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the early 50s, and Karen, who at age 27 is in the upper area of life span for California sea lions, are living testaments to the longevity that’s possible when marine

mammals enjoy the finest care we can provide.

We’ve gone from the early years of sometimes not knowing that a dolphin was pregnant until very late in the gestation period, to being able to thoughtfully manage our family’s numbers. We’ve learned so much about the importance

of genetic diversity and continue to see success in our artificial insemination efforts, all of which help ensure the future health of the DRC pod.

Training voluntary husbandry behaviors, endlessly exploring advancements in medical care, the ability to purchase and use portable medical equipment, and other efforts have all greatly advanced both the preventative care and overall wellness maintenance of the animals. Everything we do harkens back to the core of our basic mission that says the wellbeing of the animals always takes precedence.

Research is our middle name,

Step back in time with us to 1984. Olympic Games were held in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, and in the U.S. in Los Angeles. The first Apple Macintosh computer went on sale. Great Britain’s Prince Harry was born. Bruce Springsteen released Born in the U.S.A. which we listened to on the first commercial CD players. We paid an average of $2.50 for a movie ticket to see popular films like Ghostbusters, Terminator, and Splash.

Meanwhile, in February of 1984, two dedicated, determined dreamers named Mandy and Jayne Rodriguez were working for a small nonprofit facility on Grassy Key that was then called the Institute for Delphinid Research. The founder, who had succeeded in his research goals, offered them the facility, the dolphins and the debt if they were willing to take on the challenge. They were, and then founded Dolphin Research Center.

Flash forward, and that dream is still growing strong. We’re now celebrating our 30th anniversary!

On the DRC website is a section called Our History. It’s a digital walk down memory lane with photos and stories that show how we began and some of the things we’ve innovated in 30 years. We can start with the amazing dolphins and sea lions in the family who have taught us and hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world about marine mammals. To think that Tursi, the first successful calf born on these grounds in the Flipper’s Sea School era of the early 70s, is approaching her 41st birthday! She is just as robust and engaging as ever. Tursi, her friend Molly whose age is estimated in

Photo by: Arielle Valle

Vol. 30, No. 5 The Newsletter of Dolphin Research Center September/October 2014

More Than ThirtyYears of Teaching...Learning...Caring...for Marine Mammals and Our Environment

Dolphin SocietyFi

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ThirTy years of Teaching, Learning, caring

Thirty Years of Teaching, see page 23

Tursi was the first successful birth here, even before we were DRC. She is still, always, a joy to watch and work with.

2 Dolphin Society Newsletter

Become ParT of

The advenTure

Dolphin Research Center is a not-for-profit organization that conducts in-novative research and education proj-ects. We invite you to join our unique family by becoming a member of the Dolphin Society. As a member, your tax-deductible donation will help us provide the best environment and care humanly possible for the dol-phins and sea lions who call DRC home. Your membership will also sup-port our manatee rescue program and provide the educational programs that encourage our guests to become am-bassadors for all marine animals and the environment we share. Annual memberships are available in several levels:

Individual ($40 for adults, $25 for full-time students with proof of enrollment) – receive a subscription to the Dolphin Society newsletter, our e-newsletter, a 10% discount on most gift shop items, free admission for one to DRC for one year, and one free guest pass.

Trio ($70) – receive all the benefits of an individual membership plus free ad-mission to DRC for up to three people for one year.

Gray Cross ($90) – receive all the bene-fits of the Trio membership plus a sub-scription to our quarterly Gray Cross newsletter and free admission to DRC for up to four people for one year.

Sponsor ($150) – receive all the ben-efits of the Gray Cross membership plus the opportunity to sponsor a nar-rated session at DRC and admission for up to five people for one year.

Research Team ($500) – receive all the benefits of the Sponsor membership plus receive a personal tour of the Re-search Tower (by appointment) and admission for up to six people for one year.

Memberships can be purchased via our website at www.dolphins.org, by phone (305) 289-1121 X229, or by mailing your check or credit card num-ber to DRC, 58901 Overseas High-way, Grassy Key, FL 33050. Please note that memberships are not trans-ferable and the member must present photo identification for admission.

making connecTions One of the greatest joys of

working at Dolphin Research Center is getting to know so many amazing animals. Each dolphin and sea lion is unique and it is a privilege to form relationships with them. But, how do these relationships develop? Humans and animals bond in a variety of ways. It may appear that a trainer is just hanging out, playing, or observing, but in reality they are learning about that animal and building a relationship.

Often, a guest visiting DRC naively says, “Oh, look they are getting excited because they see their fish buckets”, or “They like you because they know you feed them”. Nothing makes trainers cringe more because the reality is that it is not about the fish. Food is just a small part of their sessions. Trainers use many techniques when interacting with the dolphins, including touches, toys, and favorite games. Some of the dolphins even prefer not to be offered fish during sessions.

DRC’s entire staff is given the privilege of “dock time”. Before and after work, we are allowed down on the floating platforms to interact with the dolphins. There is no food involved and it is always the dolphins’ choice whether to come over and interact. Often these dock times are more fun than structured training sessions. The dolphins love to come over and greet us. They might bring a ball of seaweed or a mangrove pod and expect you to throw it out so they can retrieve it again. Sometimes they bring up rings, balls, or scarves that they have hidden in their lagoons for playtime moments. Some take

advantage of willing hands to get extra backrubs. Baby dolphins love dock time and it is often during these experiences that they first touch people.

It’s interesting to see the creative games that different staff members play. Even more

amazing is that the dolphins remember who likes to play which games. They’ll offer them up the minute they see that staff member. Our Medical Director, Pat Clough, has a special fluke

pull she does with the dolphins. They eagerly give her their tails so she can pull back then push them forward while they glide through the water. Many of them get so excited by this that they pop up after screaming as if to say, “Do it again!”

It’s not about the fish and it never has been. No one knows this as well as two of our senior trainers who literally grew up at DRC. Kelly Jayne Rodriguez, daughter of co-founders Jayne and Mandy, and Jennifer Erb, daughter of our Vice President of Animal Care and Training, Linda Erb, spent much of their childhood entertaining our dolphins and getting to know them perhaps better than anyone ever could during training sessions alone.

One of Kelly Jayne and Jen’s favorite things was to play on surfboards. They would take out a large windsurfing board, pile their friends on it, and float out on the water. The dolphins loved it! Twenty years later, the dolphins still enjoy surfboard playtime. Many dolphins that began the fun years ago still participate. Santini loves

Kelly Jayne and Reese are forming a great relationship. K.J. grew up alongside his momma, Santini!

Connections, see page 23

Photo by: Myles Valle

September/October 2014

www.dolphins.orgInnerspace or cyberspace, the dolphins of Dolphin Research

Center look forward to your visit.

Adopt-A-DolphinYou can sponsor your favorite dolphin or

sea lion at DRC through our Adopt-A-Dolphin or Sea Lion program. Experi-ence the warm feeling that comes with knowing that you are helping to pro-vide for the care and feeding of your friend. Your tax-deductible donation for a membership will help us to fulfill our promise to provide the finest home hu-manly possible for our marine mammal family. Memberships are available in several levels:

E-Dolfriend ($25) – receive an electronic membership that includes a subscrip-tion to our monthly e-newsletter and an e-mailed full-color certificate with your favorite dolphin or sea lion’s picture and a biography about your friend you can print out at home.

Dolfriend ($50) – receive a subscription to the Dolphin Society newsletter, our e-newsletter, a 10% discount on most gift shop items, a color certificate with your dolphin or sea lion’s picture, a bi-ography about your friend, free admis-sion for two to DRC for one year, and one free guest pass.

Pod Pal ($100) – receive all the benefits of a Dolfriend membership plus a sub-scription to our Gray Cross newsletter and free admission to DRC for up to four people for one year.

Parent ($240) – Provide the ultimate sup-port for your friend by pledging $20 per month to sponsor one of their meals each month. You will receive all the benefits of a Pod Pal membership plus free admission for up to five people for one year and silver bucket stickers for your certificate to represent the meals you provided for your dolphin or sea lion friend.

Adopt-A-Dolphin or Sea Lion member-ships make a great gift and can be purchased via our website at www.dolphins.org, by phone (305) 289-1121 X229, or by mailing your check or credit card number to DRC, 58901 Overseas Highway, Grassy Key, FL 33050. Please note that memberships are not transferable and the member must present photo identification for admission.

Like many of the current staff and you who are members, my family and I, as well as the rest of the Board of Directors, first experienced Dolphin Research Center as visitors. Some of us, in fact, first walked onto the property in its pre-DRC days! Today, many people visit DRC and wonder why the Flipper Sea School sign is still on prominent display. It exists today as a physical reminder that even as the organization evolves we remember and stay true to our history. Back then, although mainly presenting entertainment for the tourists, the people involved with the marine mammals knew they were helping others, and themselves, form connections with these amazing animals. Even as Flipper Sea School, we inspired people to care.

The DRC family is growing so fast. Over the years since I first visited and in the time that I’ve served on the organization’s Board, I have been privileged to witness so much positive change! We have welcomed third and fourth generation dolphins, second generation staff and members into the fold. Still, our founding philosophies remain the same: all dolphins born here remain in the family forever; we provide a home for marine mammals in need; our research takes place in the public eye; and the care and welfare of the dolphins and sea lions in the family come first.

Several staff members recall when they supported the organization as members from afar. Those of us on the Board are not present on a daily basis, although we are able to visit several times a year. Whether you are local residents, or long distance members whose visits don’t happen as often as you’d like, we represent each of you every day in taking care of the DRC pod and educating each visitor. Thank you for your trust.

-Joanne Zimmerman Chairperson, Board of Directors

“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." – Henry Ford

As you will see by reading this year’s annual report, the Dolphin Research Center team does not perceive or feel intimidated by any obstacles. Our eyes are firmly focused on our goals. All members of the team and each facet of the organization are committed to creating the best possible situation for the animals that call DRC home. Our mission of teaching, learning and caring about marine mammals and the environment that we share continues to motivate all that we do.

The support of our members and guests forms the foundation for our spirit and determination. It allows us to provide the finest care for the dolphins and sea lions. We continue conducting research, educating and inspiring conservation in our guests. We can keep our eyes on our goals because we know that each of you shares our ideals of improving the health of the oceans and all its inhabitants.

To ensure that DRC will be able to continue our mission we have embarked on an ambitious 10 year Master Plan. We want to enhance the marine mammals’ habitats, improve the visitors’ experience and provide even more opportunities for teaching, learning and caring. Please know that the heart and spirit of DRC remain the same and we are not traveling away from our roots. These efforts are all goal-oriented. As the plans come to fruition, DRC will continue to be a strong, viable and relevant organization today and far into the future.

-Rita Irwin, President & CEO and Mandy Rodriguez, Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer

from drc LeadershiP

from The Board of direcTors


Special Needs, see page 16

voLunTeer resources deParTmenT The volunteers continue to

assist Education with on-and off-site outreach programs. They are also still gardening for the birds and added sunflowers this spring for seeds for their afternoon treats. It is not always easy staying ahead of the chickens and iguanas but Buck loves the cherry tomatoes! Our volunteers can always be relied upon to facilitate special events, whether it means arriving early for preparations or staying late for cleanup.

Other not-so-routine accomplishments this year included wrapping thirty Christmas gifts provided by one of our members for Santa to present to local preschoolers. They helped assemble furniture for the college residence and sorted through a myriad of boxes for recyclables and general clean up. They helped assemble library bookshelves in the Sanger Family Hall. They accompanied Volunteer Coordinator Sheri Pieloch as she made three separate trips with the

birds for annual veterinary check-ups.

Volunteers Ken Houglan, Gil Gilbertson and Glen Patterson constructed shake-shingle roofs for the aviary. Environmental Services staff began the project – the old tiki roofs from 2005 were beyond repair – but were happy to

pass it along to the skilled hands of these long-time volunteers. They drew plans and discussed the task over coffee in the VR break room then set to work. Early one

morning, after Ken, Gil and Glen were finished, a local contractor donated the time and equipment and then used a crane to lift the roofs, one at a time, over the nearby palm trees and lower them in place. Just to be on safe side, all seven birds were removed from the aviary and sat on the nearby picnic

tables from the comfort of their evacuation cages to watch the process.

The volunteers are so proud to participate in our programs for the Wounded Warrior Project. Their contributions include baking cookies, not just for the Soldier Ride but also now as a standard part of all WWP programs.

This year Animal Care and Training (ACT) recruited all interns and local volunteers for the crucial task

of pouring for the dolphins' voluntary watering behavior.

Participating in hands-on support to the dolphins is very significant and everyone stepped up to accept the responsibility and the

sPeciaL needs deParTmenT “Never, never, never give up.” -Winston Churchill

The Special Needs Department experienced a year of incredible guests who moved past personal life concerns and participated in a variety of dolphin programs. Their desire to fulfill a dream, overcome a challenge, or redefine and enhance their lives has been a privilege for staff to experience. Winston Churchill’s inspirational quote, “Never, never, never give up”, best describes each guest’s spirit, each dolphin’s personality and DRC’s commitment to assist and enable the dolphin interactions. This unique chemistry has created lifelong memories for all involved.

DRC’s public programs are available to everyone. The needs show up in a variety of ways and we have developed ongoing programs and means to meet those needs. Here is a glimpse of what the Special Needs Department scheduled, by removing a variety of potential obstacles throughout the past year.

Age was no barrier. Guests over ninety-years-old safely joined their families in Dolphin Encounters. A ninety-one year-old, long time DRC member wanted to do a dolphin swim “one last time”. DRC’s in-water staff assistance

ensured that her experience would be safe and joyful and that she would have pictures that captured the moment.

A health issue was no barrier. Through Make-A-Wish, we met a family traveling with their twenty-year-old daughter with late stage cancer. Timing the session was of utmost importance. Her doctors sealed her picc lines so she could experience time with a dolphin. She and her family experienced a very special Dolphin Dip thanks to their trainers, and dolphins A.J., Sandy and Rainbow. Yes, it took

VR, see page 19

A volunteer in the Led2Serve group helped out by cleaning protective flaps used at the Photo Tiki.

Photo by: Lauren Pickard

eight weeks to complete. The Aviary roofs had begun

to leak after the rainy season last

year, so it was definitely time for a replacement. The thatched roofs, although aesthetically pleasing, were not holding up. We decided to replace the thatching with cedar shingles. The roofs were built on the ground by some of our capable volunteers. With the help of one of our contractors, who donated his time and crane, the roofs were then set on top of the Aviary as staff watched and the Visual Communications Department took photos.

As stated earlier, we have seen some major expansion this

last year. The largest addition was of the adjacent property, which we all know now as the Sanger

Family Hall. The house on this property started as a vacation rental and now houses the Education Department, two meeting rooms and a library. This was a big move that included 11 staff members and the DRC reference library. ES met with Education to determine the overall use of the building. We then met with an architect to point out the changes to be made during the remodel. With drawings in hand, we received bids from contractors, got our permit, and work began. Environmental Services did as much work in house as we could to save money on the job. This included painting, installing shelves, cabinets, and countertops, installing lighting, and drywall repair. With the help of the Information Technologies (IT) department, we also ran all the network cable throughout the building. This was a

huge undertaking that we pulled together and finished. We helped Education move into their building in April.

Throughout the course of the year, we have been a support system for all other departments and they to us. We have worked together through so many projects and challenges as a team, a very, very large team. However, none of us could do any of it without the support of our members. Thank you.

-Sarah Rafajko, Environmental Services


environmenTaL services This last year has seen many

changes and much expansion for DRC, which has an enormous effect on the Environmental Services Department. Environmental Services is responsible for everything from the smallest plant to the largest building and everything in between. As DRC continues to grow, so does the demand on the facility’s support staff.

Last fall, we spent many weeks working on the lagoons baby proofing in anticipation for Aleta and Merina giving birth to Windley and Diva. Baby proofing for a dolphin is not really much different than baby proofing for humans. It entails diving out the lagoons and making sure there is no space that is large enough for a baby to get stuck and nothing accessible that they could ingest. While we’re on the topic of babies, Environmental Services also played a major role in the Artificial Insemination of Pandora and Calusa. The timing for A.I. is very precise and required that our staff be on call 24 hours a day and come to work in the middle of the night to perform the procedure. This process is a lot of work, but it’s all worthwhile when we get lucky enough to witness a birth.

As we are responsible for the upkeep of the habitats, it took a year for maintenance work to be done in the Sea Lion Habitat. We had a company come in and repair the concrete and we replaced the poles and fencing in house. A composite material that is corrosion resistant and will last forever was used. The project took a total of

One of the new roofs is carefully lowered onto the aviary.Photo by: Brittany Rohlmann


acT annuaL rePorT The Animal Care and Training

Department (ACT) had a fantastic year!

College of Marine Mammal Professions

In September 2013, DRC welcomed the first class of the College of Marine Mammal Professions. The five students worked right alongside our training team, building relationships with the animals, learning about training, and educating the public. For the ACT staff, this was an incredible opportunity to grow both as teachers and as trainers. Many of us designed curriculum, taught courses, and contributed to the growth of these students. We are incredibly proud to have been part of their journey.

New Family Members On November 6th, Aleta gave

birth to a healthy baby girl, named Diva. Full of spirit, she is learning what it means to come to the dock for sessions and how to identify her symbol. Members may recognize the half-moon shape. It belonged to Diva’s grandfather, Delphi. We thought giving his symbol to Diva was a fitting tribute to our beloved Delpher Dan.

Diva’s father is a dolphin named Gilly from SeaWorld. Gilly has a special story. He was found orphaned and entangled in a gill net when he was just a baby. Rescued by SeaWorld, then bottle fed and raised by them, he is an example of the great work marine mammal facilities do. Their efforts to save Gilly had lasting effects, including the birth of Diva for which DRC is particularly grateful.

Last year, Merina delivered a baby girl named Windley on November 13th. A typical Merina child, she is bright, independent and loves the camera! Long before she came to the dock, Windley learned to grab people’s attention. She

taught herself to wave and greets people without any prompting from trainers.

Windley’s father is Fathom, also from SeaWorld. He is a big guy who is incredibly intelligent and enjoys interacting with people. With Fathom as her dad and Merina as her mom, Windley is sure to be a superstar.

Artificial Insemination In February we performed

artificial insemination again with Pandora and Calusa. Both girls seemed to enjoy the extra attention. Trainers and medical staff collected voluntary urine samples day and night. This was the most efficient way for our veterinarian to determine the best time to do the inseminations, so we needed to provide urine around the clock. The girls loved it! The late night parties seemed to be their favorite. When trainers showed up to ask for urine in the dark, Pandora and Calusa screamed with delight. Both of the

pregnancies are going well and we continue to monitor the health of the little bundles of joy carried by the sisters.

More Gating Fun We continue to have large

groups of dolphins living together. Sometimes as many as 13! Having such a number together is wonderful for their social dynamics, but can present some challenges with training. Often gating is the first behavior we lose because the dolphins are more interested in hanging with their friends than going into another lagoon. So, one of the biggest training goals of the last few years was for all the dolphins to gate into other pools whenever we asked, regardless of how big the group.

Of course, since our dolphins run the show, we certainly have days where someone doesn’t want to gate/sit next to someone else, especially when the kids are involved. Kids will be kids! Overall, they are doing great.

The success with the front lagoon led us to try the same goal with Rainbow, Sandy, Jax, A.J. and Tanner. In many ways, this group was more challenging. With adult males there are different social dynamics at play, and let’s face it, adult males are more distracted by their hormones. Despite the challenges, everyone rose to the occasion. Today we have fairly reliable gating with the five boys in all kinds of scenarios and we continue to work on even more.

Sea Lions It has been a great year for our

sea lion family. We continue to train many types of husbandry behaviors including voluntary blood, water, ultrasounds and x-rays. We also

Diva was only a few days old in this picture of her swimming along with mom Aleta.


took on the responsibility of overseeing a bird training plan. Now all the birds get regular training sessions. Staff from many departments joined the “bird team”,

committing time each week to train them.

The birds love the attention. They are learning husbandry behaviors such as wing trims, nail trims, and stepping up on a

scale. They also get lots of social time sitting on perches in various places around the facility. This helps DRC educate guests about the plight of parrots in the wild, the commitment of caring for an exotic pet and our overall mission to conserve and protect the environment.

-Loriel Keaton, Director of Animal Care and Training


spend time teaching the sea lions to go into kennels and crates. This behavior became quite valuable this past year when we needed to get some information about Kilo. He wasn’t acting like himself and needed some diagnostic procedures. Because we’d helped him get accustomed to it, he voluntarily walked into our medical crate so we could do a full body checkup.

Lina and Kilo have a great relationship. Lina regularly gets in Kilo’s pool with him and likes him to chase her around the habitat. Karen and Lina also developed more of a bond.

As Lina matures, she is more of a companion to Karen, rather than a nuisance that likes to steal ice and climb all over her. We often see Lina and Karen comfortably lying side by side in the sunshine.

This year we added a narrated

session each day specifically with sea lions. Guests really enjoy the opportunity to see and learn about them. Each day Karen, Kilo and Lina do their part to educate our

guests about sea lions and the conservation issues their wild cousins face. Kilo and Lina also participate in research games, helping us understand more about their cognitive abilities while fascinating visitors at the same time.

Bird Training 101 DRC is home to a number of

parrots that were once companion birds and found themselves in need of a home. The ACT Department

Little Windley stayed so close to mother Merina in her first days of life.

conferences DRC exchanges information and ideas with colleagues from around the world in the marine mammal, education and tourism communities. DRC staff attended various conferences and meetings including:

• The Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA) Executive Meeting in National Harbor, MD.

• The Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA) Educators Workshop in Vancouver, B.C., Canada

• International Marine Animal Trainers Association (IMATA) conference in Las Vegas, NV

• International Marine Animal Trainers Association Southeast Regional Workshop, Key Largo, FL

• American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA) conference in Kansas City, MO

• The International Association of Aquatic Animal Medicine (IAAAM) in Gold Coast, Australia

• Monroe County Environmental Educators Advisory Council (MCEEAC), Florida Keys, FL

• Florida Association of Science Teachers Conference, Miami, FL

• National Marine Science Educators Association Conference, Mobile, AL

• Florida Keys Area Contingency Committee, Key West, FL

• Florida Attractions Association Regional Forums, Miami, FL

• Florida Attractions Association Conference, St. Augustine, FL

• Florida Keys Hurricane Preparation Conference, Islamorada, FL

Photo by: Katy Donegan


marine mammaL rescue uPdaTe In the rescue business, no

news is definitely good news and we are happy to report that it was a fairly slow year for manatee rescue in the Florida Keys. At the request of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC), Dolphin Research Center’s (DRC) Manatee Rescue Team members responded to nine calls of reported manatees in distress. Of the nine assessments made by team members, five were for animals that had sustained boat strike injuries, three were for animals entangled in either monofilament or discarded ropes and one was reported to be lethargic and bumping into docks (likely napping and scratching). Fortunately none of the animals we assessed were in need of immediate rescue, although some were subsequently monitored.

For those of you that have been following along with our rescue efforts, it will come as no surprise that two of the three entanglement calls were for the clever Scott. Following multiple unsuccessful rescue attempts, over the span of several years, in March of 2013 Scott’s severely entangled left flipper began showing signs of self-amputation, the process by which the tightening entanglement cuts so deeply into the tissues that the limb is essentially amputated beyond the entanglement. As of April, 2014 we were able to confirm that the left flipper had indeed been amputated about midway into the flipper. The flipper appears to have healed and shows no signs of infection, though a less severe entanglement remains slightly above the amputation. We will continue to monitor him as reports come in and are pleased that his injuries are not life

threatening. We’re hopeful that he will continue to thrive and travel to our waters for many years to come.

Another old friend and ‘serial

entangler’, Bonnie, was also spotted this past year, with her most recent calf. When a call was received for a manatee entangled in trap line and dragging a submerged trap, team members quickly made their way to Plantation Key and immediately recognized Bonnie and her offspring. She was resting in a canal behind Casa Mar Village and an observing business owner shuttled us over on his nearby boat to have a closer look. Fortunately there was no trap and no lines trailing from her flippers at the time we arrived, and both mother and calf appeared to be in good condition. Bonnie’s scarred flippers frequently catch monofilament and other debris, and there was some monofilament loosely wrapped on her left flipper though intervention was unwarranted as the line was quite loose and appeared to be just about to slide off.

After assessing Bonnie, team members were alerted by FWCC dispatch of another manatee, reported to have been hit by a boat, just across the highway. We raced over to a nearby dock, jumped on

the FWCC vessel and were given a ride to the location by an FWCC officer. We could see the manatees from a distance and once we got

up close, it was apparent that there were actually two manatees present, and that both had superficial wounds consistent with fresh boat strike injuries. The animals appeared to be behaving normally, surfacing intermittently to breathe and avoiding our boat. It seemed that both animals had been resting and were probably struck by the same boat. Fortunately their wounds were likely to heal well on their own.

We are often amazed by the healing abilities of

manatees in the wild. One such manatee was a female animal with a reported boat strike injury. She had a small calf with her when we arrived at her location behind Coconut Cay Resort, in Marathon, and both were resting at the surface when I arrived on the scene. The mother manatee had extensive, though healing, wounds from a boat propeller on her back and tail. The calf appeared unaffected. We monitored their behavior and went back to check on the pair over the next several weeks. Fortunately, all wounds appeared to be healing well with no signs of complications and the mother was observed on multiple occasions feeding and behaving normally while her calf played and rested nearby.

Little Pilgrim, the juvenile orphaned manatee, that was rescued around Thanksgiving of 2012, also showed us just how resilient he was. After being taken to Miami Seaquarium for treatment of boat strike injuries and some growing up following his rescue, Pilgrim healed well,

Pilgrim did great in his rehabilitation and was happily released earlier this year.

Rescue, see page 19

Photo by: Kara Pascucci


visuaL communicaTions For a small island facility,

Dolphin Research Center has been a very busy place this past year, and the Visual Communications Department is no exception!

As always, we continued to work closely with other departments to support the needs of our animal family. Our staff was on the docks documenting baby Diva’s birth, her first breath, and first swim around the lagoon. The hours after a dolphin is born are extremely busy for us. We race to find the perfect media photo, and create a short video clip of the proud Mama and calf. Windley was born less than a week later. For the next several weeks we took photos and shot video daily. This allowed our medical team to evaluate the growth and development of each young calf during her critical first

weeks of life.As in the past, we worked with

the Special Needs Department in welcoming groups of Wounded Warriors. This past year DRC hosted three Project Odyssey retreats, in March, April, and June. Project Odyssey is a multi-day event during which the men and women get the opportunity to interact with our dolphins during several sessions, including a special, non-structured enrichment session where extreme fun is always had by all, especially the dolphins. Our task is to document each interaction over the course of three days with individual and group photos and then provide the warriors with a disc of all their photo memories to take home.

Additional ongoing projects included maintaining the Gift

Shop inventory of matted photos, magnets, and notecards, providing photos and creating the layout for the Dolphin Society newsletter, and selecting photos to accompany the stories shared on DRC’s blog and social media accounts.

Special projects this year included the first ever V.I.P. Photo Shoot, which was auctioned off during our bi-annual Founders’ Weekend. Sheila Henriquez was the lucky winner, and she and her sister spent a fun filled session down on the docks with the amazing dolphin Pax, Senior Trainer Kelly Jayne Rodriguez, and Senior Photographer Katy Donegan. It was hard to tell who had the most fun! All the photos were reviewed and professionally edited before being presented to

VisComm, see page 13

corPoraTe affairs In October 2013 Dolphin Research Center was very excited to announce a 10 year Master Plan to enhance

the facility that Mandy and Jayne Rodriguez lovingly took on 30 years ago. This ambitious plan will include enhancements of animal habitats, new staff offices, new exhibits and improved customer amenities. This effort was kicked off by the acquisition of land to either side of the existing facility, providing us with the new Sanger Family Hall to the west plus well needed additional space to the east.

This is a massive project and currently one of the primary focuses of the Corporate Affairs Department. The Director of Corporate Affairs is managing the project and working to ensure the final objectives of each phase are met while remaining committed to DRC’s mission and philosophy. In this current fiscal year there are several focuses:

• A complete upgrade and enlargement of the existing Fish House to provide improved efficiency, additional space for food prep of all animal diets and additional cold storage for our dolphin and sea lion coolers

• New, improved Animal Care & Training Department offices and storage for equipment, dolphin toys, etc., offset from the current Fish House building and offices

• A spacious, welcoming Visitor Center at the front of the facility. A brand new entry, ticketing and photo sales building will be erected, offset from the current Gift Shop, which will remain as retail space and become the exit. This will transform into a more spacious, customer friendly area to accommodate our guests’ needs and increase retail and office space with additional indoor areas to entertain/educate our guests during ‘rain’ delays.

Future plans include new and enhanced animal habitats, an improved guest changing/lockers/restroom area in a more central location, relocation of café with waterfront seating, enhancement of the island ‘T’ at the back of the facility overlooking both the lagoons and the beautiful Gulf of Mexico, office renovations, further improvements to guest parking areas and an enhanced splash pad and dry play area.

Many thanks to all who have already supported this effort. We’ll be sure to keep you up to date as we move forward!

-Gail Murray Director of Corporate Affairs


exPanding educaTionaL endeavors DRC history was made this

year as the inaugural class of the College of Marine Mammal Professions got underway resulting in our first graduates of the Associate of Science in Marine Mammal Behavior Care and Training program. This was a tremendous effort both administratively and by faculty to create processes and content for the college and its programs. Students worked side by side with CMMP faculty and DRC staff during the rigorous 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, 36 week program. This included very extensive, hands on, grueling work in dietary preparation, animal care, husbandry, training and presentations as well as animal habitat maintenance.

An indicator of a successful program is job placement and most of the students were awarded

employment in the field even before commencement! We were inspected by the Commission for Independent Education who were incredibly impressed with

the academic program we built and all of the student services we developed, which included scholarships, housing, general career skill development and career

counseling. The success of the inspection led to our annual license meaning we are a college able to issue degrees.

Our Outreach Program had its own historic moments starting with a year-long partnership between Dolphin Research Center, Stanley Switlik Elementary in Marathon and the Marathon business Community to provide a marine science program to all students from pre-school through 5th grade. Specialized curriculum was written and aligned with standards used in Florida. Every student at the school participated in the program which included DRC visiting each class for presentations, a field trip

to nearby nature sites to conduct marine field research activities as well as onsite activities at Dolphin Research Center.

Jax was one of the many great dolphin and sea lion “teachers” to the CMMP students, including Carly Greenspan.

The numBers

Education, see page 18


Income FY2014

Program Revenues 57.95% 4,923,285$ 57.95%Membership & Development 26.11% 2,217,988$ 26.11%Gift Shop 11.95% 1,015,139$ 11.95%Other .76% 64,962$ 0.76%Dolphin Lab Tuition 3.23% 274,777$ 3.23%

8,496,151$ 100.00%

Expenses FY2014

** Public Programs 69.92% 4,481,805$ 69.92%Membership & Development 2.11% 135,095$ 2.11%Gift Shop 7.48% 479,555$ 7.48%Research 2.95% 189,361$ 2.95%Volunteer Resources 1.63% 104,480$ 1.63%Management & Admin 15.9% 1,019,326$ 15.90%

6,409,623$ 100.00%

2,086,528$

* At press time, FY14 Audit is underway.** Includes animal care expenses.

Program Revenues 57.95%

Membership & Development26.11%

Gift Shop 11.95%

Other .76%

Dolphin Lab Tuition 3.23%

** Public Programs 69.92%

Membership & Development2.11%

Gift Shop 7.48%

Research 2.95%

Volunteer Resources 1.63%

Management & Admin 15.9%


memBershiP The last fiscal year was a great one for

Membership! Not only have we seen donations and new membership growth but we’ve also seen an increase in current member renewal support and participation.

We are very excited that we have 730 new members in our family. We set our revenue goal on the high side for the year at $227,000. However, because of the increase in new members, we surpassed that goal, with revenue reaching $245,787.

Not only were our members and donors very generous to us but the support we received in other areas was also amazing. Every year we hold a Members’ Only event to thank our member family and give everyone a special day to spend with dolphins. Last year we broke all records with 384 members and their guests in attendance for an afternoon of food, fun, and a spectacular sunset celebration as the dolphins showed off their amazing athletic abilities.

On behalf of everyone at DRC we’d like to thank all of our members for making the year a tremendous success. We could not fulfill our mission without this much needed and extremely generous support!

-Sandy Dennison, Director of Membership & Development

For everyone here at DRC, the end of another fiscal year provides an ideal occasion to reflect upon the accomplishments and events that shape our organization. Most importantly, it gives us all an opportunity to acknowledge the incredible support we have received to make it all possible.

We have been very fortunate to add two new family members to our lagoons in our fiscal year ending June 30, 2014. We were thrilled to welcome Diva & Windley to the family, and we were additionally overjoyed to receive over $225,000 in general operating support from individuals and family foundations to provide them and all the animals in our care with the best home possible.

Donor directed giving totaled over $1,300,000 including a very

generous $1,000,000 gift from the Sanger Family for the new Hall, $100,000 which is the first payment on a $500,000 multi-year commitment for expansion of our Research and a $20,000 scholarship for the College of Marine Mammal Professionals (CMMP). We received $20,000 for the Kibby Memorial Scholarship Fund for a deserving CMMP student. Steve Simpson and Catherine Swift-Simpson donated another $2,000 a year memorial scholarship. The library also received a $2,500 donation from Dr. Jennifer E. Martin towards books and educational products.

In November 2013, we held our biennial “Founders” event and raised over $100,000. Elizabeth Nicholson gave $20,000 for our Master Plan. M. Elaine Crocker donated $11,500 to our medical

department for an Olympus Video endoscope.

Our donors, again and again, have proven how dedicated they are to the well-being of our dolphins & sea lion family, and in return, the dolphins share with us their enthusiasm and optimism so critical for many of us during these challenging times. Although we say it as often as we can, I don’t think we can ever say it enough; thank you for all that you do. We are all truly grateful.

For those interested in making a major gift to promote our efforts, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at (305) 289-1121, ext. 205, or via email at [email protected]

-Sandy Dennison, Director of Membership & Development

deveLoPmenT

Santini wowed the crowd during the Members’ Only Event.Photo by: Donald McMullen

Attract. Engage. Inform. These actions sum up much of the work of the Media and Marketing Department at Dolphin Research Center. Whether it’s in media stories, advertising, or the posts, articles and pictures we send out, we seek to attract the attention of the public. We can then connect them to DRC, and inform them about the organization’s mission, activities and, of course, the amazing animals that call us home.

Social Media DRC continues

to use social media to its best advantage. Last year at this time, we were excited to approach 12,000 “Likes” on Facebook after having the page for four years. As of the end of June, 2014, we’d passed 34,000 “Likes” – a terrific growth. People love engaging with us online and we love the connections fostered through these virtual conversations.

Photographs spur the greatest reactions. We’re lucky to work with the super-talented DRC Visual Communications staff. Whether a touching picture of a wounded warrior connecting with a dolphin friend, a fun photo “postcard”, or a #SelfieSaturday about a particular dolphin or sea lion, the images are spectacular. For example, a picture of two dolphins leaping at sunset was so popular that more than 1,100 Facebook users shared the photo on their own timelines. That extended the reach of the message to close to 100,000 people!

The number of Twitter followers continues to grow, too, topping 1,000 by year’s end. It’s fun to see DRC guests tag us when they tweet and post photos about

their visits. More and more people go to

Trip Advisor to research vacation activities or to post reviews of what they’ve done. A year ago, there were 300 total reviews about DRC, gained in a 10 year span. That number increased to 850 reviews

in a single year! An overwhelming majority of visitors love what they experience here. For the third year in a row, we’ve earned Trip Advisor’s Certificate of Excellence because of the wonderful number of terrific reviews. This motivates other potential visitors to check us out.

We closed the fiscal year by joining forces with other members of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums in a first-of-its-kind social media promotion – World Oceans Month. Facilities posted daily messages and photos about marine mammals, the ocean environment and important conservation topics on their Facebook and Twitter pages. Each message was united into an information stream by using the hashtag #OurWorldOceans.

We’re still analyzing the overall impact, but participating engendered a positive force that

perfectly fit the DRC mission of teaching, learning and caring!

I was asked to join the Alliance Communications Committee as its Vice-Chair and DRC will continue to work with our colleagues around the world on more initiatives.

Media It was another

hot year for media visits. In August, an Associated Press (AP) reporter distributed a story about DRC’s research study Switching Strategies: A Dolphin’s Use of Passive and Active Acoustics to Imitate Motor Actions. (Known in-house as Blindfolded Imitation 2.)

AP stories move in print and online and include video and photos, all of

which generates significant news coverage. Major news outlets, both local and international, as well as small affiliates and papers carried the story, including ABC News, Washington Post, Boston Globe and Huffington Post just to name a few. The story drew the attention of other news outlets who produced their own stories.

The reporter returned a few months later for a story we pitched to her about the College of Marine Mammal Professions and included the care practices we develop for the older members of the marine mammal family like Molly and Karen.

Numerous other media shoots were coordinated for various programs, including: the BBC/Nova programs Inside the Animal Mind and Human Universe; Dive Marathon; Gator Boys; UP Network; Save My


media and markeTing

A group from the Wounded Warrior Project was filmed watching dolphins for the Carry Forward Awards video.



Tank; Florida Keys Celtic Festival; Wounded Warrior Project’s Soldier Ride; and Precision Training. We also worked with the Wounded Warrior Project as they produced a video about DRC and Special Needs Director Joan Mehew for the Carry Forward Awards ceremony.

Dozens of journalists, travel writers, photographers and tour operators visited in person, contacted us for media interviews through email or by phone, requested photos, and responded to story pitches and press releases that we issued. To assist in promoting DRC activities, we developed an overview video about DRC and a video about the Special Needs Dolphin Pathways program.

Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations

Dolphin Research Center increased our visibility and

brochure distribution to potential visitors by joining both the Islamorada and Key Largo Chambers of Commerce in addition to our long-standing membership in the Marathon and Key West Chambers. We explored additional digital advertising with Visit Florida and the Florida Keys official website. Co-op advertising opportunities through the Florida Keys Tourist Development Council, Florida Attractions Association, and Visit Florida continued to provide good return on our reasonable investments.

Local media in the Keys is consistently supportive, placing our press releases that we issue to promote everything from our Holiday Photos program to Veterans Day Admission offers, bridge cleanups, blood drives, and more!

Sometimes our efforts take

an on-site community approach. Each year Dolphin Research Center co-hosts a Business After Hours for the Marathon Chamber of Commerce. We partner with Centennial Bank and welcome between 150 and 200 people for the event.

DRC’s Website The beautiful, redesigned

Dolphin Research Center website (www.dolphins.org) launched in July 2013. While some departments update their particular areas, this department provides assistance where needed, creates new content, such as the section for Special Occasions, and handles updates in areas not maintained by other departments.

-Mary Stella Director of Media & Marketing

Sheila and Carlene on a DVD along with a high-quality proof sheet of all the images.

The entire facility was busy this year supporting our first class of the College of Marine Mammal Professions. Specifically, VisCom was responsible for photographing and filming the students working with the animals throughout their year, working with Education to design and produce degrees and transcripts for the students, documenting their graduation with photos and video, taking individual and group graduation photos, and creating an end of the year video celebrating all of their hard work and good times. What a cool endeavor to be a part of!

Program photos and customer service continued to play a major role in our daily operations. We added a fifth view/order station to our Tiki in order to increase

the speed with which we are able to show and sell photos. Environmental Services helped

us create a nice, shaded spot for our guests as they waited, and photographer Kara Pascucci, who is a member of the Bird Team at DRC, often brought one of the blue and gold macaws, Calypso, over to stand on his perch and “talk” with the guests as they stood in line!

Finally, VisCom staff members strove to take an active role

in DRC’s corporate goal of of providing facts and evidence of the excellent care we give and

the value there is in having dolphins in human care. We provided almost daily photos to the Media Department for use in spreading our mission far and wide via Facebook, Twitter and other social media. Some of us shared these photos and messages on our own personal pages. We made the effort to use our “tiki-time” wisely; chatting with guests as they wait for their photos is the perfect time to answer questions, share animal tidbits, ask them about their experience with the dolphins and further develop

the appreciation and understanding of our mission that people leaving DRC take with them. After all, that’s why we all work so hard to do what we do!

-Kara Pascucci Senior Photographer

VisComm, from page 13

Photographer Katy Donegan captured this tender moment between Founder Sheila Henriquez and Pax.


an educaTionaL TimeLine of

November 26th Tursi, a Flipper daughter, was born. She was the first successful birth on the grounds.

1984DRC was officially founded as a not for profit education and research facility open to the public

19851973

We launched our first DolphinLab class, welcoming students who stayed for a week to learn about and experience dolphins, the ocean and what we can do to protect their wild counterparts. All of the dolphins, like Pandora, are still teaching eager students.

1986We were the first facility to offer a structured swim program to the public. To this day, Dolphin Encounter remains the most popular interactive program, providing guests with a safe, educational, fun-filled experience. Gypsi is delighted to share time with visitors in the water.

1991

Sandy and Rainbow arrived from the New England Aquarium.

1996After the Sugarloaf Sanctuary is shut down, the government confiscates Molly and asks DRC to provide her with a permanent home.

2010

Luna, the first DRC fourth generation dolphin, is born.

In DRC’s first Blindfolded Imitation study, Tanner and A.J. showed us that dolphins can imitate without using their vision by listening to a characteristic sound of a behavior. In a follow-up study, published in 2013, Tanner imitated a human in the water while blindfolded. This confirmed that dolphins could be flexible at problem-solving in imitation.

2011After multiple strandings, the government deemed Lina unreleasable and she flies in from a California rehabilitation center, becoming the youngest member of the sea lion family.

2012

A few weeks later, Louie makes the trip from Louisiana, a survivor of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and joins the DRC pod.

In response to the limited availability of licensed professional educational programs that prepare individuals for careers regarding the behavior, care and training of marine mammals, the College of Marine Mammal Professions was established. Pax was happy to be one of the dolphin instructors

Photo by: Katy DoneganPhoto by: Victoria Cella

Photo by: Brittany Rohlmann



Photo by: Kara Pascucci

Photo by: Samantha North

Photo by: DRC staff

Photo by: Victoria Cella



doLPhin research cenTer

2002

Kilo becomes part of the DRC sea lion family from SeaWorld, Orlando.

2005With the publication of Understanding of the Concept of Numerically “Less” in Bottlenose Dolphins, DRC demonstrates conclusively that dolphins understand numbers concepts. Talon was one of the dolphins in the study.

2006

Merina gives birth to Cayo, the first DRC calf successfully conceived through artificial insemination. Flagler, Windley, Diva and Reese were also conceived via A.I.

2008After rescue and rehabilitation, Jax finds a forever home at DRC.

Karen, our senior sea lion, retires to DRC from Gulf World.

2010DRC becomes the first to explore object permanence in dolphins with the publication of What Do Dolphins Understand about Hidden Objects. Calusa was one of several dolphins to take part in this study.

Reese was born and named in honor of his grandmother, Theresa, the most seasoned and long term member of the DRC family and who trainers referred to as the “Director of Human Care and Training”.

2013Wounded Warrior Project chooses Joan Mehew, Director of Special Needs and DRC as inspirational individuals who truly carry forward the WWP mission and make a difference in the lives of wounded service members and their families. Here, Delta shows love to a WWP guest.

Today

DRC continues to be a leader in marine mammal research. Through monitoring calf development, finding new ways to promote a healthy lifestyle for dolphins, and ongoing cognition studies, we continue to understand more about the lives of dolphins, sea lions and their aquatic world. Gambit approves!

In an effort to always help the dolphins’ wild counterparts and other marine species, DRC continues to be a leading facility in the world of marine mammal research. Through monitoring social calf development, finding new ways to promote a healthy lifestyle for the dolphins and ongoing cognitive studies, we continue to understand more about the lives of dolphins, sea lions and their aquatic world. Now we have embarked on a field research study too. Aleta, Diva, and all of the dolphins teach us more every day.

Photo by: Donald McMullen




Photo by: Cathy Jones



Photos by: Samantha North

Photo by: Charlene Griffus

Photo by: Samantha Pessolano

2009

Photo by: Evan Nangle


a village to make her dream come true.

A Sandy Hook family brought their beautiful eight-year-old daughter to DRC. A.J. and Sandy helped create new memories for the family to share. DRC followed up after their visit by sending them our Dolphin Magic DVD.

A travel organization that specializes in arranging vacations for adults with special needs experienced the attention and care we provide for groups participating in our public programs. The participants enjoyed various dolphin programs. Everyone had their need met and enjoyed the experiences. The organization now plans to make yearly visits.

New beginnings and never giving up comes in many forms. DRC’s donors and grants from various organizations, continue to support our military programs. They make it possible for us to plan events for service members and their families to come as our guests and enjoy some dolphin time. DRC’s commitment to our nation’s veterans and active duty military, and our working partnership with Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) have brought increasing numbers of warriors and their families to us. The programs are created to support goals that promote a healthy transition to civilian life for our severely wounded service members.

The WWP recognized our commitment and passion for supporting wounded warriors and their families by awarding us a grant and choosing Joan Mehew, Director of Special Needs, as a recipient of their Carry Forward

Awards. DRC hosted its annual WWP

Soldier Ride in January 2014. This visit was made possible by the generous donation of the Charles Evans Foundation. The endowment

ensures that the Soldier Ride visit is an annual event. The WWP adaptive cycling ride from Miami to Key West stops at DRC for a dolphin interaction and luncheon. Many of the warriors have been wounded in mind, body or spirit. Reconnecting with nature through a dolphin experience hopefully helps pave the way for a healthy transition back to civilian life.

Fifty-two warriors cleared to get in the water traveled from Walter Reed National Medical Center in Maryland, Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC), in Texas, and various areas in the southeastern states. Twenty-five WWP staff support and medical teams also attended. A Hero’s Welcome greeted their arrival and included DRC staff, volunteers, guests, local members, and veterans. The welcome was authentic and joyful. The warriors continually commented on how good it felt to have so many people show how much they cared for them. A luncheon was served overlooking the water and catered by La Trattoria. Wetsuits were

donated, sized, and distributed by Capt. Hooks Dive Center. The dolphin swim was very impactful for the warriors. Walter Reed staff took pictures during the swim to send back to the hospital staff, in

real time, showing how significant and positive the experience was for their patients.

WWP Project Odyssey’s three-day retreats for warriors diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder were scheduled at DRC. The following is feedback from a WWP Combat Stress Recovery Specialist staff member. “I just wanted to reach out and extend a very sincere thank you, from the bottom of our hearts,

for the amazing experience that you and your staff at the Dolphin Research Center provided our warriors. You just get a good feeling when you are around people who genuinely love what they do, and the warriors could sense that as well. Your staff that interacted with our warriors were amazing. Such caring, compassionate, and enthusiastic people. I have heard nothing but positive feedback from the warriors and it truly was a once in a lifetime experience for many, if not all, of them. I look forward to working with the Dolphin Research Center in the future and recommending your facility to others.”

The past year has been filled with many moments of guests reconnecting with nature through a unique dolphin experience. A common thread running through all of those special moments provided by the dolphins, is the opportunity to try something new and possibly challenging in their future.

-Joan Mehew Director of Special Needs

A group of warriors enjoyed interacting with Pax and Linda Erb (center) during the Soldier Ride visit in January.

Special Needs, from page 16



research deParTmenT It’s amazing how research at

DRC continues to grow, in our projects and publications, and in educating and inspiring people to respect and care about marine mammals. Of course, we couldn’t do it without you. The support of our members enables us to continue our studies.

Review Paper You all may remember

a few years ago, DRC published a study about Object Permanence in dolphins. The ability to reason about objects that have disappeared from view, which is known as object permanence, has been studied in many terrestrial animals, but the DRC study is the first to explore this with marine mammals. Since that time, a lot of studies have been published that tested object permanence in a variety of animals. With so many studies, and our own knowledge, DRC this year published a paper that summarizes the current state of understanding about this topic. This paper, “Do animals understand invisible displacement? A critical review”, was published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology.

Calf Studies What a joy it has been this

past year to observe little Windley and Diva for our calf independence and respiration rate studies!

Social interactions between mothers and calves aren’t easy to consistently observe in the wild, so observing our dolphin family gives us an opportunity to learn valuable information about social development. Just like with previous calves, we observe both girls daily to see how much time they spend with their moms (Merina and Aleta), how much time they spend with each other, and how much time they spend on their own. Over time, this kind of information will allow

us to discover patterns in calf development and maternal care.

We observe respiration rates at different times, and under varying circumstances, for one year for each calf. The idea is to figure out what is “normal” for each individual dolphin at DRC, and what factors affect respiration rates. When Windley and Diva were born, we started data collection

right away. Since calf respiration rates appear to differ from those of older dolphins, we will collect an additional year of respiration data in five years.

Field Research We’ve had a very busy year

as our field research project has really taken shape. Researchers that run a similar project in areas north of us worked with us to model our study to be comparable to others in the Gulf region. We trained in data collection practices, data management systems, photo-ID software, standards for photo scoring and fin classification, and cataloging. (A catalog represents the individual dolphins confirmed through photo identification in our study area.) Every month, the team is on the water collecting photos and data. Then it’s back to the office to index it all. Because we need to get close to wild dolphins for this research, DRC has a permit

from National Marine Fisheries to do so. It would, of course, be illegal otherwise to approach a wild dolphin so closely.

This project will look at the population dynamics and behavior of the dolphins of the Middle Keys. Our results will contribute significantly to agencies that are responsible for implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act,

and will have a direct impact on conservation efforts in waters surrounding the Middle Keys. The data we collect can also provide crucial information on this dolphin population in the event of an environmental catastrophe such as an oil spill. (For example: What was the dolphin population and distribution like before the catastrophe struck, and how has it changed afterwards?)

Other Notes From This Year

Some other interesting things happened in the Research Department this year, including:

•Our Director of Research, Kelly Jaakkola, PhD., was appointed to the editorial board of the Journal of Comparative Psychology.

•Kelly gave an invited talk at Harvard, discussing an overview of dolphin cognition.

•We presented a poster at the International Marine Animal Training Association’s conference on how we incorporate “thinking” games into our interactive programs and won First Place for poster presentations.

•We hosted a visiting researcher from the University of Jacksonville who is studying synchronous behavior in dolphins.

-Emily Guarino, Administrative Director of Research

and Kelly Jaakkola, Director of Research

These wild dolphins were spotted and photographed from the DRC causeway as part of our field research study.



Students learned about DRC and its animal family, comparing dolphin senses to human senses, adaptations and classification of marine mammals, the importance of sea grass habitats to apex predators, the health of our oceans and more. Presentations included strong conservation messages and hands on examination of such artifacts as dolphin bones and whale baleen. While DRC was the driving force in this program it would not have been possible without community involvement. Curry Hammock State Park waived the admission fee for the field research trips and Marathon individuals and businesses embraced the endeavor by providing the necessary funds for transportation and program materials by adopting classes. All 31 classes were sponsored within one month!

The success of this partnership was evident in the beautiful murals created by the children telling us what they learned or liked best about the experience. These are proudly displayed on the upstairs walls of the Sanger Family Hall. This raised awareness throughout Marathon about DRC’s mission and its connection to the community. We are excited to repeat the partnership again in this upcoming school year. Word about the program quickly spread throughout the Keys and we have been approached by other schools in Monroe County who also want to get involved.

Many other outreaches were given throughout the Keys, however in March we made a journey to Dare County Schools in North Carolina to offer an in-person program coupled with

distance learning. This is the second time DRC has visited the area. This year we visited twice the number of schools, which included seven in all, representing all school systems in Dare County and encompassing more than a thousand students and teachers.

This propelled a partnership for an ongoing distance learning program with both Kitty Hawk and Nags Head Elementary Schools throughout the upcoming school year.

DRC’s distance learning program has evolved tremendously over the past year, generating a consistently high quality product. Technology is rapidly improving and feedback from participants was essential in this process. All distance learning presentations are created to meet national curriculum standards, but we also work to tailor our programs to meet the state standards of the school for which we are giving presentations. We have created eight programs. Five for High Schools/Adults cover: Dolphin Anatomy and Physiology, Marine Mammal Conservation and Ecology, Research at DRC, Marine Mammal Training, and Marine Mammal Medicine. Three themes for elementary schools include: Energy Conservation, Nutrition and Growth, and Adaptations and Ecology of sea lions, iguanas, and

parrots. We continue to expand the curriculum we have to offer and the levels they reach and intend to begin an aggressive marketing plan over the next year to make both national and international entities aware of how they can connect to DRC at a distance.

Don’t worry, our other tried but true educational programs still go on successfully including a multitude of DolphinLabs for all ages and an increasingly large amount of Day Trip programs exposing children and adults alike to the wonders of marine mammals and ocean conservation. In fact, our activities have increased so much that it has forced us to get really creative with our time and resources to get it all done.

The next time you visit DRC you will see several new theater presentations available for our daily guests. ‘Survivor Stories’ features Jax, Louie, Lina and our old friend Buck. Others in the works will target the amazing contributions marine mammals in human care have provided in our understanding of wild populations as well as issues with invasive species and how DRC is helping to solve those problems.

We were privileged to make the big move into the Sanger Family Hall, a building purchased adjacent to DRC property, which solved our staffing, meeting rooms and educational equipment space needs. The staff is happily installed on the top floor which includes a dedicated studio for our Distance Learning program allowing us a quiet space where equipment can be placed permanently and not taken down after every program! The first floor encompasses two side-by-side meeting rooms with the added feature of a folding wall. When needed, that wall allows

Instructor Hannah Salomons engages young guests in learning more about Molly.

Education, from page 10

Education, see page 20



privilege. “Pouring” was previously a responsibility of trainers only with assistance from checked-off staff members and a small group of interns who were down on the dock more frequently. With a larger pool ready to help on the docks, ACT interns are giving Theater Presentations, formerly done only by Education staff and interns.

ACT also reached out to the volunteers to provide extra eyes and hands for additional behavioral observations. Giving volunteers this level of responsibility is significant and everyone who was asked volunteered for extra hours to help.

Personally, one of my favorite days is our annual Volunteer Appreciation Day. This is the one day when volunteers enjoy a special In-tune Session with music selected just for them – and they don't play the music! We acknowledged this year’s volunteers with “Your Contributions are Noteworthy” and celebrated five, ten and fifteen year anniversaries.

With all of these activities, we satisfy our mission to the individuals who give so much of

themselves. We strive to provide unique opportunities for learning about and experiencing various aspects of the daily operations of a marine mammal care facility. I do not believe there is any other facility that gives these experiences

and access to their animals. One of the benefits we offer is Volunteer Dock Time. Twice a week after hours, when all the guests are gone, a staff member takes the volunteers onto the floating docks so they may build one-on-one relationships with the dolphins. After a round of backrubs and seaweed toss with the kids, we go around on all the boardwalks for a dolphin gelatin party.

The volunteer department contributed over 21,000 hours of valuable assistance.

This year we also welcomed

some new volunteer groups. Just in time to prepare for Founders Weekend, a group of ten adults from the legal department of LAN Airlines, Chile, came from Miami. They helped with new plantings and mulching around the Veterans

Garden. Over spring break, forty-plus middle school students and chaperones from a Lakeland. FL based group, LED2Serve, came for one day. Then in the late spring an AmeriCorps team spent two days clearing non-native vegetation from around the Sanger Family Hall.

Having the volunteer groups brings individuals who may not seek out environmental or animals based

programs on their own. This gives us the opportunity to expose a better understanding of and appreciation for marine mammals and the environment we share to a wider audience.

So to each one who walked through the gate regardless of the weather – hot, cold, or pouring rain – and regardless of the reason, thank you, as you allow us to do what we do and to be who we are.

-Becky Rhodes Director of Volunteer Resources

grew to over 600 pounds and was released back into his home Keys waters this past February. Prior to his release, he was fitted with a tracking device that allowed for monitoring of his movements. In the months following his release, he was repeatedly observed with other manatees and exploring the waters around Key Largo and appears to

be adjusting well to his new life, back in the wild.

In hindsight, while we consider this to have been a slow year for manatee rescues in the Florida Keys, it remains to be said that the majority of these incidents could have been altogether avoided. By practicing safe and careful boating, fishing and trapping practices we

can all work together to make our waters a safer place for the critters that share them with us. On behalf of Scott, Bonnie, Pilgrim and the Coconut Cay Momma and baby manatees, thank you for your support. Your donations are what make it all possible.

-Tanya Manchester Medical Coordinator

Volunteers from LAN Airlines helped spruce up the grounds in time for Founders’ Weekend.

VR, from page 3

Rescue, from page 8

Photo by: DRC staff


Pod uPdaTes A.J., Sandy, and Jax—

During a playtime session, A.J., Sandy, and Jax were grouped together with one trainer in a lagoon that is surrounded by the wooden boardwalk as well as the causeway. The trainer thought, to be really out of the box, she would run around the perimeter of their lagoon, on the boardwalk around to the causeway where the guests were watching the session. The boys had so much fun with this, it was like they were track stars racing around to follow her and waving to people as they passed them.

Aleta and Merina—During a Dolphin Dip, Merina and Aleta took turns participating in their program so they could photobomb some of our guests’ photos. A guest on the causeway was taking pictures of his family in the program. While one of the dolphins interacted with the people in the program at the dock, the other would be right in front of the guest on the causeway getting her picture taken also.

Calusa—To demonstrate echolocation, the dolphins can wear soft suction cups that fit directly over their eyes. A trainer can then

throw an object into the lagoon and ask the dolphin to retrieve that object while wearing the eyecups. Calusa has been trained in the past to wear eyecups, but every now and then she likes to keep the trainers on their toes and pretend she needs to be retrained. She

has gotten to where she will let her trainers put one eye cup on, but then pretends that you are out of your mind if you think she will wear a second one.

Cayo and Pandora—Pandora and Cayo enjoy participating in the Dolphin Encounter together. They take the opportunity to show the guests their entire home by taking them towards the mangrove bushes on their dorsal pulls. They recently took one guest over to the mangroves and then sat in front of

them for a little bit before bringing her back to the dock. Maybe they wanted her to see where the iguanas live.

Delta and Flagler—Each dolphin at DRC has a symbol that is unique to them, similar to a name tag you might see in a classroom

on a student’s desks. Most of the symbols are different shapes attached to a pole that the trainers can hold in the water. Often times these symbols make their way into the lagoons and the dolphins push them back to the docks to their trainers, similar to cleaning up their room. Delta’s symbol, which is a triangle like the Greek symbol for the letter delta, was stuck in the fencing by its pole between the front lagoon and the sea

lion lagoon. No matter what he did he could not get the symbol out of the fence. He pushed it in all different directions to no avail. Flagler swam by, and noticed Delta was having some difficulties with his symbol. Being a great friend, Flagler bit down on the triangle part of the symbol, pulled it out of the fence, and brought it to the trainer on the dock.

Diva—Diva loves being the star of the show and having some one-on-one attention from her

us to convert two areas into one big space that can accommodate groups of about 25. We’ve never had that capacity before. A formal library to house all of our academic materials that were once stuffed into a small hallway is also on that floor!

We still maintain the old DolphinLab room in the Volunteer Resources building for groups that require handicap access and to

increase the number of programs we can entertain daily. Below the new building we also now have space for activities or a lunch area for busloads of children on fieldtrips, alleviating the need to take over public areas or those which other departments use frequently. We send a big thank you to Jim and Marge Sanger for making this dream come true!

This next year promises more presentations, curriculum,

three new conservation-oriented web based video games, the establishment of another Associate program and more. Thank you for all of our members’ generous support which makes our Educational mission possible and our reach extend so much farther than our own backyard!

-Kirsten Donald Director of Education

Cayo and Pandora were raring to go in their next Dolphin Encounter.

Education, from page 18



trainers. In between sessions, when her trainers go on the dock to play with her, she is quick to come over and play with our fingers and hands. She also follows people when they are walking on the boardwalk.

Gypsi and Gambit—For those of you who have a brother or sister, you are probably familiar with a little sibling rivalry. Gypsi and Gambit demonstrated some of this competition during a Dolphin Encounter. They both wanted the guests’ attention all for themselves and did not want to share with each other. During many of the behaviors, they took turns nudging the other out of the way so they could be in front of the guest. For imitations in particular, Gypsi took up all of the room in front making sure she was the only one getting the attention and interacting with the lucky guest.

Karen and Lina—It is no surprise that it gets hot down here in the Florida Keys. The summer is the perfect time to get out the hose and sprinklers and just lounge in the nice spray of the water. Karen and Lina have the opportunity to do just that. They have a sprinkler that showers water all over one of their docks. While the girls lounge in the sun, it is nice for them to get cooled off by the sprinkler water. The girls even enjoy it during their sessions. They can use it just like a slip and slide, going right through the spray and then landing in the water.

Kilo—Lately, Kilo has shown us his humorous side. While in sessions with his trainers, he sticks his tongue out at them. He is in training to do this on signal; however, he does it at random times throughout his sessions.

Louie and Luna—Louie and Luna both enjoy playing with different toys, anything from dive rings to basketballs and hula hoops. So when their trainer threw a hula hoop into the lagoon and asked Luna to retrieve it, she thought

nothing of it. Louie, however, had a different idea and would not bring it right away. When the trainer asked him to get the hula hoop he raced away from the dock, like he was going to do a speed run. As he neared the toy, his speed slowed down long enough for him to grab it around his body and then speed back to the dock.

Molly—Shark Week is a pretty

big deal in the trainers’ office. We all look forward to that one week in the summertime when we can turn on the television and learn what is new and exciting in the shark world. Molly must have heard one of our conversations because she has been doing her shark imitation on other signals. She must be trying to tell us that she can teach us all we need to know about sharks and they are definitely not as exciting as she is.

Pax—We always tell guests that the more excitement they show for the dolphins, the more excited the dolphins tend to get. They really feed off of our energy. During a Dolphin Dip, the group of guests took this very seriously and gave Pax the most excited shark imitation signal he had ever seen. He was so excited that instead of doing that behavior, he blew the guests away with his athletic front flip.

Rainbow—Rainbow is a very enthusiastic dolphin and tends to get very excited for himself when he does any behavior correctly. He definitely aims to please. During a Paint with the Dolphin program, he was so excited to create his masterpiece, he started “painting” even though he did not have a paint brush in his mouth.

Santini and Reese—Reese has really been showing his independence from his

mom, Santini. During his sessions, he loves sitting with other lagoon mates, especially Pandora, while his mom sits at other docks or is even gated into another lagoon. Trainers are working with Santini to gate out of the lagoon just for the session, then reuniting with her little boy once it’s over.

Top: Kilo loves sticking out his tongue! Bottom: Typical siblings, Gypsi and Gambit each wanted the spotlight in this program.

Pod Updates, see page 24



On January 29, 2010, Pandora and A.J. gave us the precious gift of a beautiful little girl. Because this little girl was born on the night of a Blue Moon, she was given the name Luna, which means moon in Latin. Luna is a fourth generation DRC dolphin. Her lineage can be traced back to her Great GrandDolphins, Delphi and Bee, and continues with her GrandDolphins, Merina and Kibby. Luna received the best of the best qualities from each of her parents. She has her mother’s intelligence and curiosity along with her father’s good looks and charm. At four years old, Luna is currently the youngest female living in the front lagoon. The once shy and reserved little girl that we used to see is blossoming into quite the smart, athletic, brave, young lady.

Luna’s decision making skills come from her incredibly intelligent parents. Pandora, who is also known as the “Einstein of the family” and A.J. who has participated in multiple scientific studies must have influenced this bright little girl’s life. Luna has recently started her own research training. Following closely behind in her big brother Tanner’s flukeprints, Luna is currently learning multiple research games including Match to Sample, toy retrieval, and how to wear eye cups.

Her Match to Sample training is coming along faster than ever imagined. She has been learning the game for about three months now and almost has it! The end result is to have three objects equally spaced apart. The dolphin touches the sample object, followed by the matching object, all while ignoring the third object (the distractor). Right now Luna is so

close to figuring out the concept. She still needs a little hint, so the matching object is slightly closer to the sample but at the rate she is going, she will have it down in no time! She is adorable every time she gets the answer correct; she

swims about five to six feet away from the dock, screams, and then poses to the crowd. Of course the crowd erupts with claps and cheers and then she does it all over again.

The other research games Luna is learning are toy retrieval and wearing eye cups. She is the youngest dolphin currently learning any of these concepts and quickly proving to us that she can handle it. With the toy retrieval game, she is now up to bringing back four toys all at the same time. At DRC the dolphins are able to wear eye cups which fit over the dolphins’ eyes and are a great demonstration of echolocation, their biological sonar which helps them to “see” from far distances or in murky waters. After seeing the eye cups only twice, she already lets her trainer place them over her eyes for a few seconds. Big brother Tanner better make some room, because his superstar little sister is making some waves!

Not only is Luna proving to us each and every day how smart she is, she is also showing off

her athleticism! She is currently learning her back tail walk, as well as her front flip. She no longer needs the target pole to help with her back tail walk. Now she’s focusing on longevity and form. When learning a new behavior,

Luna pays close attention to the information from her trainers, and is able to make adjustments quickly to adapt. She gets excited when she does the behavior correctly and always comes back to the dock cheering for herself. Her front flip is coming along too. She is now learning that she cannot do the flip in front of the dock, but instead, she has to swim out. This part is called the “run.” Luna loves ice cubes, so to teach her where she needs to flip,

the trainer tosses a piece of ice out into the middle of the lagoon. She is quickly picking up on the idea, but also learned that, sometimes, her trainers need to practice their throwing skills.

Being a young dolphin also means that Luna is learning a wide variety of medical behaviors. She already knows how to lay out for an ultrasound, receive a fresh drink of water, and chuff (exhale) onto a petri dish. She is in the process of learning how to give a blood sample and seems to really enjoy her medical behaviors. After she gets the whistle blown for her, sometimes she takes off on a victory lap around the lagoon as if she is announcing to all her buddies what a good job she did.

At four years old, Luna is learning so much and is starting to show us her true dolphinality. Next time you come to visit, make sure to stop and say hello to our young little star. We are so lucky to have watched her grow and love having her as a member of the pod!

-Marie Blanton

sPoTLighT on Luna

Luna is as smart as she is adorable!Photo by: Katy Donegan


and we have grown to be leaders in the field of cetacean cognition studies. Over the last several years, our work demonstrated for the first time that dolphins understand numbers. We were the first to explore what cetaceans understand about hidden objects. Our studies, and Tanner, showed that dolphins can imitate without using their eyesight and employ flexible problem-solving to accomplish the task. Our work contributes new information to the world’s knowledge about these amazing animals and even helps us understand more about ourselves.

Experiential education is our passion and a specialty. We held our very first DolphinLab class in 1985. Since then, this educational program has grown to five adult college accredited courses, three for teens and even Dolphin Camp for ages 10-14. We offer school group programs and distance learning opportunities that bring the dolphins to those who cannot visit us. In Fiscal Year 2014, we took these efforts even further with

the first class of students earning associate of science degrees in Marine Mammal Behavior, Care and Training through DRC’s

newly established and fully licensed College of Marine Mammal Professions! Historically speaking, this is the first ever degree progam exclusively focused on marine mammal behavior, care and training.

Back in 1999, we conducted our first formal program for our nation’s military veterans. Now, throughout the year, hundreds of vets and their families come here to share in some “dolphin magic”. We are committed to providing experiences that help reduce the impact of war and ease their transition back to family life.

From the early days of Mandy

and Jayne, DRC’s reputation, influence, and voice have continued to grow and reach far beyond the lagoons on Grassy Key. What we learn, know and develop, we share with our colleagues around the world for the benefit of marine mammals everywhere. We attend and present at conferences and industry-related meetings, and step up for leadership roles in the organizations to which we belong. On a daily basis, we connect visitors with the dolphins and sea lions and inspire them to care and advocate for greater conservation efforts.

We’ve accomplished so much, all with your help and support. We are all united in our belief in the Dolphin Research Center dream and mission. This keeps us moving ever forward with pride and confidence. In the last year, we embarked on a ten year, $8.5 million dollar master plan. We purchased properties adjacent to the existing boundaries of DRC. Some improvements have already been achieved. New projects are just beginning.

Thank you for always believing in us and making these and all of our advancements possible. The last 30 years have been quite a trip. We look forward to your continued company on the exciting journey ahead.

-Mary Stella

Mandy Rodriguez (center on rocks) gives a tour of the new property during Founders’ Weekend.

Thirty Years of Teaching, from page 1

when trainers paddle really fast and she can swim through the wake. Pandora, always up for a good prank, loves to give you her dorsal for a pull and then run you straight into the mangroves. Her sister, Calusa, also likes to get a good laugh. She pulls you very fast and then makes a sharp turn, causing you to fall off.

Jen also invented “dolphin hide and seek” where she runs down the causeway hiding behind mangroves,

calling the dolphins’ names until they spy hop and spot her. Jen says, “Pandora is the best at hide and seek and will respond with a scream when she finds me.” Still, one of Jen’s favorite things to do is just sit back and watch. “You learn a lot about them by just observing. It still amazes me how different their personalities are.”

Unfortunately today there is a great deal of false information out there about marine mammal training. Extremists are trying to

portray DRC and other facilities as evil tyrants who make animals perform circus tricks for food. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Our dolphins and sea lions choose to come over because they enjoy spending time with us just as much as we cherish our time with them.

-Sarah Brignac

Connections, from page 2

Photo by: Myles Valle

have you connecTed wiTh The drc famiLy? share your sTories wiTh us via emaiL:

[email protected]


Dolphin Research Center is a not-for-profit corporation specializing in education and research. DRC is a tax-exempt organization, and as such, all donations, monetary or otherwise, are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.

doLPhin research cenTer58901 overseas highway

grassy key, fL 33050(305) 289-1121

Printed on recycled paper

Tanner—Tanner was playing the toy retrieval game with one of his trainers. For something different, the trainer thought it would be fun to ask Tanner to retrieve all the toys while swimming on his back, showing his belly to the sky. When she asked him to do it, he brought back every single toy.

Talon—Talon recently had the opportunity to sit in prime real estate. Rainbow is known to hang out by the corner where guests walk by and where there is perfect access to watch the ladies that live in the front lagoon via a view underneath the people bridge. When Rainbow is not sitting in this spot, one of the other boys has the chance to. Since Talon usually lives in another lagoon, when the boys’ living arrangement changed, he got to spend the day positioned in the most popular spot at the facility and seemed quite pleased.

Tursi—Tursi has earned the

title Senior Trainer of Training Trainers. The training department has a lot of newer staff who are learning various programs with all of the dolphins. Tursi always lets them know if their signals are correct or if she thinks there is a different behavior that would be better to do. She teaches great lessons in patience and shows that the real

‘bosses’ are the dolphins, of course! Windley—Babies love to play

and Windley shows us that it’s her favorite thing to do, in and out of

sessions. While Merina and Aleta were in a training session, Windley amused herself with a miniature football by pushing it all around the lagoon. -Jamie Stevens

Pax’s high-flying flip is amazing!

Tanner retrieves a floating Kong toy during a research game.

Pod Updates, from page 21


Photo by: Donald McMullen

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