Dolphin Research Center

03/30/2025

Happy 28th Birthday to our big boy Pax! You have stolen many hearts over the years and are so special! We can’t wait to see what you have in store for us in your 28th year! We love you! Donate below to celebrate Pax’s special day! 🩵🎉

03/28/2025

Our dolphins love to play the research game, Match to Sample!

This is just some of the research that has been conducted at DRC. This particular research looks at whether dolphins (and sea lions) can understand concepts such as "same" and "different". The dolphin is shown a sample toy and then two other toys- one that matches the sample, and one that is different. The game for the dolphin is to select the match.

Research done prior to this, showed that dolphins can learn this task but an interesting caveat to this concept is that the game is also a building block that can be used to test a variety of cognitive tasks. The skill here isn't based on the ability of one factor but more so the ability to categorize and sort.

If you'd like to learn more about our research done at DRC visit www.dolphins.org/research_spotlight.

03/27/2025

Only a few spots left!! Scholarship opportunities still available!

2025 DolphinCamp 10-12 and DolphinCamp 13-14 is OPEN! Scholarships are also available. Learn more at the link in bio or at www.dolphins.org/dolphin_camp.

03/27/2025

Attention Florida Keys locals! Dolphin Research Center’s Local’s Dolphin Day Camp enrollment is open! For more information on the details and instructions on how to sign up check out www.dolphins.org/dolphinday_camp! 🐬

03/26/2025

Learn more about Dolphin Research Center at dolphins.org

03/25/2025

🎉🎂 Happy Anniversary, Ranger! 🎂🎉

Today, we celebrate not just another year with you, but the incredible journey of this resilient dolphin who defied the odds! 🐬💙

Ranger was rescued as a stranded calf near Goose Island by Texas State Aquarium, and since then, he’s shown nothing but strength and spirit. From the moment he was rescued, he’s been a true fighter, and we’re beyond grateful for every moment we get to spend with him.

Here’s to many more years of joy, play, and adventure for our beautiful friend! 🌊🐬

03/21/2025

BREAKING NEWS
Your support makes rescues possible!

The ongoing brush fire in the Florida Keys
created a complication for a critical manatee rescue. Dolphin Research Center’s Manatee Rescue Team, assisted by Aquarium Encounters, rescued an injured manatee in the Coco Plum area of Marathon, FL. The approximately 9-foot male was assessed as suffering from a pneumothorax condition likely caused by a boat strike. Pneumothorax is where air accumulates in the space between the lung and chest wall causing the animal to become positively buoyant, preventing them from being able to stay submerged. This condition is critical due to the risk of the lungs collapsing and becoming fatal. In addition, the buoyancy heightens the risk of being hit by another boat since the animal is not able to submerge normally. He was able to be successfully transferred to Dolphin Research Center where he spent the night. The typical procedure is for the rescued manatee to be immediately transported to a rehabilitation facility inCentral Florida by FWC (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission). Due to the brush fire restricting traffic just north of the Florida Keys, this was not possible. The manatee
was held and stabilized at Dolphin Research Center with Dolphin Research Center’s expert
veterinary and medical team until transport arrived this morning.

About the Dolphin Research Center Manatee Rescue Team:
Dolphin Research Center is the only licensed Manatee Rescue Team in the entire Florida Keys
(over 120 miles). For 40 years, we have responded to countless of these animals when they are in distress. From orphaned babies to those wounded by boat hits, entanglements, or others suffering from disease or other harmful conditions. In many cases, Dolphin Research Center’s veterinarian is able to treat manatees at the rescue site. This enables us to release them back into the wild immediately if no rehabilitation is needed. When a manatee needs help, we are ready to come to its aid.

Professional, specially-trained, experienced assessors, rescuers, and medical personnel make up our team. Training is crucial to reduce the risk of injury to both manatees and mankind during rescues. We work closely with the state and federal entities responsible for overseeing the welfare of these animals.

To report a manatee in distress call 1-888-404-FWCC(3922). Please do not attempt to approach or assist the manatee. Above all, do not get into the water. Manatees are normally very gentle, but they are still wild, powerful animals and can weigh up to a ton! Getting in the water puts you at risk, and your good intentions may scare away the injured animal and prevent professional rescuers from giving it assistance.

About Dolphin Research Center:
Dolphin Research Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1984 by Jayne
Shannon-Rodriguez and Armando "Mandy" Rodriguez, located on Grassy Key in the Florida
Keys. Through education, research, and rescue, Dolphin Research Center promotes peaceful
coexistence, cooperation, and communication between marine mammals, humans, and the
environment we share with the well-being of Dolphin Research Center’s animals taking
precedence. Dolphin Research Center is an accredited member of the Alliance of Marine
Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA) and the International Marine Animal Trainers
Association (IMATA).

03/20/2025

First day of spring is here! Will you be traveling to the Keys for some sunshine?☀️
Pictured: Cacica

03/19/2025

Windley is getting weighed! Our dolphins at DRC participate in their own healthcare and get weighed twice a month. This is what the behavior looks like! Making sure our dolphins are a healthy weight is important and keeping track of that information is helpful as the dolphins grow and their diets need adjusting.

03/18/2025

Think you can take on Delta, Jax, Louie, and Sandy in a splash fight? Visit Dolphin Research Center and book one of our interactive programs to find out! Be sure to book in advance during our spring break season so you don't miss out at www.dolphins.org/programs.

03/17/2025

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Diamond hopes your week is full of luck! ☘️

03/14/2025

Only a few spaces left for our Adult DolphinLab! Be sure to sign up before it fills up! Limited space available. Learn more at www.dolphins.org/dolphinlab_adult

03/13/2025

Come to work at DRC! Learn more at www.dolphins.org/career_opportunities

03/13/2025

Happy Birthday Tanner! 🥳 23 years have flown by! Thanks for being a superstar in all that you do! We love you and can't wait to see what you do in this next year! Donate below to celebrate Tanner's special day!

03/12/2025

Join us for Teen DolphinLab this summer! Get your application in before it's too late!
Learn more and apply at www.dolphins.org/dolphinlab_teen.

03/11/2025

Did you know that our Professional Animal Trainers (PAT) Certificate Program offers a scholarship? Be sure to get your scholarship application in before the deadline of April 7th!

https://dolphins.org/drcti_professional_trainer_certificate_program

03/10/2025

Join us on TikTok for a LIVE Q&A about Teen DolphinLab!
Today at 4:00 EST

0 people registered for this event. See what's going on there!