Abstract
Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis)
inhabiting the Chinese coastline of the northern South China Sea are
subject to intense human activity. To investigate potential impacts to
dolphins, photographs taken from 2010 to 2021 in five different
locations were analyzed. Among individual dolphins (N = 1,159),
10.6% presented human-induced injuries. Adults were more frequently
injured than young dolphins, and individuals from around Jiangmen,
Hainan, and Sanniang Bay presented the highest injury prevalence. More
research should be conducted in areas that have been subject to less
research, such as Jiangmen and Hainan, and the dolphin watching
activities occurring in Sanniang Bay should be monitored and regulated.
Forty-seven percent of dolphins presented skin conditions, with orange
patches being the most frequent (41.5%). Orange patches and
hyper-pigmented pink spots were significantly less prevalent in summer
and fall than in winter and spring. Orange patches were less frequent in
females than in males, as well as with calves relative to older age
classes. Seasonal patterns may be linked to water temperatures, while
demographic patterns may be associated with immune defenses. These
findings allow for a better understanding of the potential impact of
human activities on Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins and should inform
further conservation measures.