 350 individual animals, identified by nicks on dorsal fins.

The migration of dolphins makes it difficult to get an accurate fix on their overall population, Kelly said. The mass sightings will allow researchers to track dolphin movements among groups and the distance covered.

“We are increasingly certain that pods of dolphins remain in the same waters but that individual dolphins often move between pods,” Kelly said. “We now know that some dolphins may travel several hundred miles.”

During the two-hour watch, volunteers will keep detailed accounts of the dolphins they spot, the research boats and plane will track the identified pods, then Kelly will collect the information for future research.

Among those participating will be members of the American Cetacean Society and students at Orange Coast College. Anyone interested in volunteering can call (714) 432-5546.