The goals of this project are to investigate multiple questions of bottlenose dolphin behavior accomplished through long-term behavioral monitoring and use of Applied Behavior Analysis methodologies for charting changes in behavior and environment for their impact to individual dolphins. This developing dataset can also lead to multiple projects that can be analyzed to address related research questions. 

Collaborators: Clearwater Marine Aquarium 

The goals of this project are to establish behavioral profiles for resident rough-toothed dolphins, which can be used to address multiple questions of communication, behavior use and function, and acoustic behavior in this species. This developing dataset can also lead to multiple projects that can be analyzed to address related research questions. 

Collaborators: Clearwater Marine Aquarium 

The goal of this project is to encourage diverse use of Environmental Enrichment Devices (EEDs) with the Clearwater Marine Aquarium's resident bottlenose and rough-toothed dolphins. EEDs designed and implemented by FAB Lab researchers will promote cooperation and the use of problem-solving capabilities amongst focal animals.

Collaborators: Clearwater Marine Aquarium 

The goal of this project is to investigate the role of Citizen Science in data collection related to the monitoring of behavior and welfare of aquarium housed species. This survey based project relies on voluntary participation of the general public in observing animals and responding to a series of questions related to their well-being.

Collaborators: Clearwater Marine Aquarium 

The goal is to investigate questions of problem solving and symbol discrimination in tigers. This type of project could then be both beneficial to the tigers as a form of enrichment and also contribute to research on feline carnivore problem-solving abilities, an area that is understudied. We additionally hope to expand this work to other carnivore species. 

Collaborators: Elmira’s Wildlife Sanctuary 

The Amazon River Dolphin project is in collaboration with the Amazon River Dolphin Conservation Foundation (ARDCF) to analyze, interpret, and code audio recordings of Amazon River Dolphins collected by the ARDCF in the Rio Negro part of the Amazon River. The goal of this is to expand what we know about current populations and their acoustic behavior. 

Collaborators: Amazon River Dolphin Conservation Foundation (ARDCF)

In literature, it is commonly reported that mouthing behaviors in dolphins serve as aggressive signals, but recent evidence suggests that this may not always be the case. The aim of the present study seeks to determine the function of mouthing behaviors in a group of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and Atlantic spotted dolphins. FAB Lab researchers are working with the Roatan Institute of Marine Science (RIMS) and the Bimini field sites collected by the Dolphin Communication Project (DCP) to code the significance of this behavior and related acoustic signaling. 

Collaborators: Roatan Institute of Marine Science (RIMS), Dolphin Communication Project (DCP)