We work to educate the general public regarding bottlenose dolphins and conservation issues through public presentations at the Chicago Zoological Society’s Brookfield Zoo, Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, and elsewhere, articles and interviews, and through volunteering opportunities. We also produce books for the general public and students. One of these, “Dolphins, Whales, and Manatees of Florida: A Guide to Sharing Their Waters,” by John Reynolds and Randall Wells, was published in 2003 to fill a niche for teaching people about how to better appreciate and treat marine mammals in their environment. Another, “Dolphin Man: Exploring the World of Dolphins,” by Laurence Pringle and Randall Wells, was published in 2002 to provide middle school students with an opportunity to learn about Sarasota Bay’s dolphins and about one pathway for becoming a marine biologist engaged in dolphin biology, research, and conservation.

Immersion Cinema: Dolphin Bay

        An Immersion Cinema interactive program, “Dolphin Bay,” loosely based on our long-term dolphin research and conservation program in Sarasota Bay, is aired during multiple daily showings at Mote Marine Laboratory’s 165-seat theater. Participants are able to investigate realistic threats to bottlenose dolphins in the imaginary bay, and attempt to resolve the threats for the animals by applying field research techniques and performing rescues. The program is designed to entertain as well as educate young people, especially, about the threats faced by coastal dolphins, and about the means available to them for making a positive difference in the dolphins’ lives. It tries to present a balanced selection of realistic alternatives. The consequences of the choices made by the participants are shown through modeling of the Dolphin Bay population using the program “Vortex” (developed by the Chicago Zoological Society’s Dr. Robert Lacy), indicating the population size 50 years hence.