Historical Highlights
1959 Rare beaked whale remains are donated by Mote to the American Museum of Natural History.
1970 Office of Naval Research funds studies on the interactions between dolphins and sharks; dolphin tagging studies begin from Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor, documenting these animals’ local residency for the first time. The program continues today as the world’s longest-running dolphin research program.
1982 Genie, a second generation in Mote’s wild dolphin study, gives birth to the study’s third generation.
1982 Sea turtle nest monitoring begins.
1984 Mote standardizes its response to stranded marine mammals.
1985 First aerial survey of manatees.
1987 Sarasota County adopts sea turtle protection plan because of Mote’s efforts.
1990 Bottlenose dolphins Misha and Echo are released in Tampa Bay, marking the first scientific effort to monitor captive dolphins after their return to native waters.
1994 The Ann and Alfred Goldstein Marine Mammal Center opens and the Fran Warren Endowment for Marine Mammals is established.
1996 Genie’s daughter Claire gives birth to the first documented fourth generation of Sarasota Bay dolphins.
1998 The Center for Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Research is officially formed.
1959 Rare beaked whale remains are donated by Mote to the American Museum of Natural History.
1970 Office of Naval Research funds studies on the interactions between dolphins and sharks; dolphin tagging studies begin from Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor, documenting these animals’ local residency for the first time. The program continues today as the world’s longest-running dolphin research program.
1982 Genie, a second generation in Mote’s wild dolphin study, gives birth to the study’s third generation.
1982 Sea turtle nest monitoring begins.
1984 Mote standardizes its response to stranded marine mammals.
1985 First aerial survey of manatees.
1987 Sarasota County adopts sea turtle protection plan because of Mote’s efforts.
1990 Bottlenose dolphins Misha and Echo are released in Tampa Bay, marking the first scientific effort to monitor captive dolphins after their return to native waters.
1994 The Ann and Alfred Goldstein Marine Mammal Center opens and the Fran Warren Endowment for Marine Mammals is established.
1996 Genie’s daughter Claire gives birth to the first documented fourth generation of Sarasota Bay dolphins.
1998 The Center for Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Research is officially formed.
About Us
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.
