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Congratulations Giv! Thesis submission on dolphin foraging in Aberdeen Harbour

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Congratulations to Giverny Fitzgerald, who submitted her SRUC Honours thesis last week! Giv's thesis explored dolphin foraging activity in Aberdeen Harbour, giving us crucial insights into how animals are using this area. 

Giv has been a driving member of AMMP since our first field season in the summer of 2022, rising up the ranks from volunteering on the hilltop to running monitoring shifts for her own project. It is brilliant to see her using the dolphin data now as part of her BSc (Hons) Wildlife & Conservation Management degree - and we have no doubt the final grades will reflect the excellent work she has poured into this project!


Read more below in the full abstract:

Environmental drivers behind bottlenose dolphin foraging activity in Aberdeen Harbour

Giverny Fitzgerald

The east coast of Scotland bottlenose dolphin population is recognised as being vulnerable due to its limited size and isolation. Whilst afforded protection within the boundaries of the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation (SAC), the population regularly makes use of other areas along the east coast ranging from Helmsdale to the Hummer Estuary in England. Identifying and monitoring sites of biological importance is essential for the long-term conservation of this population. 

This study investigates the environmental drivers influencing bottlenose dolphin foraging behaviour in Aberdeen Harbour, Scotland, a recognised key foraging location. Specifically, the research investigates the roles of temperature, tidal state, and river flow rates in shaping dolphin foraging activity. Using land-based visual observations conducted over the summer months from 2022 to 2024, this study explored how these variables influenced dolphin presence, group size, and foraging duration. Data analysis included Mann-Whitney, Spearman’s rank correlation, and Chi-square goodness of fit tests. 

Analysis revealed a significant association between tidal state and dolphin occurrence, with peak sightings at high tide, and increased foraging activity during falling tides. These findings highlight that tidal dynamics are a key factor shaping dolphin habitat use within Aberdeen Harbour, suggesting that dolphins may strategically position themselves during high tides to exploit optimal foraging conditions created by tidal fronts during falling tides. No statistically significant relationships were found between dolphin presence or foraging activity and river flow rates or sea surface temperature. This could be due to the study being limited to the summer months or other environmental factors, such as prey occurrence, having a stronger influence. 

Recommendations for future research include extended year-round studies, incorporating passive acoustic monitoring and detailed prey surveys.

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