Bottlenose dolphin--Habitat--Bahamas--Little Bahama Bank.

Two sympatric species of dolphins (Atlantic spotted dolphins, Stenella frontalis
and Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus) have been long-term residents to
Little Bahama Bank. This study assessed whether there was a change in residence
patterns or diurnal foraging depths of bottlenose dolphins following a large emigration
event in the resident spotted dolphin community on this sandbank. Photo-identification
was used to identify individual bottlenose dolphins and compare pooled years before
(2010-2012) and after (2013-2015) the spotted dolphin emigration. The identified
community size and overall residency of the bottlenose dolphins remained similar,
although two bottlenose dolphins emigrated over deep water to the site spotted dolphins
emigrated. Bottlenose dolphins diurnally fed in shallower water but remained in the same
geographic foraging locations. Reasons remain unknown for this depth change, but
potential changes in the productivity of primary bottlenose dolphin foraging habitats or
reduction of spotted dolphins from shallower depths remain possibilities.