Dolphin population re-established

Nearly five years after Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast, dolphins have re-established their homes, based on the research of a University of Southern Mississippi professor and his students. The findings of Dr. Stan Kuczaj, professor of psychology and director of the Southern Miss Marine Mammal Behavior and Cognition Laboratory, were featured in an article published in Marine Mammal Science. A dramatic increase in the number of dolphin calves in the Mississippi Sound were documented by Kuczaj’s team two years following the Aug. 29, 2005 storm. Kuczaj’s team believes the decrease in commercial and recreational fishing following Katrina may have resulted in increased fish populations for the dolphins to prey upon, which in turn could have resulted in more successful births. The researchers also found that dolphin foraging is sometimes interrupted by boats, and so the reduction of boat traffic following Katrina may have allowed the dolphins to be more efficient hunters. (Source: University of Southern Mississippi, 04/23/10)