Meet the Scientists

In Dolphins, audiences are introduced to Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski, scientist dedicated to studying dolphin-to-dolphin communication in the wild. Her work often takes her to remote parts of the world where she carries out her methodical research in conditions that are exciting, isolating, and sometimes even dangerous.

Though scientists have been observing dolphins in captivity for nearly century, underwater research on dolphins in the wild has only taken place for about 20 years. Dudzinski s research is unique and gives us great insight into the ways that dolphins communicate with each other. Dudzinski's dedication and enthusiasm for her research and the world of dolphins made her a perfect choice as the lead scientist for Dolphins.		  
While attending graduate school at Texas A&M University, Dudzinski traveled to the Bahamas - where swimming with dolphins is still legal - to study the Atlantic spotted dolphins and work as a naturalist aboard tourist boats. Besides gathering data, her job was to make sure that both dolphins and divers had safe, enjoyable encounter. The experience also allowed her to share her research with others. She would return to Texas to study and analyze the data she had collected, then go back to the Bahamas to gather more data. Dudzinski spent four, six-month stints observing dolphins in this fashion for her Ph.D. thesis. From approximately 2,000 hours of fieldwork, she gathered just under 20 hours of usable recordings.

Dudzinski overcame a major challenge when she developed and built her first mobile video/acoustic array to record dolphin behavior and communication. Since sound moves faster underwater - 4.5 times faster - the dolphin sounds seemed to come from all directions at once, making them difficult to track. With her professor, Dudzinski devised a simple solution: a pair of underwater microphones, called hydrophones, set on a bar at least 4.5 times wider than the distance between her own ears. The delay produced by that distance allows her to localize the sounds. Later, she studies her films and tapes, and identifies which animal is vocalizing and which are reacting to the vocalizations

Bernd's Page
As the lead science advisor for Dolphins, Bernd Würsig helped guide the research and development of the film. Würsig, who has studied dolphins for more than 20 years conducted the pioneering work on dusky dolphins in the 1970s in the waters of the Atlantic, off the southern coast of Argentina in Patagonia—a marine biologist's fantasy research lab, and one of the locations chosen for Dolphins.

Alejandro's Page
Alejandro Acevedo-Gutiérrez, one of the scientists featured in Dolphins, conducts research on the behavioral ecology of marine vertebrates: their foraging strategies, group structure, mating systems, and interspecific interactions with other species. During the filming inPatagonia for Dolphins, Acevedo was able to focus his research on the dusky dolphins’ feeding technique of herding anchovies into a tightly spinning "bait ball," and then taking turns eating the fish.
 
As a scientist, Acevedo is particularly dedicated to providing an opportunity for children to learn about dolphins and their environment. "When I was young, I was fascinated by nature specials on marine life," says Acevedo. "I remember wishing that I could meet those scientists--a close encounter rather than a distant one. I credit such experiences as important in shaping my goals in life. I know that many children will be deeply touched by this film, and some, like me, will make science their career."

Raised in Mexico City, Acevedo received his Licenciatura en Biologia Marina (equivalent to a B.S. in marine biology) at Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, and came to the United States to complete his graduate studies at Texas A&M in 1989. In September 1997, Acevedo successfully defended his doctoral dissertation on the feeding behavior of dolphins and their interactions with sharks.

Through his work, Acevedo introduces the general public to scientific field research, specifically marine biology and the fascinating life of marine mammals, fish, and birds, while at the same time offering a view of the ecology of different, and often remote, locations.

Acevedo’s ultimate message? Although science is an exhausting and arduous profession, it is also an exciting, enriching and rewarding endeavor. And through Dolphins, more people will get the opportunity to hear his message.

  Wursig is Professor of Marine Mammalogy, Director of the Marine Mammal Research Program, and Co-Director of the Institute of Marine Life Sciences at Texas A&M University. He researches the behavior and ecology of cetaceans and their interactions with birds, fish, and marine invertebrates; movement and migration patterns of dolphins and whales; marine mammals as partial indicators of ecosystem status; natural history and ecology of mammals; and use of research in formulating conservation/management strategies and policy. Würsig has authored 56 peer-reviewed papers, 35 articles for the public, and numerous reports in the fields of behavior, behavioral ecology, social systems, and conservation biology. He has also coproduced, narrated, or advised on 11 films since 1976.

Early on in his research, Würsig preferred to work with dolphins in the wild. He was the first to discover one of the reasons dolphins leap. He realized that they were actually looking for food. By leaping high, dolphins can see farther, thereby locating their prey by seeing flocks of birds feeding on schooling fish sometimes miles away.

Returning to Patagonia to film Dolphins was a way for the film's scientists, Kathleen Dudzinski and Alejandro Acevedo, to honor Würsig. Not only was he their senior Ph.D. advisor, but his pioneering work has become the foundation upon which other scientists in the field have built. In Dolphins, these three scientists work together as peers.

Dean Bernal and The JoJo Dolphin Project
Fifteen years ago, Dean Bernal was swimming in the ocean off the Turks and Caicos Islands in the British West Indies when he "met" a young, curious male bottlenose dolphin that was known by locals as "JoJo." JoJo followed Dean on his daily swim out to the reef, getting closer each time. Over time, the two bonded in a unique human/dolphin friendship. They still swim and play together, spending hours in the colorful coral reefs among sharks, manta rays, turtles, whale sharks and other dolphins. Says Bernal, "Our relationship is a trusting friendship."

It hasn’t always been fun for JoJo and Dean, however. JoJo was so curious about humans that he often approached tourists swimming, snorkeling and diving in the area. Unfortunately, people did not know how to behave around a wild animal. Some people would reach out to touch him, which was seen as aggressive behavior to JoJo, so he sometimes bit back at the offending hand. JoJo got a dangerous reputation and was soon in danger himself. Authorities were threatening to put him in captivity. Dean lead a campaign to become JoJo’s official caretaker and had JoJo declared a National Treasure. Now Dean works full-time to protect, not only JoJo, but all marine life in the Turks and Caicos. His work with JoJo has become well-known and has appeared in several television and film documentaries.

Solitary dolphins like JoJo are rare. Dolphins are highly social animals, but it’s their own kind with whom they most want to associate. In fact, there are only a few dolphins in the world that seek out human companions. So, why is JoJo alone? We don’t know. Bernal leads The JoJo Dolphin Project to help other stranded, injured or entangled dolphins, but also works internationally to protect rare, lone dolphins and whales like JoJo.