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Galveston Bay FoundationDolphin Research

Support Dolphin Research and Conservation

If you’ve ever taken the ferry from Galveston to Bolivar, you’ve likely seen the bottlenose dolphins that call Galveston Bay their home. The Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program (GDRP), a partnership between the Galveston Bay Foundation and the Environmental Institute of Houston, aims to better understand the dolphins that live in Galveston Bay. The GDRP studies the ecology, behavior, and health of this population and raises awareness about dolphins through various outreach and education initiatives. You can directly support the GDRP by becoming a member of the Dolphin Society when you adopt or name a bottlenose dolphin.

One-year Adoption: $200

Photographs of your adopted dolphin

Map showing all locations where your dolphin has been sighted

Quarterly updates about our dolphins during the adoption year (photos and sighting maps)

One-year membership in the Dolphin Society

One-Year Premier Dolphin Adoption: $500

Photographs of your adopted dolphin

Map showing all locations where your dolphins has been sighted

Call with Research Scientist Dr. Vanessa Mintzer to learn about dolphin research and your dolphin

Quarterly updates about our dolphins during the adoption year (photos and sighting maps)

One-year membership in the Dolphin Society

Naming and One-year Adoption: $2,500

Photographs of your adopted dolphin

Map showing all locations where your dolphin has been sighted

Call with Research Scientist Dr. Vanessa Mintzer to learn about dolphin research and your dolphin

Quarterly updates about our dolphins during the adoption year (photos and sighting maps)

One-year membership in the Dolphin Society

Recognition on our webpage of your adoption

Opportunity to name the dolphin and certificate of adoption

 

As a member of the Dolphin Society, you will receive the latest news about our research and dolphins. On top of making a unique gift, Society membership and our adoption kits are a great way to raise awareness of wildlife conservation issues in Galveston Bay.  All adoption kit materials are delivered electronically (formatted for printing). Each dolphin may be adopted by more than one person but is named only once. If you have previously adopted a dolphin that is not currently available for adoption but you would like to renew the adoption of your original dolphin, please contact us.

Choose From These Dolphins to Adopt

Angelique

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  • First sighted: July 2, 2014
  • Generously named by Madeleine and Raul Montes

  • Angelique (#39) is the dedicated mother of three dolphins: #40, #737, and a new calf! She is easily recognizable with her tall thin fin, and her calves seem to have inherited her beautiful fin shape.

ADOPT ME

Cruiser

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  • First sighted: August 28, 2015
  • Generously named by Ellen Yarrell

  • Cruiser is a very special dolphin. We first saw her in 2015 when she was leaping, rolling and rubbing on seaweed, trying unsuccessfully to get a fishing line off that was wrapped around her dorsal fin. Luckily, the line was not around her body and did not impact her ability to swim or eat. After several months, the line worked its way through her dorsal fin, cutting off the top part. She is now free of the line and healed up well. We were absolutely thrilled to see her with a new calf in 2021! Cruiser serves as an important reminder to always properly discard of used fishing line and never to fish around dolphins.

ADOPT ME

Sheba

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  • First sighted: August 18, 2015
  • Generously named by Marian and Austin Cornelius

  • Sheba (#314) is a photogenic mom and one of the research team’s favorite dolphins! We have known her since 2015 and have met two of her calves: #451 and #873! #873 was born in 2018 and is now a large calf but still hangs out with mom. #873 seems to take after his/her mother and likes to show off in photographs too!

ADOPT ME

Dumbledolph

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  • First sighted: July 2, 2014
  • Generously named by the St. Thomas’ Episcopal School’s Environmental Science Class of 2016

  • With her wizardly fin, Dumbledolph stands out in a crowd and is very helpful when training observers to distinguish between individual dolphins. Dumbledolph became a mom in 2020! The team first spotted her with a tiny calf in August 2020. Since then, we have seen her frequently with her growing calf throughout Galveston Bay.

ADOPT ME

Squirt

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  • First sighted: August 28, 2013
  • Generously named by Shell

  • Squirt was our first cataloged dolphin, so he will always be #1 in our hearts! He is a confirmed male and is one of the most frequently seen dolphins in upper Galveston Bay, with nearly 50 sightings in our catalog. He is a close buddy of Rudy (#81) and is an avid flounder fisherman!

ADOPT ME

Surfy

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  • First sighted: August 11, 2015
  • Generously named by Mariloli Odum in honor of her grandchildren.

  • Surfy (#302) is a confirmed male and is close buddies with #125. They have been seen in large groups socializing with other suspected male pairs including Tide (#69) and 79, and Arnold (#211) and 210. Male bottlenose dolphins often form “male pair-bonds”, a strong relationship between adult male dolphins that can last years, even decades. These bonds are thought to increase fitness and reproductive success. When not pursuing the ladies, Surfy is an active guy, often interacting with shrimp trawlers and bow-riding on large ships.

ADOPT ME

Choose From These Dolphins to Name

8

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  • First sighted: August 28, 2013

  • We met Dolphin #8 on our very first boat survey! As the years have gone by, we have watched his fin change to its current shape. The distinct permanent scar on the lead of his fin has helped us keep track of him despite all the changes. He has been sighted throughout upper and lower Bay and seems to prefer open bay habitat instead of deeper channels. He was last seen in a large group of dolphins that were socializing and following a shrimp trawler. It is very likely he is a male, but we have yet to confirm.

NAME ME

34

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  • First sighted: July 2, 2014

  • We have known Dolphin #34 a long time! He has a few prominent notches on his fin that make him easily recognizable. Since 2014, we have seen him frequently throughout the Bay, some times on his own, other times in large groups. He is often found in the Houston Ship Channel where he seemingly enjoys bowriding! He likes to hang out with Arnold "Arnie" (#211) and his best buddy #210. We highly suspect that #34 is an adult male, but we are hoping to confirm this one day.

NAME ME

66

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  • First sighted: July 2, 2014

  • Since first meeting #66 in 2014, our research team has had the pleasure of watching her raise two calves: #67 and #908. Both are now independent of mom, and we were thrilled to see #66 earlier this year with a tiny baby! We recently saw the pair in a group of about 15 dolphins patrolling a shrimp trawler in upper Galveston Bay.

NAME ME

Meet Our Other Named And Adopted Dolphins

222

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  • First sighted: June 3, 2015

  • #222 is a young dolphin that became independent of her/his mom Delfini (#220) in 2016. She/he spends a lot of time in upper Galveston Bay accompanied by other juvenile dolphins or in groups of mother/calf pairs. We have seen #222 visiting with Delfini (#220) and her/his younger sibling (#751). #222 was also recently seen with our very well-known male dolphins Squirt (#1) and Rudy (#81).

Sir Swimsalot

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  • First sighted: August 11, 2015
  • Generously named by the Bowen and Brewster Families

  • Sir Swimsalot (#297) is a presumed male and is seen regularly with his buddy #298. We met both back in 2015 and they continue to be the best of friends. The pair keeps mostly to themselves, but are occasionally seen in small groups with female dolphins.

Arnold

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  • First sighted: June 3, 2015
  • Generously named by Saint Arnold Bike Team

  • Although Arnold doesn’t have a lot of markings on his dorsal fin, his tall, uniquely-shaped fin helps him stand out from other dolphins. He is a confirmed male and is strongly bonded to #210. Male bottlenose dolphins may form “male pair-bonds”, a strong relationship between adult male dolphins that can last years, even decades.

Astro

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  • First sighted: November 10, 2015
  • Generously named by the Prioleau Family

  • Named after the Astros’ big win in 2017! Astro became a new mom in 2017 and we have been tracking the progress of her and her calf (#767).

Astro II

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  • First sighted: July 2, 2014
  • Generously named by Lawrence Rearick

  • Astro II was the calf of Grace and is estimated to have been born in 2013, just before our research started. He/she struck out on his/her own in 2016 when mom had a new calf and now hangs out with other known juveniles, including Calypso's calf (#279) who left his/her mom the same year.

Babe

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  • August 28, 2013
  • Generously named by William Dickey in honor of Ellen Gerloff

  • Babe was sighted during our very first boat survey! With two new notches on its fin, Babe has recently become easier to spot and identify. Babe is often seen with Shiner (#225), Dutch (#10) and Squirt (#1).

Calypso

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  • January 19, 2015
  • Generously named by Adam Bangs.

  • Calypso was sighted frequently right before and after Hurricane Harvey. We suspect she is a female and likely the mother of dolphin #279.

Catsu

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  • Generously named by Catherine Williams.

  • Catsu passed away on on December 2, 2017. Please consider naming Catsu Two who was named in honor of Catsu. Not available for adoption at this time.

Catsu Two

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  • July 07, 2015
  • Generously named by Catherine Williams.

  • Catsu Two is a confirmed male and is buddies with #237.

Delfini

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  • First sighted: June 3, 2015
  • Generously named by Cynthia and Donald Stevenson in honor of Cynthia Kostas

  • Delfini is one of the research team’s favorite moms. She has been seen every year since 2015 and enjoys hanging out in the upper portion of the Bay, often near Red Bluff and La Porte. The calf with her at her first sighting, #222, became independent in 2016. Then, in 2017, she had a new calf, #751. We continue to see #222 around the upper Bay, usually with other juveniles, and even sometimes see him/her visiting with mom and his/her younger sibling.

Delphi

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  • First sighted: October 13, 2014
  • Generously named by the Annunciation Orthodox School

  • Delphi is a confirmed male. The deep V notch in the top of his fin, called a "tipnick" by our researchers, makes him easily recognizable. We suspect Delphi is a young dolphin, just reaching maturity, and possibly forming a long-term bond with #218.

Ducky

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  • First sighted: June 4, 2014
  • Generously named by Bren Gorman

  • This social butterfly, with a refined beautiful fin, is often sighted in groups of 25 or more dolphins! She is the mother of calf #880 who was born in 2018.

Dutch

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  • First sighted: August 28, 2013
  • Generously named by Shell.

  • Dutch is sighted frequently in upper Galveston Bay and is a close buddy of Shiner (#225).

Flip

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  • First sighted: July 24, 2015
  • Generously named by Deerwood Elementary

  • Flip is a juvenile (young dolphin) that became independent of his mom at the end of 2015. Since then, Flip has been busy socializing with other juveniles and mother/calf pairs.

Grace

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  • First sighted: July 2, 2014
  • Generously named by Cynthia and Donald Stevenson

  • Grace is a dedicated mama! She is the mom of Astro II (#59), #529 and a new baby! Astro II became independent in 2016, the same year that #529 was born. We think #529 likely left mom in 2019-2020. In 2021, she gave birth to a new calf! The mother/calf pair have been making regular appearances in upper Galveston Bay.

Genevieve

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  • August 28, 2013
  • Generously named by Philip and Denise Bahr in honor of Genevieve Pelton.

  • Genevieve was our second cataloged dolphin! She is the mother of calf #509 who became independent in 2016 and of #854 who was born in 2016-2017.

Island Byron

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  • First sighted: August 28, 2013
  • Generously named by Gaylynn Thomas for James & Judy Bozeman in honor of Byron Bozeman.

  • We have seen Island Byron near Morgan’s Point. During one of these encounters, Island Byron and two other dolphins approached the research boat. They were curious about the crew and peeked up at them several times. Although we appreciate these dolphins’ curiosity, we are concerned that this behavior may indicate that people have been feeding them (a violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act). We are very eager to learn more about Island Byron’s behavior!

Jersey

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  • First sighted: February 14, 2014
  • Generously named by an anonymous donor

  • Jersey is the mother of three of our cataloged dolphins: #44, #741 and #872! She is unique in that #741 and #872 were born very close together (only about 1.5yrs apart) and she has had both calves with her since the first sighting of #872 in May 2018. Jersey has become quite popular among water front communities in Clear Lake and Taylor Lake because she frequented the lakes in Summer 2020 (with her two calves). They were freely moving in and out of the lakes likely in search of prey.

Lucy

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  • First sighted: June 4, 2014
  • Generously named by Laurian and Tom Tollett

  • Lucy is a juvenile that became independent in 2016. Since her first sighting in 2014 as a calf, she has had pronounced scars resulting from entanglement with a fishing line. By adopting this young dolphin, you will directly support our efforts to learn more about how human-dolphin interactions can affect dolphins like Lucy.

Mariner

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  • First Sighted: August 28, 2013
  • Generously named by the Texas Mariners Cruising Association

  • Mariner is everyone's favorite socialite! He/she has sightings from around the entire bay, visiting with all different dolphins from mom/calf groups to male pairs and juvenile gatherings. He/she has been seen every year, starting with our very first boat survey in 2013. Mariner's hobbies include following shrimp trawlers and "babysitting" calves while their moms feed and socialize.

Martin

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  • First sighted: July 20, 2014
  • Generously named by Sandy and Bryce Ward

  • We have been sighting Martin since he/she was a small calf. But Martin is growing up and separated from his/her mother (#71) in 2015. We now see him regularly hanging out with a group of other young dolphins.

Mrs. Potts

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  • First sighted: July 2, 2014
  • Generously named by the Gessner family in honor of Barbara Gessner

  • Mrs. Potts is a mom! In fact, we have never sighted Mrs. Potts without a calf by her side! Starting with her first sighting in 2014, she had #73 with her, who stayed with her until the summer of 2015. The next time we saw Mrs. Potts in June of 2016, she had a new baby by her side, #523.

Nancy

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  • First sighted: July 2, 2014
  • Generously Named by Nancy’s Hustle

  • We first sighted Nancy when he/she was still a calf. He/she started to venture out on its own in 2015, and became a fully independent juvenile by the summer of 2016. Recently Nancy has been seeing hanging out with other young dolphins, including Martin (#72).

Nina

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  • First sighted: July 2, 2014
  • Generously named by Ms. Amy Ardington

  • Nina survived a shark attack at some point during his/her life! You can clearly see the shark bite mark just behind the dorsal fin (a feature that helps us identify him/her). This tough dolphin is regularly seen and has become a favorite of the research team!

Olive

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  • July 2, 2014
  • Generously named by Marian and Austin Cornelius

  • We have sighted Olive every year since 2014. He/she is easy to identify by the deep propeller wound on the dorsal fin. Dolphins often get these wounds interacting with recreational motor boats. Luckily, Olive survived the encounter and appears to be a healthy individual. We suspect that Olive is a male, and is often seen with other suspected males, including Island Byron (#48). Check out our Facebook Live video to get a peek of Olive!

Pepsi

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  • First sighting: August 11, 2015
  • Generously named by the Smith family.

  • Pepsi is the mother of #740 (first seen in 2017 as a neonate). We’ve seen her a few times very close to shore feeding up against docks and seawalls. Maybe lucky fans will get to see her from land and identify her with her unique fin! She sometimes hangs out with another one of our moms Jersey (#43).

Piper

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  • July 20, 2014
  • Generously named by Wesley Sims.

  • Piper (#71) is one of our most frequently sighted mommies! She is Martin’s (#72) mother who recently became an independent young adult. We last saw her accompanied by a small calf near Baytown but we need to see her again to confirm that she has a new calf!

Puravida

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  • First sighted: June 3, 2015
  • Generously named by Becky Roof and Gary Smith in honor of their marriage

  • Since her first sighting in 2015, our research team has had the pleasure of watching Puravida (#434) raise two calves from newborns (#240 and #732). She is a protective mom that keeps her calves surfacing close by her side. During the summer months, she can often be seen with large mom-calf groups in the nearshore waters between red bluff and eagle point.

Rudy

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  • First sighted: May 16, 2014
  • Generously named by June Shaw

  • Rudy is a suspected male and close buddies with Squirt (#1). These two are seen frequently in the upper Bay, spending much of their time following shrimp trawlers in the Bayport Ship Channel and 5 mile cut. They are often seen with Dutch (#10) and Shiner (#225).

Sandy

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  • First sighted: August 28, 2013
  • Generously named by Brett Mossman in honor of his mother Dr. Sandra Mossman.

  • Sandy (#4) is one of the dolphins we have known the longest! She is a mother and had her adorable calf #906 (pictured above) was born in 2018. They often hang out with other mother/calf pairs in upper Galveston Bay (but also in other areas throughout the Bay). We sometimes see Sandy with adopted dolphin Ducky (#75) who also had a calf in 2018.

Shanthi

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  • First sighted: August 28, 2013
  • Generously named by St. Thomas' Episcopal School

  • Shanthi was a frequent visitor to upper bay, often hanging around Morgan's point with suspected juvenile dolphins through summer of 2016. We have not seen Shanthi since then, but are keeping a close eye out to see if he/she moved on to other areas of the Bay.

Shiner

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  • June 3, 2015
  • Generously named by Austin Cornelius.

  • After first sighting Shiner in June 2015, we have continued to see him/her every season.  In fact, Shiner has become one of our most frequently sighted dolphins in upper Galveston Bay, often seen with his/her close associate, Dutch (#10). Its three distinct notches make him/her easy to spot.

Sophia

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  • August 28, 2013
  • Generously named by Philip and Denise Bahr in honor of Sophia Pelton.

  • Sophia was one of our first cataloged dolphins (sighted during the first boat survey)! She is the mother of #219, who started venturing out independently in 2018 when Sophia was sighted with a new calf. With her distinct fin notch, she is easy to spot in the water!

Ted

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  • First sighted: October 15, 2014
  • Generously named by Noble Energy in honor of Ted Romig.

  • Ted is the calf of Terry Lynn (#88)! They have always been spotted together in the ship channel! They love to visit a place the researchers have termed the “bus stop”, a popular spot on the ship channel where dolphins appear to hang out waiting for ships so they can bow ride.

Terry Lynn

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  • First sighted: October 15, 2014
  • Generously named by Charles Gussler in honor of his wife Terry.

  • Terry Lynn is Ted's (#89) mommy! They have always been spotted together in the ship channel! Like other mother/calf pairs, they frequent the “bus stop”, a popular spot on the ship channel where dolphins appear to hang out waiting for ships so they can bow ride!

Tide

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  • October 23, 2013
  • Generously named by Sandra and Fred Pounds’ grandchildren

  • Tide is a suspected male and is nearly always seen with his buddy, #79. These big boys are often seen swimming in close association with females and have likely sired many Galveston Bay calves. Although Tide is a regular visitor of the ship channel, he travels all over the bay and even visits the Kemah Boardwalk area on occasion.

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