Barbados may host resident bottlenose dolphins

Preliminary analyses indicate that Barbados may be home to a population of bottlenose dolphins, a finding that could reshape the island’s marine conservation and eco-tourism strategy, a government marine biologist said Wednesday.

If confirmed, these dolphins could become “true local ambassadors for the island’s marine biodiversity”, Deputy Project Manager of the Barbados Marine Spatial Plan, Richard Suckoo, told Barbados TODAY. “This is a critical discovery,” he said, emphasising the importance of protecting these potential residents.

Bottlenose dolphins are globally revered for their intelligence, playful behaviour, and complex social structures. Their presence in territorial waters could provide Barbados with an iconic species for marine conservation and eco-tourism, Suckoo said, elevating the island’s reputation as a biodiversity hotspot.

Unlike the popular fish that Bajans commonly called ‘dolphin’ or mahi-mahi, the bottlenose dolphins under study are mammals.

The marine biologist noted that while anecdotal reports of dolphins and whales have long circulated among seagoers and fishermen, systematic surveys of these species in Barbadian waters had never been conducted until now.

The surveys were conducted in February and March and again earlier this month as part of the Barbados Marine Spatial Plan, contributing to Caribbean Cetacean Society’s regional Ti Whale An Nou (‘Our Own Little Whales’) Programme. This UNESCO Ocean Decade-endorsed initiative covers more than 20 Caribbean islands and aims to study and protect the region’s whale and dolphin populations.

The missions combined visual observations with underwater acoustic monitoring to document whale and dolphin diversity, abundance, and distribution, while also building local research capacity for long-term conservation.

“Early analysis suggests that a resident population of Barbadian bottlenose dolphins could live around the island, including juveniles,” Suckoo said. “That is as much as we can say for right now…. We have to do some analysis to see if that suggestion is borne out by this early stage.”

The dolphins were predominantly observed along the west coast of the island, while other species, including sperm whales, were far less frequently seen.

“Given that we only saw two sperm whales, it’s way too early to say anything about what their behaviour is with regards to our waters,” he added.

The surveys also documented new individual sperm whales, melon-headed whales, and even the elusive Kogia species, while acoustic recordings confirmed short-finned pilot whales and humpback whales up to 50 nautical miles offshore. However, the research also highlighted the visible impact of human activity on marine life, with at least 11 per cent of dolphins showing injuries likely caused by boats, fishing gear, or other human sources.

On this, Suckoo said: “It’s often maybe discarded fishing gear or the fishermen are targeting something else and maybe one of these dolphins got wrapped up in it… I don’t believe that people are targeting dolphins to catch and eat.”

The project team intends to continue surveys to gather more detailed information about the dolphins’ numbers, distribution, and behaviour.

The goal is to develop effective management zones and guidelines for human interactions, ensuring these potentially resident dolphins can thrive in Barbadian waters.

“The first thing is to look at the data and make sure we really understand the population and what their needs are,” Suckoo added.

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb