Presenting Topic: "Friendly Dolphins Around the World: Many Species, Many Cultures"

Dr. Toni Frohoff has been studying marine mammal behavior, with an emphasis on dolphin-human interactions in captivity and the wild, as well as stress and welfare in dolphins, for over 20 years. She has lectured and written widely about these subjects and her work is often featured in the media internationally. Toni has a doctorate in Behavioral Biology and a master’s degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences. Her research for government agencies and non-profit organizations has contributed to the revision and implementation of management and legislation protecting captive and free-ranging dolphins in numerous countries, including the Bahamas, Antigua, the Dominican Republic, Belize, Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, Jamaica, and the United States. Currently, Toni is Research Director for both TerraMar Research and the Whale Stewardship Project, where she studies free-ranging solitary beluga whales and solitary orcas who regularly interact with boaters and swimmers; the first of their kind to be scientifically documented. She also continues to consult for international government agencies and non-profit organizations on both captive and free-ranging marine mammal protection, conservation, and management issues.