Aruba Marine Mammal Foundation
Ir. Luymesstraat 8
Savaneta
ph: (297) 592 4048
info
News Bulletin
Let us keep them that way........"
Aruba's wild dolphins paraded inside the south-side reef early morning on, "Aruba National (Flag) Day", March 18, 2008, giving honor to Aruba's natural heritage and the 2008 UNEP proclamation of "the Year of the Dolphin". En route passing by the reefs, they were seen by campers before 8 am, who initially thought they were sharks.
Twelve of the Aruban wild and free rough toothed dolphin-pod with a recent born calf ended up spending the entire National Aruba Day inside the reef at Mangel Halto/Spaans Lagoon, to the delight of many seafaring locals. This area is one of the Aruba Marine Mammal Foundation (AMMF) 's designated "dolphin vulnerable" zones, besides Arashi, Malmok, and Palm Beach. For the last 10 years, these are the hotspots where the Aruban wild dolphins choose to go for protection, when giving birth or recuperating from injury or sickness. Additionally, AMMF has observed in these zones: mating behavior, vertical calf nursing behavior, surfacing in unison, breathing synchronously, feeding, logging, breaching, echelon swimming, horizontal carousel formation, belly flashing, adults teaching their calves, flipper-slapping, tail-slapping, and hunt-practice. AMMF works in collusion with international marine mammal scientists and NGO's.
The circumstance of these dolphins when inshore is totally different when they are bow- riding offshore with speeding boats.
It is very important for boaters when in the area of these "vulnerable zones", to avoid harm to these dolphins, and to assist in their survival, by not crossing through the pod, staying on a distance outside their zone, and not to make loud noises. Never attempting to feed the dolphins or throw litter in the water. Approach and depart in low speed. Never surround and enclose the pod with several boats. All boats must be on one side only in such a way not to block the dolphins' access for departure to open sea.
By adhering to this international code of ethics of "dolphin watching" in these coastal zones, and leaving the dolphins undisturbed, one will be able to enjoy observing wonderful natural behaviors of Aruba's unique wild dolphin culture, for generations to come.
Only when necessary to investigate for injury, or to take underwater pictures, not more than 3 good swimmers may enter the water at the border of their zone (without jewelry and/or long nails), and calmly drift and permit dolphins to approach on their own. Never chase, grasp, or hold on to the wild dolphin!
AMMF appeals to the Aruban public NOT to confuse the wild dolphin's nature with the fictitious image of the trained captive dolphins in movies and the dolphinarium-industry. The smile of the dolphin is a permanent anatomical feature, and does not necessarily mean the dolphin is happy. Tail slapping and teeth clapping are signs of anger and remaining for long periods under the surface indicates them feeling harassed.
Wild dolphins attack people when they feel threatened or stressed. Especially when protecting a recent born. They can drag you underwater, nip and bite, push you, and hit you (mostly aiming for your stomach). Known serious injuries include broken bones and ribs, and perforated organs.
The rough- toothed dolphins, Steno bredanensis, are known for their high intelligence and ingenuity. They have been sighted in the 80's feeding opportunistically near fishing –trawlers, even using the hull of the fishing-boat as a tool. In 1988, The National Museum of Natural History, Leiden, Netherlands, conducted a research on a rough-toothed dolphin-pod of 12, in Mauritania, who similar to the case in Aruba, would enter the shallow waters of the island. A scientific research, on the rough-toothed dolphins and cetacean biodiversity, headed by George Mason University (associated with Smithsonian Institute), Washington DC, is planned to commence in Aruba this year.
Aruba Marine Mammal Foundation 's efforts for the protection of the Aruban wild dolphin's and their "vulnerable –zones" are conform with the objectives of: UNEP Marine Mammal Action plan; Aruba's Nature Protection Law Feb 13, 1995, AB 1995 no.2, AB 1997 no.34, Article 1, 4.2, 7.3; the "Cartagena Convention/ SPAW Protocol" (which Aruba is party of), article 4.2b,c,d; 5.2L, 6, 10, 11,12.
May Aruba's National identity remain one of respect for nature, of the wild and free!
Buletin noticiero di ARUBA MARINE MAMMAL FOUNDATION DELFINNAN SALBAHE ARUBIANO BEK PADEN RIBA 18 MAART
(potret: Nicole Arends)
''Na boso nan tur,
E mihor regalo riba 18 di maart, 2008. Nos amigo nan ta back y liber manera semper.
Laga nos mantene nan asina........."
Aruba su delfinnan salvahe a desfila mainta trempan paden di nos rifnan na zuidkust riba 18 di maart 2008, nos ''Dia Nashonal di Himno y Bandera". Dunando asina honor na Aruba su herencia natural y e proclamashon "Year of the Dolphin" di UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) pa aña 2008. E delfinnan a wordo mira riba nan ruta prome cu 8 or di mainta, pasando banda di nos hende nan campando riba rif kendenan inicialmente a pensa cu nan ta tiburon.
12 di Aruba su delfinnan 'rough-toothed' liber y salvahe a pasa henter Aruba su dia Nashonal di Himno y Bandera hunto cu un delfin recien naci paden di e rif na Mangel Halto/ Spaans Lagoen, pa e encanto di hopi localnan riba boto. E area ariba menshona ta un di e areanan designa pa Aruba Marine Mammal Foundation (AMMF) como ' zona vulnerabel' pa delfin. E otro zonanan designa ta Arashi, Malmok y Palm Beach.
Pa e ultimo 10 añanan , esakinan ta e 'hotspots' cu Aruba su delfinnan salvahe ta scohe pa nan proteccion ora di duna luz of recupera di leshonnan of malestarnan. Adishonalmente AMMF a observa tambe den e zona nan aki ora cu delfinnan ta wordo laga na paz: actonan pa procrea; dunamento di lechi verticalmente den awa na delfinnan recien naci; cuido den assistencia pa hala rosea di delfin recien naci; landamento unisono na superficie; halamento di rosea sincronisa; descanso cu ta yama 'logging'; bulamento for di awa ' breaching'; landamento ecolon cu recien naci; landamento barica arriba; dalmento cu flipper of rabo riba awa; actonan diciplinario social; practica di caza; actonan di educacion na recien naci; formacion di circulo.
E circumstancia di e delfinnan ora cu nan ta paden na nos costa ta diferente compara cu ora cu nan ta sigui botonan den lama grandi .
Ta hopi importante pa hendenan ariba boto evita pa haci e delfinnan aki daño ora cu nan ta den e zonanan vulnerable ariba menshona, y asina asisti den nan sobrevivencia. Pa di prome nunca un boto mester pasa mei mei di e grupo di delfin, pero mester mantene su mes na un distancia pafo di nan zona, y no hasi sonidonan duro. Nunca duna delfinnan cuminda of benta sushedad den e awa. Ora di acerca y sali bai, hasi esaki cu velocidad abou. Nunca rondona y cera e grupo di delfin cu diferente boto. Tur boto mester ta na solamente un banda den tal forma cu no ta stroba e acceso di e delfinnan pa lama grandi.
Door di mantene na e codigo di etica internashonal aki di ''dolphin watching'' den e zona nan costal aki, lagando nan imperturba, nos por observa na nos encanto e comportashon natural maravilloso di Aruba su cultura unico di delfinnan salvahe, pa hopi generashonnan pa bin.AMMF ta avisa, pa cu te ora cu tin mas conocimento di e grupo di delfin aki, pa NO LANDA cu e delfinnan den e zonanan aki. Absolutamente no permiti muchanan chikito den awa. AMMF a jega di experiencia den pasado cu e delfinnan aki ta pasa ranca, morde y borra e arm-floaters di plastic.
Solamente ora cu ta necesario pa investiga leshonnan, of ta desea pa saka potret bao awa, no mas cu 3 bon landado (sin joyas y huñanan largo) por drenta awa na e frontera di e zona, y na un manera calmo drief y laga e delfinnan mes acerca riba nan mes. Nunca persigui, garra y wanta na un delfin salvahe!
AMMF ta haci un jamado na e publico Arubano pa NO confundi e naturalesa di delfinnan salvahe cu e imagen fictisio di delfinnan captivo entrena di pelicula y industria di delfinaria. E sonrisa di un delfin ta un caracteristica anatomico permanente di un delfin, y no kiermeen necesariamente cu e delfin ta contento. Batimento di rabo riba awa, zwaaimento cu rabo, y batimento cu djente ta señalnan di rabia. Ora nan ta keda pa tempo largo bao awa ta un indicashon cu e delfinnan ta sinti nan mes hostiga.
Delfinnan salvahe ta ataca hende ora cu nan ta sinti nan mes menasa of cu stress. Specialmente ora cu nan ta protehando un recien naci. Nan ta ranca y halabo bao di awa, pasa mordebo, pushabo of dalbo, mayoria di biaha buscando bo barica pa haci esaki. Leshonnan serio conoci ta inclui ribchi y weso kibra y organonan perfora.
E delfinnan ''rough-toothed'', Steno Bredanensis, ta conoci pa nan inteligencia halto y nan ingenuidad. Nan a wordo mira den añanan 80 comiendo oportunisticamente serca di fishing-trawlers, usando te hasta e 'hull' di e botonan piscado como un herment. Na aña 1988, e ''National Museum of Natural History'' na Leiden, Hulanda, a conduci un investigashon riba un grupo di 12 delfin ''rough-toothed'' na Mauritania, cualnan similar cu esunnan na Aruba ta drenta den awanan mas paden di costa di e isla. Un investigashon cientifico riba e delfinnan ''rough-toothed'' y biodiversidad di cetacea, encabesa pa George Mason University (asocia cu Smithsonian Institute), Washington DC, ta planea pa cuminsa na Aruba e aña aki. AMMF ta traha den confabulacion cu cientificonan y NGO`s internashonal di mammalnan marino.
Aruba Marine Mammal Foundation su esfuerzo pa e proteccion di delfinnan salvahe y nan ''zonanan vulnerable'' ta conforme cu e objetivonan di: UNEP Marine Mammal Action plan; Aruba su ley di proteccion di naturaleza Feb 13, 1995, AB no.2, AB 1997 no.34, Articulo 1, 4.2, 7.3; ''Cartagena Convention/ SPAW protocol'' (di cual Aruba ta parti di dje), Articulo 4.2 b,c,d; 5.2 L,6,10,11,12.
Cu Aruba Su identidad nashonal permanece como uno di respet pa naturalesa di e liber y salvahe!
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Ir. Luymesstraat 8
Savaneta
ph: (297) 592 4048
info
