Key points: The first results of Marie's sociological survey were presented at the UN during the Geneva Forum's meetings on sustainable tourism.
Three newborn dolphins appeared in early December in the Tiputa area.
Behavioral analyses continue, tirelessly...
Awareness-raising continues through conferences, articles, and interviews.
First of all, we warmly thank all those who shared their underwater photos and videos with us, allowing us to continually enrich our catalogs and behavioral databases!
Our pace has changed considerably since early September 2021, when we seriously delved back into our data while continuing our monthly collection of information on the bottlenose dolphins of the Tiputa area. Little time was devoted to communication and sharing information online. Here is a brief summary of this end of 2021...
In December 2021, Rangiroa's dolphins are at the UN!
On December 13, 2021, the Dauphins de Rangiroa association participated in a presentation and a round table during the annual meetings on sustainable tourism of the Geneva Forum, at the UN, an event organized by the NGO Objectif Sciences International - OSI. The purpose of this intervention, led by Marie Cholley-Gomez, a sociologist affiliated with the University of the Antilles, and Anne Littaye, head of the marine mammals program at OSI, was to present the first results of a sociological survey conducted in 2021 on the representations and motivations of whale and dolphin watchers in metropolitan France and Polynesia.
Arnauld Avare, from the Rangiroa Diving Center, also participated in the event by speaking during the round table dedicated to strategies to promote ethical and sustainable cetacean-watching tourism. This round table gave rise to rich exchanges, testimonies, and discussions. A huge thank you to everyone for your involvement, and see you in March 2022 at the Terra Scientifica Fair!
Three newborn dolphins appear in Tiputa: On December 6, 2021, we were fortunate to cross paths with the newborns of Nikki and Zip, two resident females of the Tiputa community. Two days later, the Mokarran association informed us that a third baby dolphin had been observed in the area. We identified this little one on December 12. It is the latest-born of Riley, a very productive mother who does not reside in the Tiputa area. Several other females are currently pregnant, but they will likely not give birth to their calves before 2022. The Dauphins de Rangiroa association follows the development of these young recruits with great attention, as well as that of the recently weaned older brother and sister.
What happened at Dauphins de Rangiroa between September and December 2021?
Since September, we have continued the analysis of interactions between dolphins and divers, the demographic monitoring of the Tiputa dolphin community, as well as awareness conferences hosted at the Relais de Joséphine. An effort in communication and awareness-raising has also been possible through participation in several articles and interviews for various magazines, reports, and television documentaries. Part of our work also appears in an exhibition currently held at the Trento Science Museum, in northeastern Italy.
We take advantage of this publication to wish you happy holidays and see you in 2022!