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Maia Austin, Ph.D. Candidate

Maia dissertation utilizes novel machine learning to evaluate what social drivers contribute to dolphin whistle repertoire development. To do this she is integrating social  network measure, machine learning, with whistle repertoire size and complexity approaches, to understand the socioecological patterns driving vocal repertoire adaptations.

Field sites: Bocas del Toro, Panama; Gandoca-Manzanillo, Costa Rica
Funding: RA-NSF Award # 2335991-Short-term Fellow at Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute-Wheeler Award.
  • Austin, M., Oswald, J. N., Rege-Colt, M, Gagne, E., Ramos, E. A., De Weerdt, J., Ransome, N. and L. J. May-Collado.2025. A computational framework to characterize and compare the tonal repertoires of toothed whales. Methods in Ecology and Evolution. 00:1–19.
  • Antichi, S., Rege-Colt, M., Austin, M., May-Collado, L.J., Carlon-Beltran, O., Urban, J., Martinez-Aguilar, S., and L. Viloria-Gomora. 2024. Whistles contour variation between two sympatric dolphin species in the Gulf of California. Hydrobiology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-024-05675-3 
  • Ramos, E. A., Jones, B. L., Austin, M., Eierman, L., Collom, K. A., Melo-Santos, G., ... & Rieucau, G. (2023). Signature whistle use and changes in whistle emission rate in a rehabilitated rough-toothed dolphin. Frontiers in Marine Science.    https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1278299
  • Antichi, S., Austin, M., May-Collado, L.J., Urban, J. R., Martinez-Aguilar, S., and L. Viloria-Gomora. 2023. Differences in the whistles of two ecotypes of bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of California.  Journal of the Acoustical Society of America- Express Letters. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0019502 
  • Gagne, E*. Perez-Ortega, B., Hendry, A. P.,  Melo-Santos, G., Walmsley, S. F.,  Rege-Colt, M.,  Austin, M. and L J. May-Collado*.Dolphin communication during widespread systematic noise reduction-a natural experiment amid COVID-19 lockdown. 2022. Frontiers Remote Sensing. 
  • Rege-Colt, M., Oswald, J. N.,  De Weerdt, J.,  Palacios-Alfaro, J. D.,  Austin, M., Gagne, E.,  Maythé Morán Villatoro J.,  Teresa Sahley, C.,  Alvarado-Guerra, G. and L. J. May-Collado. Submitted. Whistle repertoire and structure reflect ecotype distinction of pantropical spotted dolphins in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Scientific Reports.13:13449 

Ilaria Coero, Ph.D. Candidate

Ilaria dissertation studies humpback whale songs in two populations with breeding grounds in Costa Rica and Panama. Her research integrates computational tools and passive acoustic monitoring data for humpback whale song detection and identification; and acoustic tag data to study rhythmic patterns in song structure.

Field sites: Gulf of Chiriquil Panama; Cuajiniquil and Cano Island Costa Rica
​Funding: GTA University of Vermont, Wheeler Award.

Leslie Paredes, Ph.D. Student

Leslie dissertation focuses on the study of habitat structure, specifically how the acoustic environment influence dolphin vocal repertoire diversity, composition, and usage. She will integrate field and experimental data, including  aerial unmanned vehicles, directional recording systems, and passive acoustic monitoring data, to study the ecological drivers of bottlenose dolphins communication across different habitats.

Field sites: Bocas del Toro, Panama; Sian-Kaan, Mexico
Funding: GRA University of Vermont, Fieldwork NSF Award # 2335991-Wheeler Award.

Ian Portuguez, Lic. Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica

Ian is using autonomous recorders to study the acoustic presence of Central American humpback whales, and documenting their soundscape. His study is taking place in the Papagayo Gulf and Cuajiniquil Bay in Costa Rica.

Cesar Castro, Licenciatura, Universidad de Costa Rica

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Cesar is studying the whistle repertoire of coastal pantropical spotted dolphins, focusing on the influence of context and group size on vocal repertoire diversity. HIs study is taking place in the local population of the Santa Elena Bay in Costa Rica.

Former undergraduate Honor students @ UVM

Ella Dearden
​Kahlia Gonzales

Carly Sarbacker
​Emma Chereskin

Summer Barnes

Kate Ziegler
Riley O'Halloran
​Franny Oppenheimer

Former Graduate Students and Postdocs @UVM and elsewhere

Betzi Perez, Ph.D. Candidate, McGill University, Montreal Canada

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Betzi is interested in how stress associated to dolphin watching activities may affect cetaceans health.  Betzi is at McGill University, co-advise by  Dr. Andrew Henry and Dr. May-Collado



Pubs
Perez-Ortega, B., and A. P. Henry. 2023. A meta-analysis of human disturbance effects on glucocorticoid hormones in free-ranging wild vertebrates. Biological Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12962
Perez-Ortega, B., Daw R., Paradee, B., Gimbrere, E. and L. J. May-Collado. 2021. Dolphin-watching boats affect whistle frequency modulation in bottlenose dolphins.  Frontiers in Marine Science, section Marine Megafauna. Article 618420.​

Megan O'Connor, M.Sc. University of Vermont

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Megan studied the behavioral and anthropogenic factors influencing vocal repertoire frequency variation of a small population of bottlenose dolphins in Bocas del Toro, Panama.

Manali Rege-Colt, M.Sc. University of Vermont

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Pub:
Manali Rege-Colt, Julie N. Oswald, Joelle De Weerdt, Jose David Palacios-Alfaro, Maia Austin, Emma Gagne, Jacqueline Maythé Morán Villatoro, Catherine Teresa Sahley, Gilma Alvarado-Guerra, and Laura J. May-Collado*.2023. Whistle repertoire and structure reflect ecotype distinction of pantropical spotted dolphins in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Scientific Reports.13:13449 

Gabriel Santos, Universidade Federal do Para, Brazil

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Pub​
  • Gabriel Melo-Santos​, Angélica Lúcia Figueiredo Rodrigues, Rodrigo Hipólito Tardin, Israel de Sá Maciel, Miriam Marmontel, Maria Luisa Da Silva, Laura Johanna May-Collado. 2019.The newly described Araguaian river dolphins, Inia araguaiaensis (Cetartyodactyla, Iniidae), produce a diverse repertoire of acoustic signals. https://peerj.com/articles/6670/

Emma Cherenski, University of Vermont

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Pub
  • Chereski, E., LJ., Beck, L., Gamboa-Poveda, M., Palacios-Alfaro, J. D., Monge-Arias, R., Chase, A. R., Coven, B. M., Guzman, A., McManus, N., O’Halloran, R. A., Neuhauss, A. P., Rosen, S. G., and L. J. May-Collado. Online publication 2019. Song structure and singing activity of two separate humpback whales populations wintering off the coast of Caño Island in Costa Rica. JASA Express Letters. https://asa.scitation.org/doi/10.1121/1.5139205.  

Shakira Quiñones Lebrón, University of Puerto Rico

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Thesis: DO CALVES MATTER?: THE EFFECT OF NUMBER OF BOATS AND MODE OF APPROACH ON THE BEHAVIORAL AND ACOUSTIC RESPONSES OF CETACEAN GROUPS WITH CALVES pdf

Pub
  • May-Collado, L.J. and S. Quinones-Lebron. 2014. Dolphin changes in whistle structure with watercraft activity depends on their behavioral state.  J. Acoust. Soc. Am. EL 135, EL193-198.

Evelyn Taubitz

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Thesis: Potential effect of whale-watching engine noise on the vocal behavior of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Bocas del Toro, Panama and Manzanillo, Costa Rica 
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Andrea Cordero

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Pubs: 
  • Montero-Cordero A. & J. Lobo.2010. Effect of tourist vessels on the behaviour of the pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata, in Drake Bay and Cano Island, Costa Rica. J. Cetacean Res. Manage. 11:285-291.
  • Martinez-Fernandez, D., Montero-Cordero, A. and L. J. May-Collado. 2011. Cetaceos de las aguas costeras del Pacifico norte y sur de Costa Rica. Revista de Biologia Tropical. 59 (1): 283-290.

Jose Damian Martinez

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Pub:
  • Martinez-Fernandez, D., Montero-Cordero, A. and L. J. May-Collado. 2011. Cetaceos de las aguas costeras del Pacifico norte y sur de Costa Rica. Revista de Biologia Tropical. 59 (1): 283-290.

Jose David Palacios

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Thesis: PRESENCIA Y COMPORTAMIENTO DE DOS ESPECIES DE DELFINES EN EL PACÍFICO CENTRAL DE COSTA RICA (pdf)

Eric Ramos, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Vermont

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Eric is working on manatee communication and behavior. Eric's is stationed in Belize, using UAVs and autonomous underwater recorders to study the vocal activity and context of manatees under various behaviors and environments.


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​Pubs (selected)
  • Ramos, E. A., Jones, B. L., Austin, M., Eierman, L., Collom, K. A., Melo-Santos, G., ... & Rieucau, G. (2023). Signature whistle use and changes in whistle emission rate in a rehabilitated rough-toothed dolphin. Frontiers in Marine Science.
  • Ramos, E.A., Hartman, K., Baird, R., Lerma, J., Orbach, D., & Rodriguez, F. (In press). Drone perspectives on cetacean mating and sex. In: Würsig, B., & Orbach, O., eds., Sexual Strategies and Mating in Cetaceans.
  • Factheu, C., Rycyk, A., Kekeunou, S., Keith-Diagne, L.W., Ramos, E.A., Kikuchi, M., Takoukam, A.K. (2023). Acoustic methods improve the detection of the endangered African manatee. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9, 2744. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.1032464
  • Brady, B., Ramos, E. A., May-Collado, L. J., Landrau-Giovannetti, N., Lace, N., Arreola, M. R., Melo-Santos, G., Ferreira da Silva, V. M., and R. S. Sousa-Lima. 2022. Manatee calf call contour and acoustic structure varies by species and body size. Scientific Reports 12:19567.
  • Kassamali-Fox, A., Christiansen, F., May-Collado, L. J., Ramos, E. A., and B. A. Kaplin. 2020. Tour boats impact the activity patterns of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Bocas del Toro, Panama.  Peer J. https://peerj.com/articles/8804/ 

Franny Oppenheimer, M.Sc. University of Vermont

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​Franny used humpback whale song data to investigate the potential utility of occupancy models on study song variation and evolution. This work is in collaboration with Kristin Rasmussen, Panacetacea.

Emma Gagne, M.Sc. University of Vermont

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Pub
  1. Gagne, E*. Perez-Ortega, B., Hendry, A. P.,  Melo-Santos, G., Walmsley, S. F.,  Rege-Colt, M.,  Austin, M. and L J. May-Collado*.Dolphin communication during widespread systematic noise reduction-a natural experiment amid COVID-19 lockdown. 2022. Frontiers Remote Sensing. 

Dalia Barragán Barrera, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia

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Pubs
  • Barragan-Barrera, D. C., May-Collado, L. J., Tezanos-Pinto, G., Islas-Villanueva, V., Correa-Cardenas, C. A., and S. Caballero. 2017. High genetic structure and low mitochondrial diversity in bottlenose dolphins of the Archipelago of Bocas del Toro, Panama: a population at risk? ​https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189370
  • Barragán-Barrera,D., Andrea Luna-Acosta, Laura J. May-Collado, Carlos Polo-Silva, Federico G. Riet-Sapriza, Paco Bustamante, María Paula Hernández-Ávila, Natalia Vélez, Nohelia Farías-Curtidor and Susana Caballero. 2019. Foraging habits and levels of mercury in a resident population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Caribbean Sea, Panama. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 145: 343-356. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X19303558.

Ashely Sitar, George Mason University, USA

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Pubs 
  • Sitar, A., May-Collado, LJ., Wright, A. J., Peters-Burton, E., Rockwood, L., and E.C.M. Parsons. 2017. Tourists’perspectives on dolphin watching in Bocas del Toro. Tourism in Marine Environments. 12:79-94 https://doi.org/10.3727/154427316X14820977775343 ​
  • Sitar, A., May-Collado, LJ., Wright, A. J., Peters-Burton, E., Rockwood, L., and E.C.M. Parsons. 2016. Boat operators in Bocas del Toro, Panama display low levels of compliance with national whale-watching regulations. Marine Policy. 68: 221-228.

Ayshah Kassamali-Fox, Antioch University, New England

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Pub
  • Kassamali-Fox, A., Christiansen, F., May-Collado, L. J., Ramos, E. A., and B. A. Kaplin. 2020. Tour boats impact the activity patterns of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Bocas del Toro, Panama.  Peer J. https://peerj.com/articles/8804/

Dalia Barragan

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Thesis: DISTRIBUCIÓN Y USO DE HÁBITAT DEL DELFÍN NARIZ DE BOTELLA Tursiops truncatus (Montagu, 1821) (CETACEA:  DELPHINIDAE) EN BOCAS DEL TORO, COSTA CARIBE DE PANAMÁ (pdf)

Monica Gamboa Poveda

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Thesis: TAMAÑO POBLACIONAL, DISTRIBUCIÓN Y USO DE HÁBITAT DE DOS ESPECIES SIMPÁTRICAS DE DELFINES EN EL REFUGIO NACIONAL DE VIDA SILVESTRE GANDOCA-MANZANILLO, COSTA RICA  Download here

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