Please note: further information can be viewed and printed out from the following website: www.thebdri.com
 
The Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute - BDRI - www.thebdri.com offers comprehensive and intensive Dolphin Research Courses during the next 2008 year for motivated individuals, who are seeking thorough training in approaches to the study of free ranging wild bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). 

We invite you to join our ongoing study of the behaviour, habitat use and social lives of these amazing dolphins off the northeastern coast of Sardinia Island (Italy). These intensive educational courses provide experience in specialized non-invasive research techniques, consisting of field sessions and lectures. The courses, year round, will last 6 or 13 days, and - weather  permitting - we will be out on the water at least during 4 or 8 of these days respectively.

Although our project focuses primarily on bottlenose dolphins, you will also experience the complex Mediterranean coastal ecosystem in which we live and work. BDRI field courses provide invaluable exposure to boat based field work, marine mammals research, intensive training and mentoring in marine ecology, and encouragement to work hard, have fun, and learn from the dolphins and each other. Learning, at its best, should be an active process, one in which the students are challenged on a daily basis with responsibilities that play a large part in the outcome of the research projects.

Working with us and our staff, you will rotate between tasks on land and sea. Onboard our research vessel (Spartana) you will work together with our team in search of cetaceans. To refine details of bottlenose dolphin population biology and responses to human activities at sea, we will take identification photos, observe behaviour, and monitor vocalizations using a hydrophone.

Research courses can be used for academic or vocational purposes, but students are solely responsible for making all arrangements for receiving relevant credit(s) as a result of completing the training course.

BDRI's courses give an insight into the workings of a research team, and provide experience in a wide range of areas including scientific data collection, analysis and presentation; giving public talks and much more. To be successful participants in this project,students should have open minds, flexibility in changing situations, and a desire to help and to learn.

All classes will be in a form of both (a) lectures that will lead to more "informal" discussion, hopefully ending with a constructive brainstorming on the specific topic, as well as (b) instructions with handon practical component, especially when it involves field techniques.

Course 1. Bottlenose dolphin: Field methods in the wild
Course 2. Study of bottlenose dolphin behaviour
Course 3. Bottlenose dolphins Photo-identification & Social structure course
Course 4. Bioacoustics of bottlenose dolphins in the wild

Further information, fees and how to apply can be found on our website (www.thebdri.com) or by e-mail at info@thebdri.com

Recent selected scientific publications by BDRI:

1. Díaz López B. and Shirai, J.A., In press. Marine aquaculture and bottlenose dolphins social structure. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology.
2. Díaz López B., Bunke, M. and Shirai, J.A., In press. Marine aquaculture off Sardinia Island (Italy): ecosystem effects evaluated through a trophic mass-balance model. Ecological Modelling.
3. Díaz López, B., Shirai, J.A.; Bilbao Prieto, A. & Méndez Fernández, P., In press. Diving activity of a solitary wild free ranging bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Journal of Marine Biological Association U.K.
4. Díaz López B. and Shirai, J.A., 2007. "Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) presence and incidental capture in a marine fish farm on the noth-eastern coast of Sardinia (Italy)" Journal of Marine Biological Association U.K, 87, 113-117.
5. Díaz López, B. and Shirai, J.A., 2007. "Human activities and bottlenose dolphin's social structure". 21st Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society, San Sebastián, Spain, 2007.
6. Underhill, K., Díaz López, B., and Shirai, J.A., 2007."Boat traffic effects on the diving behaviour of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Sardinia, Italy". 21st Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society, San Sebastián, Spain, 2007.
7. Díaz López, B., 2006. "Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Predation on a Marine Fin Fish Farm: Some Underwater Observations". Aquatic Mammals 32(3): 305 - 310 pp.
8. Díaz López, B. & Bernal Shirai, J.A., 2006. "Estudio multiescalar de la influencia de la acuicultura en la presencia de delfines mulares Tursiops truncatus (Montagu 1821)". CIVA, 2006: 282 - 290pp.
9. Díaz López, B., 2006. "Interactions between Mediterranean bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and gillnets off Sardinia". ICES Journal of Marine Science 63: 944-951 pp.
10. Díaz López, B. & Bernal Shirai, J.A., 2006. "Diurnal & Nocturnal behaviour of bottlenose dolphin groups with emphasis on foraging activity on the northeastern coast of Sardinia (Italy)". 20th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society 2006 - Gdynia, Polonia.
11. Bernal Shirai, J. A., Díaz López, B., Méndez Fernández, P., Bilbao Prieto, A. & Díaz da Silva, J.I., 2006. "Analysis of diving behaviour of a solitary male bottlenose dolphin in the inshore waters of Galicia (Spain)" 20th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society 2006 - Gdynia, Polonia.
12. Díaz López, B., 2005. Interactions between bottlenose dolphins with trammel nets in the Sardinia Island. ICES Document CM 2005/X 1.
13. Díaz López, B., 2005. Interaction between bottlenose dolphins and fish farms: could there be an economic impact? ICES Document CM 2005/X10.
14. Díaz López, B., Marini, L., Polo, F., 2005. The impact of a fish farm on a bottlenose dolphin population in the Mediterranean Sea. Thalassas An international Journal of Marine Sciences , 2005, 21 (2):53-58.
15. Díaz López, B. & Shiray, A., 2005. Analysis of diving behaviour on bottlenose dolphins studied in the inshore waters of Sardinia. "6º Convegno Nazionale sui Cetacei e sulle Tartarughe Marine". November. Comune di Sperlonga (LT), Italy.
16. Díaz López, B., 2005 & Shirai, A., 2005. A survey of anti-bottlenose dolphin control at marine fish farm. "6º Convegno Nazionale sui Cetacei e sulle Tartarughe Marine". November. Comune di Sperlonga (LT), Italy.
17. Díaz López, B., Marini, L.. and Polo, F., 2004. "Evolution of a bottlenose dolphins population in the Noth-Eastern waters of Sardinia (Italy)". In: European Research on Cetaceans - 15 (Ed- P.G.H. Evans). European Cetacean Society, pp 70-73. Cambrigde, UK.
18. Polo, F; Díaz López, B.; Marini, L. & Brovelli, M., 2002. "Fast ferries influence on the bottlenose dolphin presence and social structure in waters of North-eastern Sardinia". 16th Annual Conference European Cetacean Society. Liege 2002.
19. Díaz López, B.; Marini, L.; Polo, F. & Brovelli, M., 2002. "Photoidentification of bottlenose dolphin in waters of north-eastern Sardinia". Poster presented at the 16th Annual Conference European Cetacean Society. Liege 2002.
20. Díaz López, B., Polo, F. and Marini, L., 2001. " Feeding Behaviour of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) along the north-eastern coast of Sardinia. 29th Annual Symposium EAAM. Genova 9-12 March 2001.