Day 14 - Imitate

Day 14: Imitate

We've all heard the expression "monkey see, monkey do" - but actually, that's a myth. Imitation is very rare in the animal kingdom and - apart from humans - the animal that us best at imitation is the dolphin.

We wanted to explore this ability further so we prepared two studies on imitation. In our first study, Blindfolded Imitation in a Bottle Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) that was published by the International Journal of Comparative Psychology, we asked Tanner to copy the behaviors of another dolphin while wearing eyecups. And... he could do it! But how? Without the ability to use his vision, he must have used sound, either by echolocating to "see" the behavior, or by recognizing the characteristic sound the behavior makes,

In our second study, called Switching Strategies: A Dolphin's use of Passive and Active Acoustics to Imitate Motor Actions, we discovered that when a dolphin could recognize the behavior by its characteristic sound, he did so. When he did not, he chose to use his echolocation in order to answer the question. This study was published in Animal Cognition. With these studies, DRC has shown that dolphins not only have the ability to imitate, but can imitate with a kind of problem-solving flexibility that's never been seen outside of humans.

Although these studies are very popular in the animal cognition world, DRC also gives our guests the opportunity to learn about the dolphins' imitation abilities during our narrated behavior sessions and interactive programs. We can ask the dolphins to imitate an array of behaviors, such as laughing, waving, spinning, spitting, splashing, bobbing up and down, doing a handstand (as you see in this photo), and more. With no additional information given to the dolphins, they have demonstrated that they can watch a subject then copy that specific behavior. It's a fun experience for our guests, and ties the knowledge they gain into a memory to be shared with others.

Day 4 - Marine Mammals

Day 4: Marine Mammals

Dolphins... and sea lions.. and Manatees... Oh my! 

Post a photo of your favorite marine mammal (or one you think is pretty cool) on your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram timeline using the hashtags #iHeartDRC and#DolphinResearchCenter.

Day 3 - Celebrate

Day 3 - Celebrate

Have you celebrated meeting, playing with, or swimming with dolphins?

#iHeartDRC #DolphinResearchCenter

Learning to Train with Dolphins -- and Dogs!

DolphinLab students working with Tanner and AJ during Advanced Marine Mammal Training and Enrichment



A DolphinLab student trains a new behavior to a staff member's dog.



So many people tell us they dream of training dolphins. Not everybody gets to realize that dream but at Dolphin Research Center you can experience a lot of what is involved in working with these amazing animals.

We offer a few different DolphinLab classes that delve deeper into the training, care and enrichment of dolphins. Teen Advanced DolphinLab: Training I, for ages 15-17, and two courses for adults -- Marine Mammal Care and Basic Training and Advanced Marine Mammal Training and Enrichment courses – provide hands-on experience and academically intensive programs.

Students work side-by-side with Animal Care and Training and Education staff in multiple daily sessions where they learn to work directly with the dolphins. They also participate in various other activities – including learning how to present the dolphins to the public in a narrated behavior session.

In two of the classes, the students receive additional training experience from some canine instructors. In Teen Training I and Advanced Marine Mammal Training and Enrichment, each student works individually with a staff member’s dog. In three sessions a day, the students apply their newly-learned training principles and practices and train their dog partner a new behavior!

No other programs in the world provide this level of hands-on, in-depth training experience with dolphins and dogs, all supervised by our experienced trainers and educators. Students can also receive college credit for the two adult courses.

For more information including course dates, costs, and prerequisites, please click here to visit the DolphinLab area of our website!

DRC Helps Rescue Baby Manatee!

DRC Medical Director Pat Clough assesses the baby manatee on scene after the rescue.

This little girl is believed to be only a few weeks old.

Personnel from Dolphin Research Center’s (DRC) Manatee Rescue Team joined with staff from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Miami Seaquarium (MSQ) to rescue a baby female manatee on Sunday, June 15th. Residents in the bayside area of mile marker 101 in Key Largo had observed the small animal on its own for several days and reported it to the FWC. After locating the calf in a canal, rescuers stretched a net from land and divers picked up the animal and carried it on shore.

DRC’s Medical Director Pat Clough performed an initial assessment of the calf. It was weighed on scene and determined to be only 65 pounds and in need of nutrition and fluids. After the assessment, the manatee was transported to Miami Seaquarium for long term care. “We don’t know how long the baby has been on her own, or what happened to the mother, but she was emaciated and dehydrated,” stated Clough. “Hopefully, with regular nutrition and the excellent around-the-clock care she’ll receive at Miami Seaquarium, she’ll gain weight and be fine.”
The calf underwent additional tests and assessment by Seaquarium veterinarians. They report that she adapted smoothly to being fed by bottle. Seaquarium staff will continue to monitor her condition and provide constant care.

To learn more about manatees, visit the Marine Education section of our website or click here to read facts about manatees.

DolphinCamp and DolphinLab Spots Still Open!

Whether you’re thinking about a career with marine mammals, or you simply love dolphins and want to learn more about them while having fun, you’re an excellent candidate for DolphinLab.

Here’s what a few of our previous students, parents and teachers said about their experience . . .

“I was blown away by this program. I learned more than I thought possible and am so excited to come back and learn even more.”
"DolphinLab far exceeded my expectations both for enjoyment factor and learning/education. I've learned more in one week than one year at college."
“The lab reinforced my current career goals, but also opened my eyes to a whole slew of different careers having to do with dolphins.”
“…another great week of DolphinLab for my daughter….I believe DRC has helped her decide that working to save the environment and wildlife is what she wants to devote her life to.”

“I have had the pleasure of bringing my students to…DolphinLab since 1986. The quality of the…experience has been outstanding on all occasions.”

There are still spots available in all of our Dolphin Camp courses for ages 10-12 or 13-14. For adults ages 18 and older, we have courses open in All About Dolphins as well as the Career Focused Series classes.

Remember, you can now earn college credit for all of our adult courses!

For students ages 15-17, unfortunately our Teen Basic Courses are already full, so please plan ahead for next year! If you’ve previously taken Teen Basic, and would like to return for the Intermediate or Advanced Teen Course, openings are still available.

Click here to go to the DolphinLab area of our website for more information or email the Education Department at education@dolphins.org.