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2.0 - GENERAL BIOLOGY
3.0 - DOLPHIN RESOURCES
4.0 - DOLPHIN TAXONOMY
5.0 - 9.0 - MISC INFORMATION 2.0 - GENERAL BIOLOGY
Dolphins have to be conscious to breath (Williams et al, 1990).
This means that they cannot go into a full deep sleep, because
then they would suffocate. Dolphins have "solved" that by letting
one half of their brain sleep at a time. This has been determined
by doing EEG studies on dolphins. Dolphins sleep about 8 hours
day in this fashion. REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, usually
associated with dreaming has been recorded only very rarely.
Some scientists claim dolphins do not have REM sleep at all.
A dolphin's behavior when sleeping/resting depends on the
circumstances and possibly on individual preferences. They
can either:
- swim slowly and surface every now and then for a breath
- rest at the surface with their blowhole exposed
- rest on the bottom (in shallow water) and rise to the surface
every now and then to breath.
sources:
S.H Ridgway (1990)
The Central Nervous System of the Bottlenose Dolphin,
in S. Leatherwood and R.R. Reeves: The Bottlenose Dolphin,
pp. 69-97, Academic Press
Th.D. Williams, A.L. Williams and M. Stoskopf (1990)
Marine Mammal Anesthesia. In: L.A. Dierauf (ed.): Handbook
of Marine Mammal Medicine: Health, Disease and Rehabilitation,
pp. 175-191 CRC Press, Boca Raton
2.2 - How intelligent are dolphins? The short answer to this is that we do not know. There is no
reliable method to measure intelligence in humans across
cultures, so it is not surprising that comparing humans,
dolphins, apes, dogs, etc. is impossible. There are some
indications of their potential: they are fast learners and
can generalize (which is also true of pigs, BTW). Also they
can learn to understand complicated language-like commands
(which is also true of the great apes).
2.3 - How do dolphins communicate; do they have their own
language?
Dolphins communicate mainly by means of sounds.
These sounds include whistles, but also so-called pulsed sounds,
which are often described as squawks, barks, rasps, etc.
But they also use breaching (jumping and falling back into
the water with a loud splash) and pectoral fin (or flipper)
and tail (or fluke) slaps (hitting the flipper or fluke on
the water surface). Body posturing and jaw popping also have
a role in communication. This list is not exhaustive.
As for language, we do not know if they have one. Several
studies have demonstrated that dolphins can understand a
structured language like ours. This same has been demonstrated
for a number of other animals species as well (gorilla, bonobo,
California sea lion, parrot). Some studies also indicate that
dolphin vocalizations are complex enough to support some form
of language. However, to date it has not been demonstrated yet
that they indeed use a language for communication among
themselves.
Dolphins (and other toothed whales) can produce high pitched
clicks. When these clicks hit an object, some of the sound
will echo back to the "sender". By listening to the echo and
interpreting the time it took before the echo came back, the
dolphin estimate the distance of the object. (That's why sonar
is also called echolocation: with information from the echoes,
a dolphin can locate an object). Depending on the material the
object is made of, part of the sound may penetrate into the
object and reflect off internal structure. If the object is a
fish, some sound will reflect off the skin on the dolphin's
side, some of the bones, the internal organs and the skin on
the other side. So one click can result in a number of (weaker)
echoes. This will give the dolphin some information about the
structure and size of the fish. By moving its head (thereby
aiming the clicks at other parts of the fish) the dolphin
can get more information on other parts of the fish.
It is like a medical ultrasound probe, but the results are far
less clear. A medical probe moves back and forth very rapidly,
much faster than a dolphin can move its head. Also the
frequency of the sounds of the medical probe is much higher
than a dolphin's sonar. Therefore the level of detail
the echoes can provide is much higher in the medical probe.
For technical information on dolphin sonar, check out the
following book:
W.W.L.Au (1993)
The sonar of dolphins. (Springer-Verlag New York).
The short answer is: yes, they can. Just like people can
visualize an object by just touching it, dolphins can get an
idea of what an object looks like by scanning it with their
sonar. They can also identify objects with their sonar that
they have only been able to see. If they form a visual picture
from the sonar information (visualization) or form an
acoustical picture from visual information is still unresolved.
This capability is called cross-modal transfer and it has been
demonstrated in only a few animal species so far: the
bottlenose dolphin and the California sea lion.
See the following references for more details on this subject.
R.J. Schusterman, D. Kastak and C. Reichmuth (1995)
Equivalence class formation and cross-modal transfer:
testing marine mammals.
In: R.A. Kastelein, J.A. Thomas and P.E. Nachtigall (eds):
Sensory systems of Aquatic Mammals, pp. 579-584
De Spil Publishers, Woerden, the Netherlands
ISBN 90-72743-05-9
A.A. Pack and L.M. Herman (1995)
Sensory integration in the bottlenosed dolphin: Immediate
recognition of complex shapes across the senses of
echolocation and vision
J. Acoustical Society of America 98(2) Part 1: 722-733
2.6 - What and how much do dolphins eat?
Bottlenose dolphins eat several kinds of fish (including
mullet, mackerel, herring, cod) and squid. The compostion of
the diet depends very much on what is available in the area
they live in and also on the season.
The amount of fish they eat depends on the fish species they
are feeding on: mackerel and herring have a very high fat
content and consequently have a high caloric value, whereas
squid has a very low caloric value, so to get the same energy
intake (calories) they will need to eat much more if they feed
on squid than if they feed on mackerel or herring.
On average an adult dolphin will eat 4-9% of its body weight
in fish, so a 250 kg (550 lb) dolphin will eat 10-22.5 kg
(22-50 lb) fish per day.
The maximum age for bottlenose dolphins is between 40 and 50
years. The average age a dolphin can get (the life expectancy)
can be calculated from the Annual Survival Rate (the percentage
of animals alive at a certain point, that is still alive one
year later). For the dolphin population in Sarasota Bay, the
ASR has been measured to be about 0.961. This yields a life
expectancy of about 25 years. For the population in the
Indian/Banana River area, the ASR is between 0.908 and 0.931.
This yields a life expectance between 10.3 and 14 years.
So the actual life expectancy differs per region.
sources:
R.S. Wells and M.D. Scott (1990)
Estimating bottlenose dolphin population parameters from
individual identification and capture-release techniques.
Report International Whaling Commission (Special Issue 12):
407-415
S.L.Hersch, D.K.Odell, E.D.Asper (1990)
Bottlenose dolphin mortality patterns in the Indian/Banana
River System of Florida, in S. Leatherwood and R.R. Reeves:
The Bottlenose Dolphin, pp. 155-164, Academic Press
No. A recent study, comparing the survival of dolphins in
captivity from 1940 through 1992 showed no significant
difference in ASR between the "captive population" and the
Sarasota Bay population. The ASR for the captive population
was 0.944 (life expectancy: 17.4 years).
Also in captivity dolphins have reached ages over 40 years.
source:
R.J.Small and D.P.DeMaster (1995)
Survival of five species of captive marine mammals.
Marine Mammal Science 11(2):209-226.
The earliest recognizable cetaceans lived about 50 million
years ago. These evolved from the Mesonychids: large land
mammals, some of which were carnivorous, some herbivorous.
The earliest cetaceans were members of the now extinct family
Archaeoceti (the best known of which are Zeuglodon and
Basilosaurus). 38-25 million years ago the Archaeoceti
disappeared and were replaced by the early Odontocetes (toothed
whales) and Mysticetes (baleen whales). The earliest dolphins
appeared in the late Miocene period, some 11 million years ago.
The land animals that are closest to whales and dolphins are
the Ungulates (hoofed animals). This was determined among
others by comparing the structure of body proteins.
source:
P.G.H.Evans (1987)
The Natural History of Whales and Dolphins.
Christoper Helm Publishers, London.
When swimming, boating or snorkling in certain areas you can
encounter wild dolphins. Keep in mind that in the US it is
illegal to directly approach dolphins. If dolphins come
towards you and choose to interact, that is allowed. In several
areas there are boat operators that can take you to areas
where there is a good chance to encounter dolphins (Florida,
Bahamas). A note of warning: there have been operators that
have tried to lure dolphins by feeding them. This is illegal
in the US and is highly undesirable, because it changes the
dolphins' behavior. Currently there are operators offering
bird-feeding tours. These bird feedings take place in areas
frequented by dolphins and are an attempt to circumvent the
dolphin feeding ban. Do not use these operators.
2.11 - Why do whales and dolphins beach themselves?
If a single whale or dolphin strands, it usually is a very
sick (and exhausted) animal. Such an animal often has some
infections (pneumonia is almost always one of them) and a lot
of parasites (worms in the nasal passages are very common).
Sometimes these animals can be rehabilitated, but often they
are so sick they won't make it.
Some species of whales and dolphins occassionally strand in
groups. A stranding of 2 or more animals is usually called a
mass stranding. There are a number of theories that try to
explain the occurrence of mass strandings. No theory can
adequately explain all of them. In some cases it will be a
combination of causes. The most common explanations are:
- deep water animals (the species that most often are the
victim of mass strandings) can not "see" a sloping sandy
beach properly with its sonar. They detect the beach only
when they are almost stranded already and they will panic
and run aground.
source:
W.H. Dudok van Heel (1962):
Sound and Cetacea. Neth. J. Sea Res. 1: 407-507
- whales and dolphins may be navigating by the earth's
magnetic field. When the magnetic field is disturbed (this
occurs at certain locations) the animals get lost and may
run into a beach.
source:
M. Klinowska (1985):
Cetacean live stranding sites relate to geomagnetic
topography. Aquatic Mammals 11(1): 27-32
- in some highly social species, the group leader may be sick
and wash ashore. The other members try to stay close and
may strand with the group leader.
source:
F.D. Robson (?)
The way of the whale: why they strand.
(unpublished manuscript)
- when under severe stress or in panic, the animals may fall
back to the behavior of their early ancestors and run to
shore to find safety.
source:
F.G. Wood (1979)
The cetacean stranding phenomena: a hypothesis.
In: J.B. Geraci and D.J. St. Aubin: Biology of marine
mammals: Insights through strandings. Marine Mammal
Commission report no: MMC-77/13: pp. 129-188
The deepest dive ever recorded for a bottlenose dolphin was a
300 meters (990 feet). This was accomplished by Tuffy, a
dolphin trained by the US Navy. Most likely dolphins do not
dive very deep, though. Many bottlenose dolphins live in fairly
shallow water. In the Sarasota Bay area, the dolphins spend a
considarable time in waters that are less than 2 meters
(7 feet) deep.
Other whale and dolphin species are able to
dive to much greater depths even. The pilot whale
(Globicephala melaena) can dive to at least 600 meters (2000
feet) and a sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) has been found
entangled in a cable at more that 900 meters (500 fathoms)
depth.
Recent studies on the behavior of belugas
(Delphinapterus leucas) has revealed that they regularly dive
to depths of 800 meters. The deepest dive recorded of a beluga
was to 1250 meters.
sources:
F.G. Wood (1993)
Marine mammals and man. R.B. Luce, Inc., Washington.
E.J. Slijper (1979)
Whales, 2nd edition. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY.
(Revised re-issue of the 1958 publication: Walvissen, D.B.
Centen, Amsterdam).
R.S. Wells, A.B. Irvine and M.D. Scott (1980)
The social ecology of inshore odontocetes. In: L.M. Herman
(ed.): Cetacean Behavior. Mechanisms & functions,
pp. 263-317. John Wiley & Sons, New York
A.R. Martin (1996)
Using satellite telemetry to aid the conservation and wise
management of beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) populations
subject to hunting.
Paper presented at the 10th Annual Conference of the European
Cetacean Society, March 11-13, 1996, Lisbon, Portugal.
The dolphin's fast cruising speed (a travelling speed they can
maintain for quite a while) is about 3-3.5 m/s (6-7 knots,
11 - 12.5 km/hr). They can reach speeds of up to 4.6 m/s
(9.3 knots, 16.5 km/hr) while travelling in this fashion. When
they move faster, they will start jumping clear of the water
(porpoising). They are actually saving energy by jumping.
When chased by a speedboat, dolphins have been clocked at
speeds of 7.3 m/s (14.6 knots, 26.3 km/hr), which they
maintained for about 1500 meters, leaping constantly.
Energetic studies have shown, that the most efficient
travelling speed for dolphins is between 1.67 and 2.27 m/s
(3.3-4.5 knots, 6.0-8.2 km/hr).
There have been reports of dolphins travelling at much higher
speeds, but these refer to dolphins being pushed along by the
bow wave of a speeding boat. They were getting a free ride
(their speed relative to the surrounding water was low). It is
possible that dolphins can reach speeds over 15 knots during
very short bursts (like in preparation for a high jump), but
they can't maintain that speed.
sources:
D. Au and D. Weihs (1980)
At high speeds dolphins save energy by leaping.
Nature 284(5756): 548-550
T.M.Williams, W.A.Friedl, J.A. Haun, N.K.Chun (1993)
Balancing power and speed in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops
truncatus) in: I.L. Boyd (ed.): Marine Mammals -
Advances in behavioural and population biology,
pp. 383-394. Symposia of the Zoological Society
of London No. 66. Clarendon Press, Oxford
Whales and dolphins can be found in almost every sea and ocean,
from the Arctic ocean, through the tropics all the way to the
Antarctic. Each species however has its own prefered type of
habitat. Some live cold water only, others in tropical oceans
only. There are also species that can be found in a large
variety of environments, like the bottlenose dolphins, killer
whales and sperm whales.
source:
P.G.H.Evans (1987)
The Natural History of Whales and Dolphins.
Christoper Helm Publishers, London.
There are a number of dolphin species that live in fresh water.
They all belong to the river dolphin families. These are:
the Platanistidae (Ganges and Indus river dolphins), the
Iniidae (the boto or Amazon river dolphin) and the
Pontoporiidae (the baiji and the franciscana). There is one
species that can be found both in fresh water (the Amazon
river) and in coastal sea waters: the tucuxi (Sotalia
fluviatilis).
In general, salt water species don't do well in fresh water.
They can survive for some time, but they will be come
exhausted (since they have less buoyancy in fresh water) and
after a while their skin will start to slough (like our own
skin after spending a long time in the bathtub).
source:
P.G.H.Evans (1987)
The Natural History of Whales and Dolphins.
Christoper Helm Publishers, London.
Most dolphins live in the ocean and the ocean water is too
salty for them to drink. If they would drink sea water, they
would actually use more water trying to get rid of the salt
than they drank in the first place. Most of their water they
get from their food (fish and squid). Also, when they
metabolize (burn) their fat, water is released in the process.
Their kidneys are also adapted to retaining as much water as
possible. Although they live in water, they have live as
desert animals, since they have no direct source of drinkable
water.
3.1 - Where can you find out more about books, videos etc. about dolphins?
There is an excellent list of books, videos and CDs on
dolphins, which is put together by Trisha Lamb-Feuerstein.
This list is updated on a regular basis. You can find that
on the Web at the following URL:
http://www.physics.helsinki.fi/whale/literature/biblio.html
There is a searchable database at the site of the Dolphin
Study Group of the National University of Singapore at:
http://dsg.sbs.nus.edu.sg/combib.html. They also have a
picture database at: http://dsg.sbs.nus.edu.sg/pictures/
3.2 - Are there any fictional books starring dolphins?
Yes, there are quite a few. You can find them at the Web site
mentioned above.
3.3 - How can I find dolphin related Web sites?
Most marine mammal Web sites are listed on the Marine Mammal
Links page:
http://www.rtis.com/nat/user/elsberry/marspec/ms_blem.html
This exhaustive list was compiled by Bill Lemus and is now
maintained by Wesley Elsberry. Similar information (grouped
by category) can be found at:
http://www.rtis.com/nat/user/elsberry/marspec.html.
Another good starting point is the Aquatic Resources
section at the New England Aquarium site at:
http://www.neaq.org/.
4.0 - DOLPHIN TAXONOMY
4.1 - How many species of dolphins are there?
The family of dolphins (Delphinidae) consists of 32 different
species. Closely related families (the white whales
(Monodontidae) and river dolphins (Platanistidae) have
2 resp. 5 species).
4.2a - What is the dolphin species seen in most oceanaria?
The killer whale (Orcinus orca). Male killer whales can
grow up to 9.6 m (31.5 ft).
4.4 - What is the smallest dolphin species?
There is not really one smallest species. The smallest
species include:
True dolphins (Delphinidae):
Tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis) - 1.3 to 1.8 m
Hector's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori) - 1.2 to 1.5 m
Black dolphin (Cephalorhynchus eutropia) - 1.2 to 1.7 m
Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) -
1.3 to 1.7 m
River dolphins (Platanistidae):
Franciscana (Pontoporia blainvillei) - 1.3 to 1.7 m
Porpoises (Phocoenidae):
Vaquita (Phocoena sinus) - 1.2 to 1.5 m
Finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) - 1.2 to 1.9 m
The tucuxi or Amazon dolphin (Sotalia fluviatilis). These
dolphins grow to a maximum of 1.9 m (6.25 ft)
Dolphins and porpoises belong to different whale families.
The most obvious differences are:
- dolphins have a falcate (hook-shaped) dorsal fin, whereas
porpoises have a triangular dorsal fin.
- dolphins have conical teeth; the teeth of of porpoises are
spatula shaped.
- most dolphin species have a distinct beak. Porpoises don't,
giving their head a more rounded, blunt shape.
4.6 - What are cetaceans?
Cetaceans is a collective term for whales, dolphins and
porpoises. The name is derived from the scientific (Latin)
name of these animals: Cetacea.
4.7 - Are whales and dolphins endangered?
For most species, the answer is probably "No", although it is
very difficult to get a good estimate of the size of
populations on these water living creatures. A number of
species are endangered: the Indus river dolphin, the baiji
(there are only about 100 left), the vaquita, the northern
right whale and the blue whale. Another group of species is
listed as "vulnerable" (which means that they are not in
immediate danger of extinction, but also far from safe).
These are: the Ganges river dolphin, the boto, the bowhead,
the southern right whale, the sei whale, the fin whale and
the humpback whale.
source:
M. Klinowksa (1991)
Dolphins, Porpoises and Whales of the World
The IUCN Red Data Book
IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, U.K.
5.0 - Where can you work with dolphins or other marine mammals? 
For information about how to pursue a career in the marine
mammal field, check out the Web Page on "Strategies for
pursuing a career in marine mammal science" at:
http://www.rtis.com/nat/user/elsberry/marspec/mmstrat.html
or through the Society for Marine Mammalogy web site at:
http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~smm/
This text is taken from a brochure published by the Society for
Marine Mammalogy and can be ordered from:
Allen Press
P.O.Box 1897
Lawrence, Kansas 66044-8897
(800) 627-0629
Here are the names and addresses of programs that have at
least some internships or volunteer positions available
involving marine mammals. The original list was compiled by
Stacy Braslau-Schneck, who put a lot of work in to it. Her
effort is gratefully acknowledged.
Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation
Attn.: George Biedenbach/Training Department
610 Surf Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 1124?
Aquarium of Niagara Falls
Intern/Volunteer program
701 Whirlpool St.
Niagara Falls, NY 14301
Atlantic Cetacean Research Center
Intern/Volunteer Program
70 Thurston Point Road
PO Box 1413
Gloucester, MA 01930
Belle Isle Zoo & Aquarium
Intern/Volunteer Program
PO Box 39
Royal Oak, MI 48068-0039
Center for Coastal Studies
Intern Review Committee
Box 1036
Provincetown, MA 02657
phone : (508) 487 3622
WWW page: http://www.provincetown.com/coastalstudies/index.html
e-mail : ccswhale@wn.net
Center for Marine Conservation
Intern/Volunteer Program
1725 DeSales St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
Cetacean Research Unit
Intern/Volunteer Program
PO Box 159
Gloucester, WA 01930
Chicago Zoological Park
Brookfield Zoo
Intern/Volunteer Program
3300 Golf Rd.
Brookfield, IL 60513
EPCOT Center Trailer #251
Peter Cook
Walt Disney World Co.
P.O. Box 10,000
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-1000
Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection
Florida Marine Research Institute
Intern/Volunteer Program
100 8th Ave., S.E.
St. Petersburg, FL 33701-5095
Kewalo Basin Marine Mammal Laboratory
Krista Berkland, Intern Coordinator
1129 Ala Moana Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96814
Marine Mammal Research Program
Intern/Volunteer Program
Texas A&M University at Galveston
Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife
4700 Ave. U, Bldg. 303
Galveston, TX 77551
phone : (409) 740 4718
fax : (409) 740 4717
WWW page : http://www.tamug.tamu.edu/~mmrp/
http://www.rtis.com/nat/user/elsberry/marspec/mmrp.html
e-mail : mmrpinfo@mmrp.tamu.edu
Mirage Hotel
Intern/Volunteer Program
P.O. Box 7777
Las Vegas, NV 89177-0777
Mote Marine Lab
c/o Education Coordinator
1600 Thompson Pkwy
Sarasota, FL 34236
WWW page : http://www.marinelab.sarasota.fl.us/
Mystic Marinelife Aquarium
Intern/Volunteer Program
55 Coogan Boulevard
Mystic, CT 06355-1997
National Aquarium in Baltimore
Pier 3
501 E. Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21202-3194
National Museum of Natural History
Intern Coordinator, Education Office
Room 212, MRC 158
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, D.C. 20560
Friends of the National Zoo
Research Traineeship Program
National Zoological Park
Washington, D.C. 20008
New England Aquarium
Intern/Volunteer Program
Central Wharf
Boston, MA 02110-3399
WWW page : http://www.neaq/org/
Pacific Whale Foundation
Intern/Volunteer Program
Kealia Beach Plaza
101 N. Kihei Rd., Ste. 21
Kihei, HI 96753-8833
Pinniped Learning & Behavior Project
Internships
UCSC, Long Marine Lab
100 Shaffer Road
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
phone : (408) 459-3345
San Antonio Zoological Gardens and Aquarium
Education Coordinator
3903 N. St. Mary's St.
San Antonio, TX 78212-3199
Theater of the Sea
Intern/Volunteer Program
P.O. Box 407
Islamorada, FL 33036
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Volunteer Program
1011 E. Tudor Road
Anchorage, AK 99503
Waikiki Aquarium
Intern/Volunteer Program
2777 Kalakaua Ave.
Honolulu, HI 96815
WWW page : http://www.mic.hawaii.edu/aquarium/
Whale Museum
Craig Snapp, Volunteer Coordinator
62 First Street North
P.O. Box 945
Friday Harbor, WA 98250
Whale Research Group
Dr. Jon Lien
230 Mount Scio Rd.
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John's, Newfoundland
CANADA A1C 5S7
PAYING VOLUNTEER POSITIONS (*You* pay *them* to volunteer).
EarthWatch
P.O. box 403 BR
Watertown, MA 02272-9924
phone : (800) 776 8188
fax : (617) 926 8532
WWW page : http://gaia.earthwatch.org/
e-mail : info@earthwatch.org (EarthWatch USA)
earth@creativeaccess.com.au (EarthWatch Australia)
ewoxford@vax.ox.ac.uk (EarthWatch UK)
LDN01134@niftyserve.or.jp (EarthWatch Japan)
University Research Expeditions Program (UREP)
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-6586
phone : (510)642-6586
Coastal Ecosystems Research Foundation
820-1111 Melville St.
Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6E 3V6
phone : (604) 683-6511
email : info@cerf.bc.ca =
WWW page : http://cerf.bc.ca
Ecovolunteer Program
WWW page :http://www.ecovolunteer.org
*** The following facilities offer interactive programs with
dolphins:
Dolphin Research Center
MM 59 1/5 Highway US 1
Grassy Key, Florida 33050
phone : (305) 289-0002
WWW page : http://fla-keys.com/marathon/parks/dolphin.html
Dolphins Plus
31 Corrine Place
P.O. Box 2728
Key Largo, Florida 33037
phone : (305) 451-1993
WWW page : http://www.pennekamp.com/dolphins-plus/
Theatre of the Sea
MM 84 1/5 Highway US 1
Islamorada, Florida 33036
phone : (305) 664-2431
Dolphin Quest
c/o Hyatt Regency Waikoloa
One Waikoloa Beach Road
Kamuela, HI 96743
phone : (808) 885-1234, x1288
The Dolphin Experience
P.O.Box F-2433
Freeport, Grand Bahama Island
Bahamas
phone : (809) 373-1250
Dolphin Reef Eilat
P.O.P. 104
Eilat
Israel
Dolphin Program Cancun, Mexico
*** The following operators offer interaction programs with wild
dolphins. This is a rapidly growing industry and quite a
number of new operators have appeared recently and no doubt
some more will appear. Others may disappear. Always check
with the operators well in advance, before finalizing your
travel arrangements.
Capt. Vicki Impallomeni
The Imp II
Key West, Florida
phone : (305) 294-9731
Capt. Ron Canning
DolphinWatch
P.O. Box 4821
Key West, Florida 33041
phone : (305) 294-6306
Dolphin Swim
Rebecca Fitzgerald
P.O.Box 8653
Santa Fe, NM 87504
phone : (505) 466 0579
(NOTE: operates in the Bahamas)
The Oceania Project
P.O.Box 646
Byom Bay 2481, NSW
Australia
phone : +61 (66) 858128
Dolphin Encounters
Dolphin Synergy
DreamTeam Wild Dolphin Adventures
Dolphin Dream Foundation
P.O.Box 63271
Indialantic, FL 32903
phone : (800) 741 5335
fax : (407) 676 0952
WWW page : http://www.gate.net/~dream2/
e-mail : dream2@gate.net
Moonraker
St. Aubins Way
Sorrento, Victoria
Australia
phone : (059) 84 4211
mobile : 018 591 033
fax : (059) 84 4211
(NOTE: offers swims with dolphins and sea lions/fur seals)
There are quite a number of whale watching tour operators in
many parts of the world. A comprehensive list is available on
the Helsinki Whale Watching Web site at:
http://www.physics.helsinki.fi/whale/
8.0 Where can you find information on Dolphin Assisted Therapy?
There are a few organizations that are involved in Dolphin
Assisted Therapy and related research. The ones mentioned here
have Web sites with a lot of information concerning dolphin
assisted therapy. Review the Web sites first before contacting
them with questions. You may well find the answers you need
on their sites.
The AquaThought Foundation
15951 McGregor Blvd.
Suite 2C
Ft. Myers, FL 33908
phone : (941) 437-2958
fax : (941) 437-5461
WWW page : http://www.aquathought.com/
e-mail : dc@aquathought.com - David Cole
sg@aquathought.com - Sunil Gupta
International Dolphin-Assisted Therapy and Research Association
(IDRATA)
This organization can be reached through
the AquaThought Foundation
Human Dolphin Therapy
13615 S. Dixie Highway #523
Miami, FL 33176
The Virtual Dolphin Project, Inc.
27261 La Paz Road
Suite D174
Laguna Niguel, CA. 92677
phone : (714)448-9718
fax : (714)448-9638
WWW page : http://www.virtualdolphin.org/
e-mail : oceania@virtualdolphin.org
=A0
The Dolphin Circle
P.O. Box 1426
Lake Stevens, WA 98258
phone : (425) 334 0272
fax : (425) 397 0775
WWW page : http://www.premier1.net/~iamdavid/
e-mail : iamdavid@premier1.net
Following are some dolphin and whale adoption programs. Most
provide a certificate, photo, chart, and quarterly newsletter.
This list was created by Trisha Lamb Feuerstein
(dolphintlf@aol.com) based on several sources, but a large
portion of the information, especially Canadian information,
was found in Patricia Corrigan's book "The Whale Watcher's
Guide: Whale-Watching Trips in North America".
Contact the organizations or check out their Web sites if
there is one for more information about the programs.
--DOLPHINS AND WHALES
Whale Adoption Project
International Wildlife Coalition
USA:
70 East Falmouth Highway
East Falmouth, Massachusetts 02536
phone : (800) 548-8704, (508) 548-8328, (508) 564-9980
fax : (508) 548-8542
United Kingdom:
P.O. Box 73
Hartfield
East Sussex TN7 4EY
Canada:
P.O. Box 461, Port Credit Postal Station
Mississauga, Ontario L5G 4M1
--DOLPHINS
Oceanic Project Dolphin
Adopt-A-Wild-Dolphin Program
Oceanic Society Expeditions
Fort Mason Center, Building E
San Francisco, California 94123
USA
phone : (800) 326-7491, (415) 441-1106
fax : (415) 474-3395
Sponsor-a-Dolphin Program
National Wildlife Federation catalogue
USA
phone : (800) 432-6564
Adopt A Dolphin Project
Okeanos Ocean Research Foundation
431 East Main St.
Riverhead, New York 11901-2550
USA
phone : (516) 369-9840
fax : (516) 369-9826
Dolphin Sponsorship Kit
International Marine Mammal Project
Earth Island Institute
300 Broadway, Suite 28
San Francisco, California 94133
USA
phone : (415) 788-3666
See also : Sea Creations (below)
The Jojo Dolphin Project
P.O. Box 153
Providenciales
Turks and Caicos Islands
British West Indies
phone : (809) 941-5617
Florida Marine Conservation Corp.
12295 Indian Mound Road
Lake Worth, FL 33467
USA
phone : (407) 683-9647
Adopt-a-Dolphin Project
Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
Alexander House
James Street West
Bath BA1 2BT
United Kingdom
phone : 01225 334511
Adopt a Dolphin
International Dolphin Watch
North Ferrby
E. Yorks HU14 3ET
England
Adopt-a-Dolphin Program
The Dolphin Research Institute, Inc.
P.O. Box 1245
Frankston, Victoria
Australia 3199
phone : 1800 631 812
e-mail : dolresin@iaccess.com.au
--WHALES
Ancru Adoption Program
PB 58,
8480 Andenes
Norway
fax : ( 47 ) 761 - 15610
WWW page : http://www.whalesafari.no
Adopt-a-Whale Program
National Wildlife Federation catalogue
USA
phone : (800) 432-6564
Orca Adoption Program
The Whale Museum
P.O. Box 945
Friday Harbor, Washington 98250
USA
phone : (800) 946-7227, (206) 378-4710
The Orca Club
Save The Whales
P.O. Box 2397
Venice, California 90291
USA
phone : (800) WHALE-65
Whale Adoption Program
Vancouver Aquarium
P.O. Box 3232
Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 3X8
Canada
phone : (604) 685-2516
fax : (604) 631-2529
e-mail : adoption@zoology.ubc.ca
WWW page : http://http://www.zoology.ubc.ca/~adoption
Keiko Adoption Kit
International Marine Mammal Project
Earth Island Institute
300 Broadway, Suite 28
San Francisco, California 94133
USA
phone : (800) 4-WHALES, (415) 788-3666
Adopt A Beluga
St. Lawrence National Institute of Ecotoxicology
310 Avenue des Ursulines
Rimouski
Quebec G5L 3A1
Canada
phone : (418) 724-1746
Adopt-a-Humpback-Whale
Earthtrust
Aikaki Mall Garden Ct.
25 Kaneohe Bay Drive
Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii 96734
USA
phone : (808) 254-2866
fax : (808) 254-6409
Adopt-a-Whale Project
Pacific Whale Foundation
Kealia Beach Plaza, Suite 21
101 North Kihei Road
Kihei, Maui, Hawaii 96753
USA
phone : (800) 942-5311
fax : (808) 879-2615
Humpback Whale Adoption/Project Megafam
The Whale Conservation Institute
191 Weston Road
Lincoln, Massachusetts 01773
phone : (617) 259-0423
Adopt A Fundy Whale
Brier Island Ocean Study
Westport
Digby County, Nova Scotia B0V 1H0
Canada
phone : (902) 839-2960
Know Your Rights
The Whale Conservation Institute
191 Weston Road
Lincoln, Massachusett 01773
USA
phone : (617) 259-0423
Right Whale Adoption Program
New England Aquarium
Central Wharf
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
USA
phone : (617) 973-5294, (617) 973-6582
The Ocean Society
441 Ridgewater Drive
Marietta, Georgia 30068, USA
phone : (770) 977-1838
East Coast Ecosystems
P.O. Box 36
Freeport, Nova Scotia
Canada BOV 1B0
Adopt-A-Finback Whale Program
Allied Whale
College of the Atlantic
Bar Harbour, Maine 04609
USA
phone : (207) 288-5644
fax : (207) 288-4126
e-mail : alliedwhale@ecology.coa.edu
Adopt A Giant
Mingan Island Cetacean Study
Summer:
124 Bord de la Mer
Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan
Quebec G0G 1V0
Canada
phone : (418) 949-2845
Winter:
285 rue Green
St. Lambert
Quebec J4P IT3
Canada
phone : (514) 465-9176
Sea Creations
Harbor Square Mall
134 Main Street
Port Jefferson, NY 11777
phone : 1-800-471-8388
WWW page : http://cyberactive-1.com/sea-creations/
Dolphin FAQ is maintained by Jaap van der Toorn
(jaap@compuserve.com). The intention is to post the latest
version of the FAQ on the news: alt.animals.dolphins
newsgroup once a month.
Please direct any remarks, suggestion, corrections and
additions to the above e-mail address.
alt.animals.dolphins is an unmoderated newsgroup for anyone
interested in dolphins. Unmoderated means that no-one is
screening the messages before they are put on the newsgroup.
As a result, you may occassionally see messages on that have
nothing to do with dolphins. Usually these are advertisements
for (often dubious) services and get-rich-fast schemes.
The best way to deal with those is just to ignore them. Do
not post follow-up messages and do not mail to the sender.
This will only encourage them to post more messages in the
future.
Topics that are suitable for this newsgroups include (but
are not restricted to): requests for information, exchanges
of experiences and ideas, news items etc. as long as they
relate to dolphins and/or whales.
Do not post pictures in this newsgroup. These are usually
large and this is not very polite to readers of the group
that have to pay connection time fees. If you want to make
pictures available through Usenet, post them in the designated
newsgroup: alt.binaries.pictures.animals. You can then post
a short announcement in this group that you have made them
available there.
This group is not intended for lengthy discussion on
political issues, even though these may deal with dolphins.
A better platform for these discussions is the newsgroup
talk.politics.animals.
For issues dealing with large whales, there is a sepatare
newsgroup: alt.animals.whales. Not every provider forwards
its messages, however.
This edition of Dolphin FAQ has been put into HTML form by ARRETEC the makers of DOLPHIN PHONE.
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