Dolphin Research Center facts for kids
 |
|
| Date opened | 1984 |
|---|---|
| Location | Grassy Key, Florida, United States |
| Coordinates | 24°46′01″N 80°56′44″W / 24.76696°N 80.94552°W |
| No. of animals | 31 |
| No. of species | 3 |
| Memberships | AMMPA IMATA |
| Major exhibits | Dolphin lagoons, California sea lion lagoon |
The Dolphin Research Center (DRC) is a special place for dolphins and California sea lions. It's located on Grassy Key in Florida, USA. This center has a huge area of saltwater lagoons, about 90,000 square feet, where these amazing marine animals live and are cared for.
The DRC is not just a place to see dolphins. It's also a center for learning, research, and helping these animals. They focus on understanding dolphins better and teaching people about them.
Contents
The Story of Dolphin Research Center
The land where the Dolphin Research Center now stands has a long history with marine animals.
Early Beginnings: Santini's Porpoise School
Back in 1958, a fisherman named Milton Santini opened a place called Santini's Porpoise School. He used dynamite to create deeper areas in the seashore for the dolphins. This school was open until 1972.
One of the most famous dolphins from Santini's school was Mitzi. She even starred in the movie Flipper!
Changes Over the Years
After Santini, the property was sold and renamed Flipper's Sea School in 1972. It operated under this name for five years. Then, in 1977, Jean Paul Fortom-Gouin bought the property. He closed it to the public and ran it as the Institute for Delphinid Research until 1983.
Founding the Dolphin Research Center
The Dolphin Research Center as we know it today was started in 1984. It was founded by Armando ("Mandy") and Jayne Rodriguez. Mandy had been a dolphin trainer at Miami Seaquarium. He wanted to interact with dolphins in a way that felt less like a "circus" show. He wanted to focus more on their natural behaviors and learning.
Meet the Animals
The Dolphin Research Center is home to many wonderful animals.
Dolphins
As of 2022, there are 25 dolphins living at the DRC. Most of them, 24, are bottlenose dolphins. There is also one Atlantic spotted dolphin.
It's interesting to know that 21 of these dolphins were born right there at the center. This means they have lived in human care their whole lives. Four of the bottlenose dolphins and the Atlantic spotted dolphin were rescued from the wild. They found a safe home at the DRC.
Other Animals
Besides dolphins, the center also cares for three California sea lions. You might also spot several colorful exotic birds. And don't forget the two large African spurred tortoises!
Visiting the Center
When you visit the Dolphin Research Center, you can have many amazing experiences.
General Admission
With a general admission ticket, you can watch the dolphins and sea lions. You'll see them show off their behaviors and participate in research and training sessions. Staff members explain what's happening during these narrated sessions throughout the day.
Special Interactive Programs
If you want an even closer experience, you can pay extra for special programs. These let you interact with the dolphins either in the water or from a floating dock.
- Ultimate Trainer for the Day: Imagine spending a whole day like a dolphin trainer! In this program, you can shadow and join in activities with the trainers.
- Researcher Experience: If you're curious about science, you can shadow the DRC research team. You'll see how they study dolphin behavior and learning.
- Other Fun Activities: You can even try painting with a dolphin! Or you can help provide enrichment for the animals. Enrichment means giving them fun things to do that keep their minds and bodies active.
Dolphin Research at DRC
The staff at the Dolphin Research Center do a lot of important research. They study how dolphins think, behave, and how to best care for them. They share their findings with the world by publishing studies.
How Dolphins Imitate Others
In one study, researchers tested if a blindfolded dolphin could copy what another dolphin or human did. The blindfolded dolphin was able to copy other dolphins by listening to their sounds. When copying a human, it used echolocation. Echolocation is like a natural sonar system that dolphins use to "see" with sound.
Working Together: Dolphin Teamwork
Another study looked at how bottlenose dolphins work together. Pairs of dolphins were asked to press underwater buttons at the same time. Sometimes, one dolphin got the command before the other. The dolphins learned to wait for each other. This showed that dolphins can coordinate their actions to reach a shared goal. They are great team players!
Other Discoveries
DRC researchers have also found that dolphins can understand some number concepts. They've also studied how mother dolphins use special "signature whistles" to identify themselves. Another important study showed that dolphins cared for by humans in the U.S. live as long as, or even longer than, dolphins in the wild. The center also works with other universities to learn more about how much energy dolphins use.
Learning and Training
The Dolphin Research Center also helps train future marine mammal professionals.
Dolphin Research Center Training Institute
The center runs the Dolphin Research Center Training Institute (DRCTI). This used to be called the College of Marine Mammal Professions. Students can earn a special degree in Marine Mammal Behavior, Care, and Training. This program takes 36 weeks to complete.
DRCTI also has a Professional Animal Trainer program. This program helps trainers of all animal species get more experience and continue their education.
