Over the past two months, the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program has documented three dolphins that have been struck by boats. Two of the dolphins were recently born calves. Mote’s Stranding Investigations Program has also recovered several large sea turtles that had been struck by boats. These incidents offer a strong reminder that we share our [...]
A federally funded, multi-agency effort has begun on the largest coral reef restoration project in history. NOAA funded scientists with The Nature Conservancy and partner organizations including Mote Marine Laboratory, began growing staghorn and elkhorn corals at eight underwater nurseries located from Ft. Lauderdale south through the Florida Keys and U.S. Virgin Islands in 2009. [...]
On another front, the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program is currently studying the genetic susceptibility of bottlenose dolphins to red tides. Several large scale mortality events of dolphins in the Florida Panhandle have been associated with a red tide bloom. Yet, dolphin populations in central-west Florida, including Sarasota Bay, have suffered little red tide-related mortality although [...]
The Penguins have landed! Six black footed penguins are now enjoying their new “vacation” home at Mote Aquarium. The birds star in Penguin Island, a limited time exhibit running from November 2011 through spring 2012 at Mote. Sarasota’s first penguins include five male birds named Sly, South, Rudy, Oswald and Coaster along with a female [...]
