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Tools & Techniques

These posts are about the tools and techniques developed, perfected and implemented by the SDRP to study wild dolphin populations.

TADpoles and Dolphins

2025-07-25T10:52:07+00:00

What do TADpoles have to do with dolphins? Development of a remote Tag Attachment Device The Sarasota Dolphin Research Program has acted as a testbed for the development of many innovative methods to study marine mammals. Since 1975, Sarasota Bay has been used extensively for testing electronic tags, including radio-tags and

TADpoles and Dolphins2025-07-25T10:52:07+00:00

Offshore Research Update

2024-06-27T16:18:21+00:00

June 2024 Offshore Dolphin Research Update Since 2022, we’ve been conducting health assessments of offshore dolphins to gather data needed to address critical information gaps for the little-known species that regularly inhabit west Florida’s continental shelf waters. In May 2024, we conducted the final field session of our Florida RESTORE Act Centers of

Offshore Research Update2024-06-27T16:18:21+00:00

Understanding Offshore Dolphin Behavior

2024-06-27T15:57:54+00:00

High-resolution data-loggers reveal fine-scale movement and foraging behavior of offshore dolphins “Bill,” an Atlantic spotted dolphin, with a satellite-linked tag on his dorsal fin and DTAG on his back upon release in September 2022. During offshore health assessments in September 2022, we deployed digital-acoustic archival tags (DTAGs) via suction cups on

Understanding Offshore Dolphin Behavior2024-06-27T15:57:54+00:00

Notes from the Lab and Field

2024-07-11T15:52:47+00:00

This Atlantic spotted dolphin nicknamed Hannah was tagged 45 miles offshore of Sarasota using a new tool we developed. New Tagging Technique Developed in Sarasota Could Impact Dolphins Worldwide If you’ve been following our research, you probably know that we employ a variety of techniques to study the Sarasota Bay dolphin

Notes from the Lab and Field2024-07-11T15:52:47+00:00

Understanding Animal Residency

2022-08-24T13:24:18+00:00

What is animal residency and how do we define and measure it? In marine mammal research, residency is often used to describe the place that animals (or groups of animals) occupy in a given geographic space over a long period of time. In fact, the SDRP made the discovery that bottlenose dolphins can form

Understanding Animal Residency2022-08-24T13:24:18+00:00

Fatty Acid Signatures

2022-08-12T14:11:35+00:00

If they are what they eat, what are dolphins eating? Thanks to our long-term studies — including seasonal fish surveys — we know what the most common prey fish are in Sarasota Bay dolphin diets. But how do their diets change during events like red tides? SDRP’s Theresa Tatom-Naecker is testing a technique called

Fatty Acid Signatures2022-08-12T14:11:35+00:00

Taking Lessons From Sarasota Abroad

2022-01-25T16:04:55+00:00

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

Taking Lessons From Sarasota Abroad2022-01-25T16:04:55+00:00

Using X-Rays to Estimate Dolphin Age

2020-10-28T15:47:08+00:00

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

Using X-Rays to Estimate Dolphin Age2020-10-28T15:47:08+00:00

The Bottlenose Epigenetic Aging Tool (BEAT)

2020-10-27T15:22:58+00:00

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

The Bottlenose Epigenetic Aging Tool (BEAT)2020-10-27T15:22:58+00:00
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