Did you know that in 1961, Brookfield Zoo Chicago became the first inland facility to care for bottlenose dolphins? This gave people away from the coasts — like you! — a chance to learn about these complex social animals.

Caring for dolphins in professional settings, like at the Zoo, also offers a unique opportunity to grow our understanding of dolphin biology, gestation, behaviors, and welfare. And as Zoo experts observe and learn from dolphins in our care, researchers from the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program (SDRP) study wild dolphins in the longest running conservation research program, focused on wild bottlenose dolphins. Using research from both the Zoo and the wild, we can link in situ (wild dolphins) and ex situ (dolphins under professional care) research to lead efforts in conservation and animal welfare.
 

Wild research informs professional care

SDRP has provided valuable insights into the care and welfare of dolphins at Brookfield Zoo Chicago and around the world. Collecting biological, behavioral, ecological, and health data provides information for animal care specialists to make informed animal management decisions.

For example, SDRP research has identified that bottlenose dolphins live in a fission-fusion society, where animals constantly merge and split, creating dynamic social situations. Dolphins under professional care at the Zoo are managed in a similar fashion, where animals are split into different groups during the day and reunited later to mimic this situation in the wild. 

Studying the impossible at the Zoo

While we learn a lot studying wild dolphins, caring for dolphins at the Zoo allows us to observe things that would be difficult or impossible to study in the wild.

A recent publication describes how the Zoo studied bottlenose dolphin nursing patterns from 1990 to 2014. After birth, we monitored dolphin calves 24 hours per day for the first 30 days of life—which wouldn’t be possible in the wild. This study will help us better care and ensure optimal welfare for pregnant dolphins and dolphin calves, such as Allie’s calf, due in June!
 

Sharing one-of-a-kind resources with other zoos and aquariums

Using research data, scientists at SDRP and the Zoo worked together to create an iOS application called ZooMorphTrak. Any zoological facility can download the app for free and determine if dolphins under their professional care are at an appropriate weight based on a variety of variables. Just like when a doctor measures if a human patient’s weight falls within a specified range, we have an app that allows animal cares specialists to determine this for dolphins.
 
Similarly, using data from 43 accredited zoological facilities, the Zoo created reference intervals for a variety of whale and dolphin species. These reference intervals include health markers for hematology, serum, and plasma biochemical variables. Similar to the weight example above, when people go to the doctor and give a blood sample, they get a “report card” on how their blood values look compared to known healthy ranges. This is essentially the same thing we have created for a variety of whale and dolphin species under professional care.
 

Refining our research efforts

By combining field-based research data with Zoo-collected data, we can develop even more accurate tools to gather insights on dolphins.

For example, we integrate technologies that can automatically track the behaviors of dolphins under professional care. We combine data from overhead video and biologging devices to watch where the dolphins swim in their habitat, how fast they’re swimming, which dolphins they’re near, and more. The devices are temporarily attached to the dolphins using suction cups that were specifically designed to adhere to their skin without causing any harm. By using this technology at the Zoo, we can improve the accuracy of measurements when we use these biologging devices to track wild dolphins’ behaviors. With more accurate data, we can provide greater insight into the behavioral and conservation needs of wild dolphins.
 

Research with results

Thankfully, we know all this research leads to results! A recent publication, co-authored by two Brookfield Zoo Chicago experts, reveals that bottlenose dolphins are now living longer than ever due to improvements in animal care and veterinary and animal welfare science.

Thanks to our researchers’ dedication and the Zoo’s unique opportunities for study at Seven Seas and Sarasota Bay, we continue to make strides in dolphin conservation and welfare.

Lance J. Miller, Ph.D.
Vice President of Animal Welfare Science
May 9, 2025