DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER 58901 Overseas Highway Grassy Key, FL 33050 www.dolphins.org ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

Dolphin Research Center is a not-for-profit corporation specializing in education and research. DRC is a tax-exempt organization, and as such, all donations, monetary or otherwise, are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Page 4 The Gray Cross

THANK YOU! The Florida Keys are beautiful, but the salt

water and hot sun are tough on equipment Thank

you for all you do to make sure that we have what

we need to help the endangered Florida Manatee.

Wish List Items Needed

Hoop Net - $450

Foam Pads (2) - $520

Waterproof Gear Bags (2) - $200

CPR Course (5 staff) - $250

Strap fins (2 pair) - $150.00

Net Bucket—$1500.00

Protective bladders to

waterproof radios (6) - $250.00

Rash Guard Shirts—$1250.00

Animal rescue requires specialized equipment

to not only increase our chances for success, but

also to help us operate with the utmost safety for

the team as well as the manatees.

We could not do these rescue missions

without the generous assistance you provide.

You may donate money for these specific

items, or make a general donation to the Dolphin

Research Center Manatee Rescue Team.

For more information, contact the

Membership Department at 305-289-1121, ext. 229, or email drc-mbr@dolphins.org!

Love to Fish? Don’t Leave Your Line Behind!

Monofilament fishing line can be recycled! Look for a bin at your neighborhood marina, bridge or tackle shop. To find a location near you, visit www.fishinglinerecycling.org!

HERA, cont’d from page two

The week’s objectives were accomplished. All dolphins were

handled with expert care and safely released into their marine home.

DRC’s Rescue team took to the field again on July 21st when

Animal Care and Habitat Specialists Adam Keaton and Ryan Bliss

joined a multi-agency Intervention Team led on the water by Steve

McCulloch to locate and successfully disentangle a dolphin calf in the

Indian River Lagoon. The entangled dolphin calf , known as Mono

(short for monofilament), is just over one year of age. She and her

mother are known to HBOI researchers. Unfortunately Mono has

picked up bad habits and it was the third intervention for this young

calf. The team deployed a 400 yard net encircling the pair. They were

restrained within sight of each other and the dolphins could be heard

whistling to each other through the entire process. A black cord that

had wrapped around her body was successfully removed from Mono

and then she and her mother were safely released into the lagoon.

Wild dolphins and marine mammals worldwide are faced with

increasing threats due to human impact including interactions, disease

and a variety of environmental stressors. Monofilament and gear lines

can cause the amputation of fins and pecs. Please help keep marine

mammals gear-free. Dispose of all of your gear responsibly and teach

others to do the same.

By Bette Zirkelbach

DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER 58901 Overseas Highway Grassy Key, FL 33050

www.dolphins.org

The Gray Cross A Quarterly Publication of DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER

Volume 14, Number 3 2011

Manatee Rescue Team Helps Protect Dolphins

Manatees—The Sometimes Social Animal

This calf is nursing from its mother’s teat

(located beneath the flipper) while the

manatee pair hung out in a canal in

Lower Matecumbe in the Florida Keys.

(Photo by Susan Sorensen)

Pat Clough (right, in cap and sunglasses) and Bette

(left in ball cap near boat) assist in the safe capture

of a dolphin for an important health assessment.

(Photo by: Gary Firstenberg / NMFS Permit # 14352-00;

Courtesy Harbor Branch - FAU)

Members from Dolphin Research Center’s Rescue Team joined multi-agency

efforts in the field this summer on two separate occasions to help ease the way for

dolphins in the wild.

For one week in June, Medical Director Pat Clough and Director of Facilities

Bette Zirkelbach teamed with an elite crew of top marine mammal researchers

during the annual Health and Environmental Risk Assessment (HERA) of free-

ranging bottlenose dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon. Led by Dr. Greg Bossart

(Georgia Aquarium Chief Veterinary Officer & Senior Vice President, Veterinary

Services) and coordinated by Steve McCulloch (Program Manager of Marine

Mammal Research at Harbor Branch Oceanographic at Florida Atlantic

University), this project is one of the longest standing and most comprehensive

health assessments of any marine animal. HERA focuses on the health of

bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the wild. Dolphins are at the top of the

food chain and serve as a key species for monitoring not only the health of these

animals and their environment, but also human health.

Cont’d page two

Manatees, once thought to be mermaids, have always been a little bit of

a mystery. Their social behavior seemed to be a mix of independence and

herd life. No significant contributions were made in behavioral studies until

the 1950s, when Joseph Curtis Moore observed manatees congregating

around a power plant in the Miami River, and the late 60s when Daniel

Hartman started a long-term behavior study in Crystal River.

Manatees are considered a semi-social animal, which means that with

some exceptions, the basic social unit is the female and her calf. Any other

groups are temporary. These temporary groups could be manatees wanting to

mate, gathering around a fresh water source or seeking warm water around a

power plant in winter.

Mating herds are formed when a group of male manatees follow a

female around, sometimes for a month at a time. During this time, the female

tries to escape her pursuers, often swimming into shallows to keep them

from her underside. After what is known as a consort period, the “herd” will

break up and the males will leave the pregnant female alone. The father

manatees don’t play any role in raising the calf.

When the female has her calf, it will remain close to her side, able to

swim minutes after birth. The calf will normally swim parallel to its mother,

Cont’d page three

THE GRAY CROSS

Dolphin Research Center is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to a better understanding of marine mammals and the environment we share. DRC is home to a colony of dolphins and sea lions where we conduct innovative research and offer many interactive, educational programs. Beyond our lagoons, we are the only private organization in the Florida Keys licensed to respond to manatees in distress. We are actively involved in our community providing outreach presentations on a variety of conservation subjects. The Gray Cross evolved from our work with stranded marine mammals. DRC’s critical care program is world renowned. Our experience with dolphins, whales and sea lions is used to help the endangered Florida Manatee. DRC has also participated in rescue and release of endangered sea turtles. As a not-for-profit organization, contributions to DRC are welcomed and tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. For more information, visit our website at www.dolphins.org, call (305) 289-1121 extension 229 or send an email to drc-mbr@dolphins.org.

Page 2 The Gray Cross

HERA from page one

The Indian River Lagoon, the

setting for HERA, is unique.

Labeled as the most biologically

diverse estuary in North America,

it supports more than 3,500

documented species of animals,

plants, fungi, and simple-celled

organisms. The area includes

nurseries for several species of

fish, sea grass beds, and is a

popular location for manatees and

dolphins. The health of the Indian

River Lagoon is threatened by

storm water runoff, excessive

human growth, habitat loss,

pollution and other human

activities. In addition to the health

and long-term viability of

bottlenose dolphins, the HERA

research program is designed to

assess environmental and human

related stressors.

The project involves physical

examinations and the collection

and analysis of various health

measurements on temporarily

restrained dolphins. This research

was conducted under a National

Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)

permit issued to Dr. Bossart. Pat and Bette

worked alongside a team of over 40 specialists.

In addition to DRC, other organizations

represented included Dolphins Plus, Marine

Mammal Conservancy, Georgia Aquarium

Dolphin Conservation Field Station, Hubbs-Sea

World Research Institute, National Marine

Fisheries Service, Ocean Embassy and HBOI

(FAU). These agencies specialize in marine

mammal care, rehabilitation and protection. The

fleet consisted of nine boats, including

collection, processing and safety vessels.

Cont’d page four

Once a dolphin was safely on board, veterinarians quickly

assessed the animal’s condition and took measurements.

(Photo by: Gary Firstenberg / NMFS Permit # 14352-00; Cour-

tesy Harbor Branch - FAU)

Dolphin-Friendly Fishing & Viewing Tips

Never feed wild dolphins. It’s harmful & illegal!

Reuse leftover bait. Dumping it may attract dolphins to your fishing area to beg

or steal your catch.

Reel in lines if dolphins appear. Wait for them to pass. Never cast toward

dolphins.

If dolphins show interest in your bait or catch, change locations.

Release catch quietly away from dolphins when and where it is possible to do so

without violating state or federal fishing regulations.

Check gear and terminal tackle to avoid unwanted line breaks. Even small

amounts of gear in water can harm wildlife.

Use circle hooks and corrodible hooks. These reduce injuries to fish, dolphins

and sea turtles.

Stay at least 50 yards away from dolphins and other marine mammals.

Recycle fishing line in a Monofilament Fishing Line Recycling bin.

Stash your trash. Littering is illegal and can be harmful to wildlife. Dispose of

trash in an appropriate receptacle.

Information supplied by NOAA’s Fisheries Service, the Chicago Zoological Society,

Mote Marine Laboratory and Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute

Yes! I would like to make a contribution to Dolphin Research Center’s Manatee Rescue Team and their efforts to save an endangered species. __$10 $15 $25 $35 $50 Other $ Donations can be mailed to DRC, 58901 Overseas Hwy, Grassy Key, FL 33050, made online at www.dolphins.org or faxed to (305) 743-7627. Thank you!

Name: ____________________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________________ City: ____________________ State: ____ Zip: _________ Country: _____________

Type of Payment: (Please make checks payable to Dolphin Research Center.)

___ Check (US Funds) ____ Money Order (US Funds)

Credit Card: ____ VISA ____ MasterCard ____ Discover ____ Amex

Card # __ __ __ __ - __ __ __ __ - __ __ __ __ - __ __ __ __ Expires: __ __ /__ __

Signature of Cardholder: ________________________________________________

For more information about the Gray Cross and Dolphin Research Center, call 305-289-1121 extension 229. SC# NSC1011

Page 3 The Gray Cross

Social, cont’d from page one

directly behind her flipper. This makes communication easier

and is also more hydrodynamic for the calf.

Manatees have also been known to form playgroups where

they bodysurf or play follow-the-leader. Bodysurfing is where

manatees ride the currents in coordinated parallel formations while

nuzzling and vocalizing with each other. Follow-the-leader is a

behavior in which manatees swim single file, synchronizing all of

their movements, like diving and even breathing.

Despite the fact that manatees are often found alone,

communication is still a very important part of their life. Not much

is known about how manatees communicate, but it involves

vocalization, nuzzling and acoustics. Manatees communicate with

others during playtime, and communication between a mother and

her calf is necessary.

When manatees aren’t busy playing or raising a calf, they can

be seen happily swimming around by themselves. This semi-social

lifestyle also makes it much easier when it comes to releasing

manatees back into the wild. Unlike dolphins or whales, manatees

are generally more independent, so rehabilitators don’t have to

worry about whether or not the manatee will find a pod and fit in

with it. They are perfectly content with their semi-social lifestyle,

but that doesn’t mean that they don’t like to have a little fun every

once in a while!

By Julia Sayers

Interested in learning more about manatees?

Visit Dolphin Research Center’s website and click

on Marine Education.

Look for these and other books:

Manatees and Dugongs by John E. Reynolds III &

Daniel K. Odell

Manatees Natural History & Conservation by

James Powell

These nuzzling manatees might be communicating

something to each other but we don’t know what!

(Photo by Susan Sorensen)