2.1 | Ethics statement
This study was conducted in accordance with the ‘Agreement of the
Dolphin Watching Operation around Mikura Island’. The research protocol
was approved by Mikurashima Village, permitting us access to the
protected areas of the sea around Mikura Island under the ‘Agreement of
the Rational Use of Nature Conservation Promotion Area at Mikura
Island’. We obtained approval from the Mikurashima Tourism Association
to use individual identification data and fecal samples for this study
(Approved number: No. 20220726). We followed the ‘Guidelines to Study
Wild Animals’ of the Wildlife Research Center of Kyoto University to
minimize disturbance.