The Eugenie Clark Field Research Skills and Leadership Program New College of Florida is offering paid training experiences in shark research. Participants will receive mentorship from scientists from New College, Havenworth Coastal Conservation, the Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program and Minorities in Shark Science (MISS) and participate in on-vessel field-based research, receiving
A Risky Dolphin Rescue Near Clearwater Beach, Florida —Notes from the Field from SDRP Director Dr. Randy Wells This month (January 2022), we were asked by NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to lead a risky rescue: A dolphin living to our north near Clearwater monitored by the Clearwater
Are you a college student studying marine biology, biology, ecology, zoology, wildlife, fisheries, or a related field and interested in learning more about how dolphin research is conducted and participating in the world's longest running study of a wild dolphin population? We're now accepting applications for our Summer 2022 Internship Program. Positions are limited
The Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program has documented 22 dolphin births in 2021 to the long-term resident bottlenose dolphin community of Sarasota Bay, Florida, exceeding the record of 21 set in 2017. The newest calf was first observed with its mother, known as Squarenotch, on Dec. 2. Forty-four-year-old Squarenotch
When the Prey is Gone Gaining a fuller understanding of dolphins also means studying how they interact with their environment, including learning about one of the main ecological drivers for their behavior: prey availability. A new study published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science has taken the first step in identifying how
What Happens When Dolphins and Freshwater Mix? Prolonged exposure to freshwater is linked to adverse health conditions, immune deficiencies, and even dolphin deaths, but there’s still a lot we don’t understand. SDRP Post-doctoral Scientist Dr. Christina Toms was conducting photo identification surveys in Pensacola Bay, Florida, as part of an
Exploring Microbiomes The science of understanding microbiomes has received increasing attention over the past few decades, especially in the context of understanding animal health. Microbomes are a collection of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.) living together and interacting with each other in an environment. Animals — including humans — have
Seagrass Matters This summer (2021), we've continued our purse-seine catch-and-release fish surveys in Sarasota Bay. These surveys, conducted seasonally since 2004, allow us to gain an indication of the relative abundance of fish in Sarasota Bay — important information for understanding one of dolphins’ main ecological drivers: their prey. Our
This 2008 photo shows researchers preparing to release a tagged franciscana dolphin in Argentina. Dolphins were held for a brief period while satellite-linked tags were applied and then the dolphins were released on site. Lessons Learned in Sarasota Are Applying to Dolphin Conservation in Argentina and Brazil With research
Dolphins & Hurricanes One question we’re frequently asked is what dolphins do during hurricanes. The short answer is that we just don’t know. Since it’s not safe for humans on boats to be out during storms, we have to rely on opportunistic reports for insights. A few years ago, we
