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The dolphins below have been spotted in Florida's Sarasota Bay area.
By carefully observing each dolphin's dorsal fin, you can identify these dolphins. Can you match their dorsal fins to those of dolphins whose fins are photographed and catalogued in the Gulf of Mexico Dolphin Identification System (GoMDIS)?
Learn more about GoMDIS
Learn more about GoMDIS
Brookfield Zoo Chicago and the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program manage and maintains GoMDIS, which is an organized, online collection of dolphin ID catalogues from groups throughout the Gulf of Mexico — including Mexico and Cuba. Using GoMDIS, scientists can identify dolphins throughout the Gulf to determine where and how far they travel. To read more about GoMDIS, visit the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program website.
Click on a photo below to identify the dolphin by matching it to a photograph of its dorsal fin:
Answers on the About page
Mystery Dolphin #1
Photo credit: © Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Photo taken under NMFS/MMPA Scientific Research Permit.
Mystery Dolphin #2
Photo credit: © Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Photo taken under NMFS/MMPA Scientific Research Permit.
Mystery Dolphin #3
Photo credit: © Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Photo taken under NMFS/MMPA Scientific Research Permit.
Mystery Dolphin #4
Photo credit: © Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Photo taken under NMFS/MMPA Scientific Research Permit.
Mystery Dolphin #5
Photo credit: © Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Photo taken under NMFS/MMPA Scientific Research Permit.
Mystery Dolphin #6
Photo credit: © Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Photo taken under NMFS/MMPA Scientific Research Permit.
Alternative Printable Activity: Match the Mother Dolphin to Her Dorsal Fin
How do scientists in Sarasota Bay know who the different dolphins are? Scientists can tell by looking at dolphin's dorsal fins. Every dolphin's dorsal fin is different!
Can you match each dolphin mother to a picture of her dorsal fin? Print out the photos below and see if you can find out the name of each mother dolphin.
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