WHAT: Free ‘Reserve Wednesday’ talk, Bottlenose Dolphin Research in the Florida Panhandle; What we think we know and where do we go from here?
WHEN: Wednesday, October 19, 2016 2 – 3 p.m.
WHERE: Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve Nature Center, 108 Island Dr., Eastpoint, FL 32328
HOW: Registration is not required, but seating is limited. For more information, call 850-670-7702 or email gibby.conrad@dep.state.fl.us.
Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve will host a presentation by Dr. Brian Balmer, PhD on the history of bottlenose dolphin research in the Florida Panhandle. You’ll hear about what information has been learned so far from these studies, and about the next steps to further our understanding of these marine mammals residing in our estuaries and coastal waters.
Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are top-level predators in coastal southeastern U.S. waters and have been impacted by numerous human-induced and natural stressors including exposure to harmful algal blooms (e.g. red tide), diseases, and chemical pollutants. Studying the effects these stressors have on bottlenose dolphins provides insight into issues impacting the surrounding marine ecosystem.
Join Dr. Balmer on Wednesday, October 19 at the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve Nature Center on 108 Island Drive, Eastpoint. For more information, call 850-670-7702 or email gibby.conrad@dep.state.fl.us.
About the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Coastal Office
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Coastal Office (FCO) is responsible for oversight of the state’s 41 Aquatic Preserves, three National Estuarine Research Reserves, the Coral Reef Conservation Program, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the Florida Coastal Management Program and the Outer Continental Shelf Program. It is the mission of FCO to conserve and restore Florida’s coastal, ocean, and aquatic resources for the benefit of people and the environment. For more information, visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/.
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