ADOPT A DOLPHIN
Support ocean conservation by welcoming a dolphin into your family
Help protect dolphins and their habitat by symbolically adopting one (or more) of the wild bottlenose dolphins we’ve identified during our marine mammal research! By joining our OCS “dolphin family” you’ll help build a better future for these magnificent creatures by supporting our important conservation work.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
Adopt a Dolphin kits make meaningful gifts
8.5 x 11″ frameable, Dolphin Adoption Certificate:
personalized with your name or your gift recipient’s name
(enter name when choosing your dolphin below)
Comprehensive, 12-page educational booklet on bottlenose dolphin ecology
+ “kids’ corner” activities
Info sheet with facts about bottlenose dolphins
100% recyclable, waterproof marine mammal pocket guide with whale watching guidelines
Durable, waterproof OCS sticker
Choose your favorite dolphins to adopt!
Adoption donations are $50 per dolphin, but generously supporting at the $100 or $200 level will maximize your impact.
Adopt Mozza
MOZZA, short for Mozzarella (yes, the cheese!) has been observed many times by our OCS research team in the coastal waters of the Santa Monica Bay.
Adopt Ninamom
NINAMOM is a female observed exclusively in coastal waters. She is also a mother and has been spotted with her calf twice, in separate years.
Adopt Nico
NICO is a male bottlenose dolphin. This individual has been recorded mostly in coastal waters by our research team. So far, we have only seen him once offshore.
Adopt Melmom
MELMOM is a female observed along the coastal waters of Santa Monica Bay. MELMOM is a mother and the OCS team has seen her in the company of her calf on several occasions.
Adopt Eos
EOS has been recorded mostly in coastal waters, but occasionally along the Redondo submarine canyon in offshore waters of the Santa Monica Bay. EOS was also found in the same school as POINT.
Adopt Point
POINT is a coastal dolphin although he has been observed in offshore waters on one occasion. He’s also been spotted in the same school with EOS, another member of our dolphin adoption family.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about OCS Adopt a Dolphin kits
Where do I enter the name I'd like to have printed on the personalized adoption certificate?
In the “Name on Adoption Certificate” field, located in the Paypal checkout windows above:
• Enter your name if you are the adoptive parent OR
• If your order is a GIFT, enter the name of the person you are gifting the adoption kit to
What countries do you ship to and what is the cost?
• Currently, our adoption kits can only be shipped to an address WITHIN the United States. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope to expand shipping options in the future.
• Shipping & handling is $10 (added during Paypal checkout)
• We ship via USPS Priority Mail (approximately within 3-4 days shipping time after your order is processed)
What's unique about OCS Adopt a Dolphin kits?
All of the dolphins we have available for adoption are real, bottlenose dolphin individuals which our OCS team has identified (and named) during our on-the-water marine mammal research. By “adopting” one or more of them, 100% of your donation goes directly toward continuing over 25 years of data collection to help support the conservation of these magnificent creatures and their ocean habitat.
Why do dolphin fins appear on the adoption certificates?
OCS researchers and other scientists identify dolphin individuals by the unique notches and scars found on their dorsal fins. Each dorsal fin is unique (much like a fingerprint), and is photographed in a process called Photo Identification for entry into a database. To learn more about how Photo-ID works, check out our data collection page.
MEET THE DOLPHINS
About the OCS Adopt a Dolphin program
28 years of ongoing dolphin research!
The six dolphins available for adoption are just a few of the individuals already photo-identified by the Ocean Conservation Society research team over 28 years of on-the-water studies.
Since 1997, we have analyzed tens of thousands of bottlenose dolphin images and photo-identified 647 distinct individuals. Of these, 416 were coastal, 241 offshore, and 31 were present in both coastal and offshore waters in Southern California. Our work is ongoing.
By adopting a dolphin into your family, you can help them remain healthy and safe with a tax-deductible minimum donation of $50 (or $100 if you’d like to give Ocean Conservation Society some EXTRA help)!
Unlike other adoption programs where donations are used to cover administrative costs, 100% of your donation will go entirely to support our active research projects.