Identify and describe a question or problem in an area of biology relevant to a visit made or

issue researched.

Dolphins are at the top of the food chain and have an important role in
the overall balance of the marine environment. They can tell us a lot
about the health of the ocean, such as the presence of pollution or the
decline in fish. They are also very popular with tourists.
Dolphins are also threatened by some of the human activity like:

Fishing: The main threat to dolphins at sea is unsustainable

fishing practices. Dolphins can get accidentally caught or
entangled in fishing gear and drown this is known as bycatch.
This causes the deaths of over 300,000 dolphins every year.
Overfishing of our seas is reducing dolphin prey, so theyre left
with less to eat. Ships and other vessels also sometimes hit
dolphins, inflicting serious and even fatal injuries.

Noise Disturbance: In the ocean, noise travels further and louder

under the water than it does in the air. Noise from ship engines
and seismic surveys can stress and physically damage
dolphins, and disrupt their natural behaviour and navigation. This
sometimes leads to their becoming stranded onshore and dying.

Pollution: Our seas are being used more and more for industrial
activity and shipping is also increasing. This makes the habitat
more vulnerable to pollution and human disturbance. Such
pollutants make dolphins sick, reducing their ability to fight

infections and diseases.

Dams cut off groups of dolphins: Dams also fragment rivers and
cut off groups of dolphins from each other, so theyre left in
small, isolated populations. As well as affecting their breeding,
this fragmentation also makes it hard for the dolphins to move
between habitats to escape disturbances and find food. Dams
also change the natural flow and volumes of rivers which can
change the natural lifecycle of all river life. This in turn affects
the habitat of the river and the food available for dolphins.

Describe the biological methods and processes involved in

producing data or solutions to problems or questions relevant
to a visit made or issue researched
Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (amendments of 1994) (MMPA)
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA)
http://www.dolphin-institute.org/resource_guide/conservation.htm
http://icesjms.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2014/07/02/icesjms.fsu110.full.pdf?
keytype=ref&ijkey=vzduziXFptbo3VO