Indian River Lagoon Dolphin Outreach Initiative

Dolphins inhabiting the Indian River Lagoon face increased mortality risks from anthropogenic interactions such as entanglement, ingestion of fishing gear, and vessel strikes, with entanglement occurrences often underreported by the public. To reverse the trend of rising morbidity and mortality in these animals, timely outreach and education are essential to inform the public about preventing entanglement and reporting injured or stranded dolphins. This project aimed to enhance awareness of the detrimental effects of human activities on bottlenose dolphins and the coastal ecosystem of the Indian River Lagoon. Key objectives included developing and distributing training and outreach videos, which have successfully reached over 8,000 individuals, and creating educational materials to guide the public on reporting stranded or entangled dolphins. The project exceeded its goals by distributing a training video to 46 organizations and producing three outreach videos, alongside extensive community engagement through 33 outreach events that directly reached more than 1,300 people, including underrepresented groups. Additionally, it fostered mentorship opportunities and partnerships with local organizations, ultimately contributing to a more informed community capable of reducing harmful interactions with marine wildlife. Increased public awareness will aid in decreasing anthropogenic stressors on local dolphin populations and enable rapid responses to dolphins in distress in an area with heightened injury and mortality risks.