"Tiger Stripe" Phenomena in Indian River Lagoon Dolphins

A previously undescribed skin abnormality, which we refer to as “tiger stripes,” has been identified in Indian River Lagoon bottlenose dolphins through photo-identification surveys. The condition presents as parallel stripes on the ventral and lateral aspects on the torso of the dolphin with varying length and depth. The condition may be indicative of rapid weight loss, similar to human "stretch marks”, debilitating illnesses resulting in emaciation or a result of starvation due to lack of prey. Goals of this study were to determine if tiger stripes are: (1) a marker of rapid weight loss, (2) more prevalent in post-partum females, and to (3) examine the spatial and temporal distribution in the IRL.
Preliminary findings indicate that tiger striping is a useful marker suggestive of rapid weight loss. The next phase of research is to determine if the condition can be utilized as a pre-mortem marker of emaciation in IRL dolphins.