Thursday, January 28, 2010

Dolphin Research Center, Gassy Key, Florida

Mission of the Dolphin Research Center

The Dolphin Research Center (DRC) is a not-for-profit education and research facility, home to a family of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions. Over half of our family was born at the Center, while the other members either have come to us from other facilities, or were collected long ago by other management.

In addition to maintaining the best possible environment for the dolphins and sea lions at the Center, we also dedicate ourselves to assisting marine mammals in distress in the surrounding waters of the Keys. For decades, DRC operated as the Southernmost member of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network. We rescued and rehabilitated whales and dolphins, providing expert medical attention to help ease the way for our marine friends from the wild. The rescue and rehabilitation procedures provided us with invaluable opportunities for critical research and data collection. DRC extended its rescue commitment to include the endangered manatee and is currently the only facility in the Florida Keys licensed by the Federal Government to assist manatees in distress.

Today we walked ( yes walked) to the Dolphin Research Center. Very interesting place with a show every hour and a movie the half-hour.

This is also the place where “One of the dolphins, Mitzi, starred in the Flipper movie.”

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some of the reptile life

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Mom with baby.

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