User:Sposer/Dolphin 56

Dolphin 56 is a wild male bottlenose dolphin captured by the NASA Causeway in Indian River Lagoon in Florida on August 28, 1979. The dolphin was branded with a 56 and was tracked for a scientific study, along with the other dolphins captured at that time, numbers 55, 57, 58 and 59. Based on growth layers of his teeth, scientists estimated that Dolphin 56 was twelve years old at the time of his capture.

The study for which Dolphin 56 was captured sought to understand how dolphins interacted in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL). The IRL is a long, narrow body of water that stretches from Ponce Inlet in the North to Jupiter Inlet - 155 miles. In and around the IRL biologists have identified over 1,350 kinds of plants and 2,956 kinds of animals including the bottlenose dolphin and the Florida manatee.

Dolphin 56 sightings have continued long after the study ended in the 1980s and now is apparently spending much of his time off the coast of New Jersey. The dolphin is a celebrity with Facebook and other web pages dedicated to him. Researchers originally noted that he was friendlier than many dolphins, and are not surprised that he will now even put his snout onto a boat to beg for food. {New Jersey Record, June 21, 2009}

Most dolphins in the wild live to about 30-years old, so Dolphin 56, at an estimated 42 years old is older than typical, but shows no signs of slowing down according to Bob Schoelkoph, co-director of Marine Mammal Stranding Center. Dolphin 56 shows signs of having been hit by a boat at one time. Photos show that about half his teeth are missing and that he had a broken jaw. However, photos also show that he is in good health as Schoelkoph notes that he has a healthy layer of fat.

Schoelkopf did not concern that the dolphin's friendliness could be a danger to him and boaters, leading to collisions. Feeding wild dolphins is illegal and can lead to fines of up to $20,000 and one year in jail, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.