Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder Blog

Ever dreamed of swimming with dolphins? You’re not alone. It’s possible to get lucky on any given beach day and find yourself in close-range of wild dolphins in Florida. But nothing compares to experiencing these majestic and amazing creatures up close. That's where Dolphin Plus Marine Mammal Responder comes into play.

The body of a dolphin is unique in every way. Their body parts serve for a variety of functions allowing them to be highly adapted predators. Dive into the body of a Bottlenose Dolphin with our interactive guide!

Curiosity seems to be an inherent part of human nature. For millennia, humans have sought to answer questions of the unknown: What is this? Where are we? Who are we? Through history, scientists have been the intrepid voyagers that quest to find answers to these questions. However, the quest for knowledge is only half the battle. What good are the spoils of discovery, if they’re not shared?

If you’ve been to DPMMR, you know that our Key Largo dolphins are the driving force behind our research and support for marine life and conservation.

Being able to interact with these amazing marine mammals grows our love for them and respect for our environment. As one visitor said, “I would recommend if you have any opportunity, this is the place to go and I hope that everyone can interact with these incredible creatures.” But what makes these creatures so incredible? Read more to find out! Below, you can learn more about three of our dolphins and see just what endears them to us and everyone else who gets to interact with them.

Ocean wildlife is in danger. Aquatic animals are falling prey to bycatch at a startling rate. But what is bycatch, and how can we help? Bycatch occurs when fishermen unintentionally catch a species that wasn’t their specific target. The most common cause of bycatch is the use of fishing gear that pulls in mass quantities of seafood at a time, such as longlines and bottom trawls. Hook-and-line fishing is a much more environmentally conscious method of catching fish because if an unwanted species is caught, it can easily be released immediately.

Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder is the only whale and dolphin rescue organization in the Florida Keys and our area of coverage spans 10,000 square miles of marine habitat. We have a mission of conserving and protecting marine mammals through our research, education and outreach programs. We happily pursue this mission alongside and with the support of the local Keys community and we celebrated this collaboration at our inaugural Connect to Protect Gala on May 4th, 2019!

Threats to Wild Dolphins

Protecting animals has become a passion for many as humans continue interact with animals on personal and professional levels.

Connecting with other species is vitally important, as it’s through education that we are better able to understand animals and the threats that they face. This knowledge allows us to reevaluate how we as humans treat the other organisms that share the planet, and perhaps make positive and proactive changes in our lifestyles to better protect ecosystems (such as recycling).

You consider yourself to be eco-friendly, right? You recycle, take Uber Pools, observe Meat-free Mondays, and don’t print anything unnecessarily at work, home or, school. Your “green” pursuits help the planet and make you a positive contributor. And when you are ready to amplify your efforts, think eco-tourism – taking additional responsibility for the planet while traveling and vacationing.