The Sarasota Dolphin Research Program:
Our Approach to Helping Dolphins
Our Approach to Helping Dolphins
We conduct the longest-running study of a wild dolphin population in the world and have been learning about the daily lives and threats to the dolphins of Sarasota Bay, Florida, since our program began in October 1970.
Today, we share our knowledge through national and international collaborations designed to help conserve wild dolphin populations — not just in Florida and in the U.S., but throughout the world.
Our goal with every research and conservation project that we undertake locally, nationally and internationally is to contribute to a better understanding of the structure and dynamics of dolphin, whale, and porpoise populations, as well as the natural and human-induced factors that impact them.
UNCOVERING
THE SECRET LIVES OF
DOLPHINS
We’ve documented six generations of dolphins in Sarasota Bay, including the oldest-known wild dolphin in the world. Nicklo lived to age 67.
50-plus years of study has given us an unparalleled window into the world of wild dolphins. Our home base, Sarasota Bay, Florida, is a unique natural laboratory where we have spent a half-century studying their lives — we know their lineages, their companions, their favorite hangouts and even their eating habits. We’ve borne witness to hundreds of dolphin births and been there to learn what we could from dolphin deaths.
These coastal dolphins are a permanent community — our neighbors — whose lives are helping us to understand dolphin populations throughout the world.
THREATS TO WILD
DOLPHINS
DOLPHINS
As top predators in their environments, dolphins face few natural threats. But locally and worldwide, they face numerous threats from anthropogenic — human induced — causes. One part of our mission is to help educate people like you on how you can help keep wild dolphins safe.
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DONATE!
Donors help make it possible for us to conduct the scientific research needed to develop dolphin conservation plans and educate people on how they can help wild dolphin communities. You can help us put what we’ve learned into action and improve the lives of dolphins in Sarasota Bay and throughout the world simply by making a donation today. Thank you for your support!
WHERE WE WORK
Conservation or Research Project
Graduate Student Theses
Consulting/Advising 
Dolphin Tracking
FEATURES
SDRP Earns Disney Conservation Hero Award
SDRP staff includes (top row, in the tower) Jonathan Crossman, Dr. Katie McHugh; (middle
Evaluating Costs and Benefits of Intervention
Evaluating the costs and benefits of intervening when dolphins face life threatening entanglements
Dolphin Rescue: 2615
2615 Rescued from Fishing Line Entanglement During our May 2024 dolphin health assessments, we conducted a disentanglement
Stow it! Don’t Throw It!
Creating Monofilament Collectors to Help Save Dolphins from Entanglement Did you know
Dolphin Conservation Takes a Team Effort
Dolphin conservation is a team effort — from working together to understand dolphins and their communities,
Plastic and Plastic Compounds in Dolphins
Studying the Impacts of Plastics and Plastic Compounds in Sarasota Bay Dolphins
Eye in the Sky
Using Aerial Drones for Dolphin Research SDRP has a long history of taking to the
Understanding Offshore Dolphin Behavior
High-resolution data-loggers reveal fine-scale movement and foraging behavior of offshore dolphins “Bill,” an Atlantic spotted dolphin, with a
What’s on the Menu?
Since 1970, we’ve been studying Sarasota Bay’s dolphin community — getting to know their lineages, their companions and even
Notes from the Lab and Field
This Atlantic spotted dolphin nicknamed Hannah was tagged 45 miles offshore of Sarasota using a new tool we developed.
