Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the Mikurashima Tourism Association for providing valuable samples and individual information for this study. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude towards the successive members of the Mikura-jima Bandouiruka Kenkyukai (MBK), and the Mikura Dolphin team (MIDO) who have conducted the individual identification survey as well as fecal sample collection. We also thank the people of Mikura Island, especially the boat captains, guides of the dolphin tours, and the people living on Mikura Island who have been supporting and cooperating with the individual identification surveys and fecal sample collections over the years.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to Hiromi Kobayashi, Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University for her assistance and kind support in the experiments. We thank Akihiro Ikuno, Mie University, Japan for his advice on the experimental design during the conceptual phase of this study and for the constructive discussions. We also appreciate Haruka Ukai, Sakura Suda, and Saki Tsuboyama, students at Tokai University, for their help with DNA extractions and shipping of samples. We are grateful for the technical support from Sachiko Arizono, Mie University and teaching us the first steps of the experimental techniques. We would like to thank Noriko Funasaka, Taiga Yodo, and the students of the Fish Stock Enhancement Laboratory, Mie University and the Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University for their comments and advice throughout the laboratory seminar.
This study was financially supported by JSPS KAKENHI, Grant Number 17K19426 (M.I-M), 21K12331(Y-F, K), and 22J12473 (GY) and was partially supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 21K05726 (TM); Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (JPMEERF20214001) of the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency of Japan (M.I-M); Cooperative Research Program of Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University (GY); Tokai University General Research Organization Grant (Y-F, K); Hokkaido Regional Research Center, Tokai University (THRRC) (Y-F, K); Tokai University Supporters Association Research and Study Grant (Y-F, K).