Dolphin deaths investigated by Southern Miss Marine Science researchers | Schools

Scientists with The University of Southern Mississippi Department of Marine Science are part of a collaboration of colleagues from Dauphin Island Sea Lab and the University of Central Florida that last year examined a mysterious case of dolphin deaths along the Gulf Coast.

From January to April 2011, 186 dolphins washed ashore from Louisiana to western Florida and are considered part of an “unusual mortality event” or UME by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. Of particular concern among the scientists examining this issue is the high number of young dolphins making up nearly 46 percent of the deaths. An article spotlighting this research will appear in the journal PLoS-ONE.

Although the strandings occurred shortly after the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, the acute cause of death remains undetermined.

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