Protecting Dolphins and Our Ocean
Protecting Dolphins and Our Ocean: Georgia Aquarium’s Legacy Dolphin Health Research Program
At Georgia Aquarium, we believe caring for the ocean begins with understanding it. For over a decade, our scientists and veterinarians led one of the most important dolphin health studies ever undertaken, the Health and Environmental Risk Assessment (HERA) project. This groundbreaking work not only deepened our knowledge of dolphins but also revealed powerful connections between the health of marine animals, their ecosystems, and the people who share those waters.
What Is HERA?
Beginning in 2003, Georgia Aquarium and its partners launched HERA, a first-of-its-kind research program studying wild bottlenose dolphins in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon and South Carolina’s Charleston Harbor. Over the years, experts examined several hundred dolphins, gathering vital information about their health, exposure to pollutants, and resilience in the face of environmental change.
Every dolphin was carefully examined and then returned safely to its home waters, helping scientists collaborating from dozens of scientific research organizations build a living picture of how these animals, and the ecosystems they represent, are faring.
Why It Matters
HERA proved what many scientists had long believed: dolphin health offers early warnings about the health of our ocean and the communities that depend on it. The project uncovered:
- High levels of pollutants such as mercury and long-banned toxic chemicals, raising concerns for both dolphins and people who rely on local seafood.
- Signs of immune challenges and disease, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria and exposure to viruses that can spread quickly through wild populations.
- First detection of triclosan, an anti-bacterial compound, in dolphins at levels similar to those reported for humans, adding evidence on the persistence of these antimicrobials. This finding contributed in part to an FDA rule removing these chemicals from over-the-counter antibacterial soaps.
- Connections between dolphin health and human health, reminding us that a healthy ocean is essential for all life.
The data collected continues to guide conservation and public health decisions today, long after the last dolphin exam was completed.
A Visionary Leader: Dr. Gregory Bossart
At the heart of HERA was the leadership of Dr. Gregory Bossart, Georgia Aquarium’s Senior Vice President and Chief Veterinary Officer. Dr. Bossart was more than a brilliant scientist; he was a visionary who believed in the “One Health” approach, which is the idea that the health of people, animals, and the environment is deeply connected.
Through his leadership, Georgia Aquarium became a world leader in conservation medicine. He inspired countless colleagues and students with his belief that caring for dolphins and protecting the ocean are inseparable from caring for one another.
Though Dr. Bossart passed away in 2019, his legacy lives on. To celebrate his life and continue his mission, Georgia Aquarium created the Dr. Gregory Bossart Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship supports students in veterinary and marine sciences who share a passion for wildlife conservation and the health of our planet. New scholars carry Dr. Bossart’s vision forward each year, ensuring that the spirit of HERA continues to inspire and protect for generations to come.
Carrying the Work Forward
The lessons of HERA remain as relevant today as when the first dolphin was examined. Georgia Aquarium is proud to honor Dr. Bossart’s extraordinary leadership and to continue his life’s work: protecting animals, conserving nature, and inspiring hope for a healthier ocean.
Education Programs
NOAA
Ocean Guardian School
The Secret Journeys of Giant Tiger Sharks
Adult tiger sharks, as big as cars, swim thousands of miles across the ocean every year, but their migration patterns have been elusive. Scientists have been studying tiger sharks for years, including Dr. Lisa Hoopes, senior director of research and conservation at Georgia Aquarium. Recently, special satellite tags have been used to track their movements to learn where these sharks go and why. A new study, published in the science journal Marine Environment Research, followed 35 of the largest tiger sharks ever monitored (most of them adult females), and what they discovered was astounding.
Super Travelers of the Sea
Tiger sharks are like long-distance ocean explorers. The longest journey recorded in this study was over 17,000 kilometers (10,500 miles) in 468 days—that’s like swimming from New York to Australia!
Despite their long journeys, these sharks exhibit a strong tendency to return to the same place —Norfolk Island, a small island in the Pacific Ocean. Nearly 90% of the tracked sharks revisited this location after their travels.
Why Do They Keep Coming Back?
Scientists found that water temperature plays a big role in when the sharks leave and when they return. Just like birds migrate to warmer places in winter, tiger sharks seem to time their movements based on ocean conditions. The study showed that the sharks usually arrive at Norfolk Island in December and leave around May.
What remains a mystery—and an area for future study—is whether reproductive factors influence their migration patterns.
When not at Norfolk Island, these sharks’ favorite destinations include New Caledonia, the Great Barrier Reef, Fiji, and even New Zealand.
Coastal Areas Are Important for Sharks
Another big discovery in the study was that tiger sharks love hanging out near coastal areas. These places seem to be important for them, possibly because they provide food and shelter.
Scientists now understand that Norfolk Island and other nearshore areas are critical for these tiger sharks, especially large females. Protecting these areas can help ensure these top predators continue to play their important role in the ocean’s ecosystem.
Why Does This Matter?
Sharks are often misunderstood, but they are key players in keeping the ocean healthy. They help control fish populations and keep marine life in balance. Learning about where they go and what influences their movements can help scientists and conservationists protect them.
This research provides new insights into the lives of these incredible ocean wanderers and their secret migration patterns. Thanks to satellite tracking, researchers are finally learning where they go, when, and why.
This study on tiger sharks was done in collaboration and with support from Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, Biopixel Oceans Foundation, Norfolk Island National Park, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, and Georgia Aquarium.
