The Dolphin Explorer: Making a Difference

It has been a very special nine months for the Dolphin Explorer team here on Marco Island. Their motto of “Passion, Integrity, Education” certainly defines and identifies the program as a unique opportunity to present the Marco Island area and its dolphin population to all who want to learn just a little bit more.

The team prides itself as the only active dolphin research program south of Sarasota, Florida, monitoring the social behavior, feeding habits, travel range, survival rate, genealogy and overall health of more than 120 resident dolphins. Documentation of each dolphin sighting is recorded in real time on our excursions and then transferred to our unique database. Quarterly reports regarding the dolphin activity are shared with several colleges and universities, other dolphin study programs, Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC), NOAA and institutions as far away as Australia. 

Guests on board become “Citizen Scientists” for a day by helping us identify the dolphins and learning about our very unique ecosystem. Our reviews speak for themselves and the number of repeat guests dictates the popularity of our tours.

The core of the team, on the water, consists of three very personable and educated individuals. Captain Eddie Farr doesn’t just drive the boat, he has a degree in Environmental Sciences with special studies of dolphins and whales. His book “The Natural History of the Coastal Bottlenose Dolphin” is very popular and is available on Kindle. His keen eye is usually the first to spot dolphins in the area.

James Livacarri is our resident Marine Biologist and worked for the program in its early years from 2008-2014. He has returned to the area and is again on-board full-time. He’s a valuable asset regarding historical data of our population as well as theories on current dolphin behavior. He has recently passed his Captain’s test as well. His personality on board is always a hit with our guests.

As Lead Naturalist, I am a Florida Master Naturalist, certified through the University of Florida, and have been with the program since 2011. As a writer for this paper, I have won two national awards for my columns in the category “Articles to Educate / Inform,” have published two pictorial books regarding Florida wildlife, and am a regular speaker at area venues.

This core group is responsible for quite a few awards and accolades recently. Last November the Convention and Visitors Bureau of the Paradise Coast handed out their “Shining Star” trophies and the Best Eco-Adventure Tour was the Dolphin Explorer. In January writer Adrian Phillips penned an article about us in the London Times. The March edition of Gulfshore Life magazine included a special section, “Faces of Southwest Florida” and the only program on the water from Fort Myers to the Everglades was us. On July 1st, the most recent edition of National Geographic Traveler Magazine hit the stands and we are featured there as well.

On the water, our research is very important. On April 25th we were responsible for the monitoring and eventual rescue of a 19-month-old dolphin that had a life-threatening injury regarding fishing line wrapped around its tail. Seven agencies including Clearwater Aquarium, Mote Marine Labs, Chicago Zoological Society, FWC, NOAA and more conducted the rescue because of the photos and reports that our team sent regularly to FWC and NOAA leading up to that event.

In early June we received a call about a dolphin acting strangely and it turned out not to be a dolphin at all, but an 8-foot Pygmy whale that was obviously distressed. Our call to FWC immediately prompted a response to begin a potential rescue or retrieval of this rarely seen mammal.

We have also been involved in local groups by offering tours to special organizations. Hero’s House recognizes active military who have put their lives on the line to save their comrades and we always have them as our guests. Freedom Water Foundation sends special needs groups or military veterans and we are happy to serve them for a tour. In conjunction with the Cousteau Foundation, we have hosted young potential scientists of “Ambassadors of the Environment” who are hosted by Marco Island Academy. There are more, but too many to mention.

The pride of our program is twofold. First, the research that we gather is very significant and it can help other agencies and dolphin studies understand our ecosystem and why certain species thrive here. Analyses of differences in habitat are also important. For example, in the first 30 years of their dolphin study in Sarasota Bay, Mote Marine’s team discovered that only one calf of all first-time mothers survived past three years of age. We have 17 years of data and our area has five calves of all first-time mothers reaching that same plateau, yet we are just down the coastline. Comparative information like this helps to understand our coast.

Secondly, our ability to educate the public about the area and all that it has to offer is paramount. We are in the largest mangrove forest in the western hemisphere, complimented by estuaries, rivers and bays that provide a wealth of information. Many of our guests have never seen dolphins in the wild and it is like Christmas morning to them when they see them and learn why they are here.

The recent crowning achievement is the article in National Geographic’s Traveler Magazine, July/August 2023 Edition. This is the second time that Nat Geo has published information about our program. We often tell our guests that Nat Geo has been with us twice and we recently received a surprise when a gentleman came up to one of our employees and said, “Make that three times” and flashed his credentials.

Our team would not be complete without two very important ladies. My wife, Cathy, is our database manager, responsible for assuring that all of our information is accurate before entering the system. She keeps the core group in line! James’ wife, Nikki, is a regular smiling face at our booth to greet guests and introduce them to the expectations of their tour.

The entire team will continue to exude their passion, answer all questions with integrity and educate the public about our amazing surroundings. It takes our entire Dolphin Explorer family to make this happen, every day, to the best of our ability. Come visit us soon!