RESEARCH, CONSERVATION
AND EDUCATION SINCE 1970.
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The Sarasota Dolphin Research Program (SDRP) is a collaboration dedicated to dolphin research, conservation and education.
It began in 1970 at Mote Marine Laboratory when Blair Irvine and high school student Randy Wells started a pilot tagging study to find out whether dolphins on Florida's central west coast remained in the area or traveled more widely. In 1974, with a contract from the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission, they were joined by Michael Scott and expanded the study with radio-telemetry.
Their subsequent discovery of long-term residency set the stage for today's efforts by demonstrating opportunities to study individually identifiable dolphins throughout their lives in a natural laboratory setting.
Our work is conducted under the name "Sarasota Dolphin Research Program." This name ties together several organizations dedicated to ensuring the continuity of our long-term research, conservation and education efforts in Sarasota Bay and elsewhere.
The SDRP has been operated by the Chicago Zoological Society (CZS) since 1989.
"Dolphin Biology Research Institute," is a Sarasota-based 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation established in 1982. It provides logistical support with research vessels, towing vehicles, computers, cameras, field equipment, etc.
Since 1992, the program has been based at Mote Marine Laboratory on City Island in Sarasota Bay, with office, lab, storage and dock space and easy access to boat launching ramps within the home range of the Sarasota Bay resident dolphins.
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Notes from the Field and Lab...
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Randall Wells, Ph.D., Director
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I hope you have been able to celebrate the holidays with your friends and loved ones and are approaching  the new year with enthusiasm.
As you may have gathered from your copy of Nicks'n'Notches, it has been a busy year for our team, in terms of research, conservation and education.
Over the decades, we had assisted three of the four moms:
- During a health assessment in 1988, we removed a stingray barb from the head of the yearling's mother.
- We were among the first responders when Ginger stranded on Siesta Beach in 2008, within sight of where we were watching her with her second calf.
- Nellie, who we rescued and disentangled from plastic line embedded in the skin around her head in 2010, was in the group, with her first calf.
Who knows how many of these six dolphins would be with us today had it not been for SDRP's help?
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you again for your interest in the SDRP and your support. We learned and accomplished a great deal in 2017 and look forward to learning more and doing all we can for dolphins and their habitat in the coming year.
Wishing you all the best and a "porpoiseful" 2018,
Randy Wells
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Please Consider Supporting the Work We Do This Holiday Season
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If you believe in the work we do and will be making any charitable donations before the end of the year, please consider supporting the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program.
OR
- You can mail a check to Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, 708 Tropical Circle, Sarasota, FL 34242
Gift checks mailed via U.S. Postal Service with check date on or before Dec. 31, 2017 will be counted for 2017, regardless of when they are received. Gifts
made online before midnight EST on Dec. 31, 2017, will be counted for 2017.
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