Saving Populations

Sarasota dolphins are “urban dolphins.” As such, they face many threats living in an environment heavily affected by human activities.

The dolphins must share the waterways with thousands of motor boats. The boats range from jet skis and small runabouts to large cabin cruisers, yachts and barges.

Dolphins may get hooked by lures or baited lines from fishing boats.

Motor boats create a noisy environment, potentially noisy enough to interfere with the dolphins’ echolocation, the sounds they make to communicate with one another, or the sounds of the fish they are seeking for food.

Recreational fishing also may create a hazard for the dolphins. Dolphins are sometimes hooked or entangled in fishing line.

Contents of this barrel may have leaked into the water. If so, chemicals could have entered the dolphin food chain.

Human pollution creates other hazards for dolphins. Chemicals in the water can contaminate fish eaten by wild dolphins. This contamination, from a variety of sources threatens the health of dolphins.

Some boaters feed wild dolphins, not knowing that this creates a threat to both the dolphins and the humans, and that it is illegal.

: Cabin cruise passes close to dolphin while SDRP observer collect sighting data

: Personal Watercraft speeds by dolphin group which includes a calf.

: Contents of this barrel may have leaked into the water. If so, chemicals could have entered the dolphin food chain.

Dolphins may get hooked by lures or baited lines from fishing boats.

Dolphin with fish near boaters. Discarded fish or even fish on a line are a threat to dolphins.

These types of fishing gear, all taken from dolphin habitats, can harm dolphins.

Saving Populations