Five Generations of Dolphins
The research focuses on five generations of bottlenose dolphins that reside year-round in Sarasota Bay. The population includes about 150 animals, most of which can be identified by Wells and his team of researchers. For more than 50 years, researchers have collected biological, behavioral, ecological, and health data, and the data are repeatedly used in scientific studies, as well as public policy decisions that can help protect marine animals.

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Study
A study was released in December 2013 that shows a clear link between dolphin illnesses and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The study compared the health of dolphins living in an area hit hard by the spill to the health assessment of dolphins that are part of the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program. The data collected helped in the analysis of the impact that the oil spill has had on dolphins in the area.

To read a National Public Radio story about the study, click here.

Support the SDRP
As we celebrate over 50 years of this highly successful research and conservation program, and as we look to an uncertain future, we ask that you join us by making a contribution to support the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program. Your support helps to ensure that SDRP continues as a leader in the effort to understand and protect the dolphin populations in Sarasota Bay and elsewhere around the world. We can’t thank you enough for your generous support!

To make a contribution to the BZC’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, click here and be sure to choose “Sarasota Dolphin Research Program” in the gift-designation drop-down menu or contact: Claire Broadhead, Major Gifts Officer, at 708.688.8667 or email Claire.Broadhead@BrookfieldZoo.org.

Photographs taken by Brookfield Zoo Chicago's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program under National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Scientific Research Permit Nos. 15543 and 20455.