VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — You might take for granted how often we’re able to spot dolphins in our area! But seeing them here might be more important than you think.
I spoke with some experts who shared why dolphin conservation is so important for our ecosystem.
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To learn more, we went on a dolphin-watching tour with the Virginia Aquarium.
“They are kind of the iconic ocean animal,” said Mike Mizell, a Boat Program Specialist who was our educator and tour guide.
“Right ahead of us, a nice group splashing around!” he said as he pointed to the dolphins.
He was just as excited as we were about spotting the magnificent creatures.
“Dolphins are just cool,” said Mizell. “You saw it for yourself. You saw how many people loved them, how they find them inspiring, fun, playful. But dolphins themselves are very important to the ecosystems.”
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On these tours, Mizell doesn’t just help people see dolphins, he also educates them on the role the marine mammals play in our area as apex predators. He says they help stabilize the environment.
“If they weren't around, some of the fish they feed on, their populations would expand, and then animals that feed on them are not going to have enough to eat,” he told me. “They're the ones that, you know, keep things in balance and keep the ocean healthy.”
“If you're seeing dolphins, then it really is a sign that the ecosystem is reasonably healthy,” said Thomas Miller, a professor at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory. "They won't be in areas that are degraded."
The Chesapeake Biological Laboratory is a part of the University of Maryland Center For Environmental Science.
“They are such a beloved animal,” said Miller. “They are very smart, intelligent, and I think we feel a kinship towards them because they are so intelligent.”
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Years ago, dolphin sightings weren’t as common in the Chesapeake Bay. But since they started DolphinWatch - a citizen science program - in 2017, more than 13,000 users have helped them record over 3,500 verified dolphin sightings.
The peak is in the warmer months.
“We see them foraging, we see them actively feeding in the Bay,” said Miller. "And we see them having calves in the Chesapeake. So, they're clearly giving birth here. And it is clear from the pattern of sounds, the clicks that they are making, that they are actively hunting in the waters of the Bay. So they are, as I said, intentionally using the waters of the Bay.”
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Unfortunately, they face a variety of threats from human activities such as fishing, pollution and habitat destruction.
“I think we have a moral responsibility to leave the planet better than we found it,” he said. “And if you want an indicator of how well the planet is doing, then apex predators are the ones to really focus on.”
Miller says one of the best things we can do to help is respect them and give them their space when you see them out on the waters and make sure you’re not polluting their environment.
“If we can use dolphins as a factor that motivates people to care about the environment, that motivates people to think about how they live their own lives,” said Miller. "That they are recycling, reusing and reducing wherever they can, that they are concerned about the release of sewage into our waterways, they are concerned about overfishing, and are concerned about the general health of our oceans and estuaries..."
If you’re interested in learning more about dolphins or taking a dolphin-watching tour, you can check out the Virginia Aquarium’s schedule here.
