Do you remember the TV show Flipper from 1964? The dolphins were the "stars" of the show. Did you know the Dolphin Research Center (DRC) on Grassy Key, (the eastern end of the Islands of Marathon) was Flippers home after the show?
The DRC is a non-profit, publicly funded business and houses 22 bottlenose dolphins as well as several California sea lions.
Local high school and middle school students are participating in a community service project at the DRC located in Grassy Key, just before Marathon. The students are part of the 21st Century CCLC After School Program. The goal is to enrich students learning experiences and to introduce students to possible career paths. They learn about marine conservation, recycling, travel and tourism, animal care, basic job skills and marine biology.
The DRC also offers 'in water' dolphin encounters and other dolphin and sea lion interactions.
To learn more about the DRC and this program please contact them at: www.dolphins.org or 305-289-1121.
Warm Regards from the Keys, Judy Cinque
