Dear MARMAM subscribers, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce a new publication on humpback dolphins (Sousa plumbea) in South Africa: R. P. Koper, L. Karczmarski, D. Du Preez, and S. Plön (2015) Sixteen years later: Occurrence, group size, and habitat use of humpback dolphins (Sousa plumbea) in Algoa Bay, South Africa Marine Mammal Science. DOI: 10.1111/mms.12279. Abstract: Coastal dolphins are more prone to cumulative impacts of environmental and anthropogenic changes than pelagic species. However, few studies use historical comparisons to evaluate those impacts across a temporal scale. The study presented here describes the pattern of occurrence, group size, behavior, and habitat use of humpback dolphins in Algoa Bay and compares these to a similar study conducted in the early 1990s. Results indicate a considerable change in the frequency of occurrence. Furthermore, the mean group size has decreased from six to three individuals, mainly due to an increase in occurrence of solitary individuals (36.3% vs. 15.4%). Foraging, which was previously the predominant activity (64%), has now been replaced by traveling (49%). Moreover, dolphins showed a negative reaction towards a variety of watercrafts and swimmers. These observed differences could be due to a change in prey abundance, direct anthropogenic disturbance, and/or population decline. We emphasize the need for long-term environmental and biological data series and long-term monitoring of the demographics of this population to accurately assess any changes observed in future. For any further info please contact stephanie.plon@nmmu.ac.za<mailto:stephanie.plon@nmmu.ac.za>. Dr. Stephanie Plön Coastal and Marine Research Institute Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University PO Box 77000 Port Elizabeth, 6031 Tel: 041-5042877 Cell: 076-3791067 Fax: 041-5832317 ________________________________ NOTICE: Please note that this eMail, and the contents thereof, is subject to the standard NMMU eMail disclaimer which may be found at: http://www.nmmu.ac.za/disclaimer/email.htm