Dolphin 1258 feeds on a sea robin in Sarasota Bay in June 2026. Advancing quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA) for cetacean diet estimation: Methodological evaluation and ecological application Ph.D. abstract by Theresa-Anne Marie Tatom-Naecker Quantifying cetacean diet is critical for understanding ecological and physiological processes but remains inherently challenging. Quantitative fatty
Dolphin 6741, the 2025 calf of 1674, is shown here with a fresh shark bite wound we observed in September 2025. Did you know that in addition to studying dolphins, we also study sharks in collaboration with Mote Marine Laboratory’s Sharks and Rays Conservation Research Program? That’s because we
New Research Shows Human Activity Can Reshape Dolphin Social Lives Study of Sarasota Bay bottlenose dolphins finds human-linked foraging and red tide events influence how dolphins associate with one another Wild dolphins are known for their complex social lives, but new research shows those social networks can be influenced by human activity.
A team uses a seine net to capture fish in Sarasota Bay. The fish are released after they are catalogued as part of our prey fish studies, which began in 2004. Notes from the Lab and Field: Prey Fish Surveys Help Us Understand Dolphins Did you know that
A Nighttime Rescue in Crystal River Capt. Justin Dymond of Florida Bowfishing Adventures in Crystal River contacted Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) in December to report that a dolphin he had been seeing regularly during his nighttime bow-and-arrow fishing charters had line wrapped around its tail fluke. Dymond uses a bright
Notes from the Lab and Field: 2025 Dolphin Community Update January 2026 Happy New Year! A new year begins, and we have been able to conduct the first of our Sarasota Bay monthly dolphin surveys under excellent conditions, before the arrival of a series of cold fronts with strong winds. I’m pleased to
Notes from the Lab and Field In September, we were once again over the West Florida Shelf tagging dolphins. This one, an Atlantic spotted dolphin nicknamed “Patty,” was seen the next day with a somewhat smaller dolphin that was acting like it might be her calf. In May 2022, we initiated
Coming to the Aid of Dolphin Calves Near Clearwater Things got scary for two dolphin calves off Clearwater before Halloween, when staff from Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) received reports about and observed two dolphins in the area they monitor entangled in fishing line. After getting permission from the National Marine Fisheries Service, we mounted
Meet the 2025 Sarasota Bay Dolphin Calves! Calf 2134, pictured above with mom F213, was the first Sarasota Bay calf documented in 2025. 2134's mom, also known as Maddie, was born in 2007 to FB55, who is part of a life-long and well-known female lineage in Sarasota Bay. FB55 is the third
Celebrating the Life of Dr. James "Buddy" Powell In 2025, the world has lost a conservation hero with the death of Buddy Powell in July. Buddy was a pioneer in manatee research and conservation, whose work led to protected spaces for manatees in Florida and around the world. In November, Clearwater Marine
