Bottlenose dolphins keep ocean life in check and can inform researchers on the health of a marine ecosystem.
While many find joy in seeing bottlenose dolphins jump and swim in pods of hundreds in coastal environments, researchers turn to them for insight into the health of the ocean., researchers used blood tests to identify alterations in gene expression for bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico from 2013 to 2018. These findings reflect the impact of thedisaster and report the health impacts of bottlenose dolphins in Barataria Bay, LA.
to human disturbances, such as feeding, or underwater noise, and larger threats, like recreational or commercial fishing and oil spills. The goal of this new study was to identify molecular markers to further investigate and help researchers and wildlife veterinarians assess the dolphins’ health, according to the study.