Patches, a unique-looking dolphin who sporadically shows up off the coast, was seen July 24 off Laguna Beach. (Courtesy of Craig DeWitt/Capt. Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Safari)
Bottlenose dolphins are one of the most recognizable sea mammals for those who visit the ocean. But everyday beachgoers don’t typically know why dolphins act the way they do, or what they’re like in the wild away from shore.
The Roundhouse Aquarium Teaching Center in Manhattan Beach is trying to bridge a gap in that knowledge locally, as it just launched its Bottlenose Dolphin Project, a website showcasing years of observations on the three dolphin pods that frequently visit the Santa Monica Bay.
Although there isn’t a physical exhibit at the end of the city’s pier, the roundhouse will soon host public lectures and events on the project.
The roundhouse has been photographing and recording video of the dolphin pods’ behavior since 2018, and have in the meantime consolidated the findings into the new website to promote dolphin awareness and conservation.
The site explains bottlenose dolphins’ anatomy, the difference between coastal and local offshore dolphins, how scientists discourage attributing human qualities to the mammals’ behavior and more.
An event at the aquarium in January about the natural and abnormal challenges, co-hosted by the Los Angeles County Library, used information and imagery from the Dolphin Project.
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