The pictures to the left are our lab collecting AEP data on a stranded Risso's dolphin (Grampus grisieus) at Zoomarine, Albufiera, Portugal (seen below). The baby dolphin stranded off the coast of Faro, Portugal in early May, 2004.  We traveled to Portugal soon after the stranding to investigate this animal's hearing capabilities, as there was some concern that the stranding may have been due to exposure to a traumatic (and loud) sound that could have damaged the animal's ears. 

We arrived in Portugal, and with a van full of gear traveled to Zoomarine where our gracious hosts, Pedro Lavia (Zoomarine), Elio Vicente (Zoomarine), Marina Sequeira (Instituto da Conservação da Natureza), and the people at Zoomarine wined and dined us, and helped us collect information.  Using our AEP technique as a diagnostic tool, we determined that the baby Risso actually heard exceptionally well!  In fact, in just a few days work, we redefined the audiogram for a Risso's dolphin.

We also had the opportunity to investigate the Risso's Modulation Rate Transfer Function (MRFT).  The MRTF tells us the temporal resolution of the animal, as well as the delay of the animals neural physiological  response to acoustic stimuli.  Finally, the MRTF could also tell us the at what rates to present the evoked potential audiogram stimuli to the Risso's dolphin.

Risso's dolphin stationing in the Rehabilitation Pool at Zoomarine