Dolphin Research
As a member of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks & Aquariums, Dolphin Encounters conducts and supports scientific research with marine mammals, recognizing the need for information to conserve species, habitats, and biodiversity and to improve husbandry. The resulting information from this effort benefits the survival and understanding of animals both in the wild and under human care.
Dolphin Encounters facilitates coordinated research and communicates the research results through attendance at scientific meetings and publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals. We demonstrate support to valid research proposals for student interns, both local and international, through a variety of contributions:
- Donation of Biological Samples
- Access to Public Records
- Staff Time to aid in Data Collection
- Passive Observation of Natural Behaviors
Having gained a greater appreciation for dolphins, our guests also aid in the support of research by purchasing gift items that support research in the wild. Sales of items, such as adoption kits for the Dolphin Communication Project and beautiful tabletop books for the Wild Dolphin Project, has raised over $12,000 to support marine mammal research conducted in the Bahamas.
Finally, Dolphin Encounters sustains the biological diversity of marine mammals under its care and prioritizes research needs that augment the efforts of studbook and breeding management programs.
Research results identify the DNA structures of all the animals in our collection.
Controlled breeding ensures maximum biological diversity. The results of the DNA testing can be seen in the education section at our Dolphin Family Tree where the relationships of our animals are displayed.
