Conservation Archives - Page 3 of 6 - Clearwater Marine Aquarium

A Manatee’s Legacy: The Life and Loss of Leesburg

Updated March 23, 2023 Posted February 22, 2020

Even though “Leesburg” was killed by human interaction, her story inspired so many to learn more about manatees. Her journey will live on by the invaluable movement data she provided researchers and residents that live and play on the Ocklawaha waterways, all the way down to Leesburg, Florida.

First North Atlantic Right Whale Calf of the Season Spotted Off Georgia Coast

Updated June 18, 2020 Posted December 19, 2019

On Monday, December 16, 2019, an aerial surveillance team from Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) identified the first North Atlantic right whale mom/calf pair of the season approximately 30 miles east of Sapelo Island, off the coast of Georgia.

Florida Wildlife Grant Helps Fund Research to Monitor Manatee Habitats

Posted November 24, 2019

Photo credit: Steve Ando Photography. Grant From Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida Provides Funds to Monitor Manatee Use of Silver River Clearwater Marine […]

Dolphin Dorsal Fin Twins Are Not Uncommon

Posted September 20, 2019

Dolphin dorsal fins become marked mainly through natural interactions free of any intentional nick/notch formation, meaning the markings are formed randomly. Even so, we do find “twins” among animals in the wild community.

Over 200 Marine Debris Hazards Removed During 2019 Ghost Trap Rodeo

Posted August 21, 2019

With the effort of more than 75 participants spread across the six locations, over 200 derelict traps were collected! The Ghost Trap Rodeo successfully aided in improving natural habitats for many marine animals, and hopes to continue making positive change in the Tampa Bay area in the future.

How Scars and Other Body Features Help Identify Dolphins

Updated August 19, 2019 Posted August 18, 2019

Dolphins are air-breathing mammals, this means that about 99.9% of the time, when they surface to breathe, their dorsal fin is visible. For our photo-identification efforts, this makes capturing a photo of a fin relatively easy. Let’s consider, however, how one would identify bottlenose dolphins if a dorsal fin was not visible.

What Do Different Sea Turtles Eat?

Updated July 18, 2019 Posted July 16, 2019

Different Sea Turtle Diets Have you ever been curious about what sea turtles eat? There are seven species of sea turtles in the world, […]

Learning From a Manatee Research Scientist – Interview With Monica Ross

Posted June 28, 2019

We spoke with CMA Research Institute’s Senior Research Scientist Monica Ross to find out how she became involved with manatee research and what she […]

Male Bottlenose Dolphin Pair Bonds Form Long-Lasting Friendships

Updated June 23, 2019 Posted June 20, 2019

Wild Dolphin Updates The Bromance of Bottlenose Dolphins Have you ever wanted to hang out with your best friend all the time? Many male […]

Iconic House Boat Becomes a Thriving Artificial Reef

Updated December 14, 2019 Posted June 14, 2019

On Wednesday, April 24, 2019, part of Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s iconic house boat, home to Harry Connick Jr’s character in the Dolphin Tale movies, was transformed into a marine life habitat as part of an artificial reef system in the Gulf of Mexico.