When we began thinking about ways to celebrate our milestone 50th year, our initial plans called for an in-person symposium focused on our dolphin research and the achievements that we, along with our research partners and colleagues, have made over the past five decades. Though we still hope to make that happen in 2021, when
X-ray images (radiographs) of human hands have been used for decades as a method of confirming age by examining the predictable chronological changes occurring to the growth plates of each bone. We wanted to know if using X-rays of dolphin flippers could provide the same information. The goal is to establish a non-invasive method of determining
We're working to create a Bottlenose Epigenetic Aging Tool (BEAT) that will allow us to use small skin samples to determine the age of dolphins. First, what is epigenetics? These are various modifications and molecules that occur on or interact with DNA to influence gene activity and phenotype without changing the DNA sequence. Epigenetic changes
Dolphin FB07 Stats Name: FB07, also known as Lightning Sex: Female Age: Born 1984 A Dolphin's Life Lightning got her nickname thanks to a bolt-shaped mark that she had on her dorsal fin when she was young. She's the daughter of Mama Mia (FB84). We've
Dolphin F271 Stats Name: F271, also known as Babe Sex: Female Age: Born 1994 A Dolphin's Life Babe was the first calf born to dolphin FB99 and she's been observed more than 300 times since we first sighted her on July 14, 1994. We
Dolphin FB55 Stats Name: FB55 Sex: Female Age: Born 1986 A Dolphin's Life Dolphin FB55 is part of a life-long and well-known female lineage in Sarasota Bay. She is the third calf of a dolphin known as FB05 (first identified in 1971, the year
Dolphin F256 Stats Name: F256, also known as Jo Bob Sex: Male Age: Born 2007 A Dolphin's Life We know this dolphin’s lineage back through five generations — he is the second calf of Little Orphan’s Annie, grandcalf of Bobby Jo, great-grandcalf of FB37
Dolphin FB33 Stats Name: FB33, also known as Saida Beth Sex: Female Age: Born 1982 A Dolphin's Life Saida Beth is one of the SDRP’s best-known and most recognizable dolphins. She has been observed in and around Sarasota Bay more than 1,200 times since
Dolphin F286 Stats Name: F286 Sex: Male Age: Born 2012 A Dolphin's Life F286 has been observed more than 200 times since his birth in June 2012. With the exception of December 2016, he has been seen in every month of every year, highlighting
Dolphin FB11 Stats Name: FB11, also known as Merrily Sex: Female Age: Born 1984 A Dolphin's Life Merrily is one of our most recognizable and most frequently observed dolphins in Sarasota Bay — she’s been observed by our research teams more than 1,400 times
