Featured Image Credit: Laika ac via Wikimedia Commons
By Sarah Sharkey
Have you ever wondered what a dolphin’s life looks like? Well, you are not the only one. Researchers from both the University of Sydney and the University of Alaska Southeast have teamed up to outfit wild dusky dolphins with underwater cameras. Now we can all see exactly what dolphins are up to under the water.
The cameras are custom made and noninvasive waterproof cameras that are attached to the dusky dolphins via a long pole, Velcro and suction cups that stuck with the dolphins for the camera’s battery life. The dolphins did not seem to mind the cameras, but the hard part was actually getting the camera on the dolphins.
This new technology could be a game changer when it comes to researching these amazing creatures. According to the lead author, Heidi Pearson, “From the surface, researchers can only see about 10 percent of what is going on in an animal’s life. With these video cameras, we can ‘see’ from the animals’ perspective and begin to understand the challenges they face as they move throughout their habitat.”
The researchers have been able to record a number of life events from the dolphin’s perspective. The interactions between the dolphins themselves and the surrounding environment have been the most enlightening so far.
So far, the researchers have captured over 500 minutes of footage. And they plan on capturing much more in the future. They also plan to use this new technology on other cetacean species and sharks soon.