MERR holds annual dolphin count
They came, they saw, they counted. About 150 volunteers spread out at 41 sites from Fenwick Island to Woodland Beach July 15 to tally dolphins as part of the Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute’s 25th annual Atlantic bottlenose dolphin count.
The event is held every July and helps MERR monitor the stability of the local dolphin population.
“I’ve been wanting to do this since I was in my 20s,” said Shereen Bagherzadeh of Fairfax, Va. She and Beverly Bachman came for the weekend just to take part in the dolphin count for the first time. They were stationed on the beach on the north side of the Indian River Inlet. With binoculars and camera in hand, they kept a close eye on the ocean for the telltale fins indicating dolphins are out there. They recorded 18 dolphins during their two-hour shift. They even saw a skate, which is a sea creature that looks like a ray.
MERR asks volunteers to not only tally dolphins, but also to record human and bird activity in the area where the dolphins are sighted. Watchers at the inlet saw a lot of surfers, boats, pelicans and ospreys.
The dolphin count results are expected as soon as next week.
For more information, go to merrinstitute.org.
