Food provisioning increases the risk of injury in a long-lived marine top predator.

ABSTRACT: Food provisioning of wildlife is a major concern for management and conservation agencies worldwide because it encourages unnatural behaviours in wild animals and increases each individual's risk for injury and death. Here we investigate the contributing factors and potential fitness consequences of a recent increase in the frequency of human interactions with common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Sarasota Bay, Florida. A rising proportion of the local long-term resident dolphin community is becoming conditioned to human interactions through direct and indirect food provisioning. We investigate variables that are affecting conditioning and if the presence of human-induced injuries is higher for conditioned versus unconditioned dolphins. Using the most comprehensive long

SUBMITTER: Christiansen F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5210683 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature