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Dr. Randall S. Wells Title: Senior Scientist; Program Manager — Dolphin Research Program Phone: 941-388-4441 Email: Website: http://www.sarasotadolphin.org/ Randall Wells directs the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, the world’s longest-running study of a dolphin population. He began studying bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay, Florida, as a high school volunteer at Mote Marine Laboratory in 1970. Wells received his PhD in Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1986 and was awarded a post-doctoral fellowship from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He has worked with the Chicago Zoological Society since 1989, where he is currently a Senior Conservation Scientist, and he manages Mote Marine Laboratory’s Dolphin Research Program. Wells is a Professor of Ocean Sciences (adjunct) at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and Professor of Marine Mammal Science (adjunct) at the University Florida, through which he supervises masters and doctoral students Wells’ current research program uses a collaborative approach to examine the behavior, social structure, life history, ecology, health, and population biology of bottlenose dolphins along the central west coast of Florida, with studies focusing on five generations of a locally resident 160-member dolphin community. Recent research topics include the effects of human activities on coastal dolphins, such as boat traffic, fishing activities, human feeding of wild dolphins, and environmental contaminants. Wells has served as principal or co-principal investigator for more than 150 funded marine mammal research projects. In addition to bottlenose dolphin research, Wells has engaged in studies of the behavior of Hawaiian spinner dolphins, blue, gray, and humpback whales, ranging and dive patterns of franciscana dolphins off Argentina, the effects of industrial activities on bowhead whales, the impacts of boat traffic on manatees, and the reintroduction of captive and rehabilitated dolphins back into their native waters. Wells has authored or co-authored 4 books, more than 148 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, 66 technical reports, and 13 popular or semi-popular pieces. He has been presenter or co-author of more than 250 presentations at professional meetings or invited public or university lectures. Wells is President of the international Society for Marine Mammalogy. Wells also serves on the NOAA/USFWS Atlantic Scientific Review Group, and he is past-chair of the NOAA/USFWS Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events. Wells serves on IUCN’s Cetacean Specialist Group and Reintroduction Specialist Group. Education Postdoctoral Fellow, Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. (Sponsor, P.L. Tyack) Ph.D., Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz. Dissertation: "Structural aspects of dolphin societies" (Major Advisor, K.S. Norris) M.S., Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville.Thesis: "Home range characteristics and group composition of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, on the west coast of Florida" (Major Advisor, J.H. Kaufmann) B.A., Zoology, University of South Florida, Tampa. Publications SELECTED PUBLICATIONS: Wells, R.S. 2009. Learning from nature: Bottlenose dolphin care and husbandry. Zoo Biology 28:1-17. Wells, R.S., J.B. Allen, S. Hofmann, K. Bassos-Hull, D.A. Fauquier, N.B. Barros, R.E. DeLynn, G. Sutton, V. Socha and M.D. Scott. 2008. Consequences of injuries on survival and reproduction of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) along the west coast of Florida. Marine Mammal Science 24:774-794. Wells, R.S., V. Tornero, A. Borrell, A. Aguilar, T.K. Rowles, H.L. Rhinehart, S. Hofmann, W.M. Jarman, A.A. Hohn, and J.C. Sweeney. 2005. Integrating life history and reproductive success data to examine potential relationships with organochlorine compounds for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Sarasota Bay, Florida. Science of the Total Environment 349:106-119. Wells, R.S., D.J. Boness and G.B. Rathbun. 1999. Behavior. Pp. 324-422 In: J.E. Reynolds, III and S.A. Rommel, (eds.), Biology of Marine Mammals. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. 578 pp. Wells, R.S., M.D. Scott and A.B. Irvine. 1987. The social structure of free-ranging bottlenose dolphins. Pp. 247-305 In: Genoways, H. (ed.), Current Mammalogy, Vol. 1. New York: Plenum Press. Department: Directorate of Marine Biology & Conservation |
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Mote Marine Laboratory has been a leader in marine research since it was founded in 1955. Today, we incorporate public outreach as a key part of our mission. Mote is an independent nonprofit organization and has seven centers for marine research, the public Mote Aquarium and an Education Division specializing in public programs for all ages.
