Abstract
Sexing cetaceans usually requires time‐consuming observation, or genetic sexing via biopsy sampling or skin swabbing. We developed a method to determine the sex of bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops sp.) in Doubtful Sound, Fiordland, using laser‐metric dorsal fin photographs. From dorsal fin photographs of 43 bottlenose dolphins of known sex (25 females, 18 males) we analyzed the shape, proportion of fin area covered in scarring and epidermal lesions, and the number of fin nicks. Males had significantly higher rates of scarring ( P P P P P P