Be a Steward of the Environment

Dolphin Explorer LLC is the proprietor of the 10,000 Islands Dolphin Research Project, which has been monitoring the travel range, social behavior, feeding habits, genealogy, survival rate, and overall well-being of the local dolphin population since February 2006. The study continues… 

I’m sure that most of you reading this have looked at your surroundings and said to yourselves, “Something's not right.” Many will pass by, assuming that someone will eventually take care of things. We all know that is not always the case. The same holds true for our environment. We see an injured bird or sea animal or notice someone dumping things in the water that don’t belong there, again assuming someone else will take care of it. 

If it were your home or your family being threatened, without a doubt you would act immediately to solve the issue. Shouldn’t the same hold true for the environment? Ecosystems and every living thing in the system are fragile and deserves immediate attention, just like your family. 

Today, you will be asked to make a personal pledge - your own private oath - that you will be more alert to the surroundings, whether you are on vacation or at home. You are requested to become a “Steward of your Environment.” 

By definition, this means “The responsible use and protection of the natural environment through conservation and sustainable practices to enhance resilience and human well-being.” In other words, do what’s right when out and about, encourage others to do the same, and report anything at all that may be a threat to your environment. 

Here on Marco Island, this will refer primarily to the beaches and the waters. Many people might say, “What’s the harm in leaving a plastic bottle in the sand or, if it drops off a boat into the water, what’s the big deal?” Let’s answer a few of these questions. 

Plastics can become buried in the sand and eventually break down to small particles called microplastics. These can be infused in mollusks that take nutrients from the beaches along the shoreline. These animals are food for shorebirds and can be ingested by the birds causing damage and even death. 

In the water, an empty water bottle can be mistaken for a jellyfish by sea turtles. Once again, plastics in any animal’s system can be fatal, and there are a lot of turtles and other marine wildlife in the area. 

This is just one item. Injuries occur to both land animals and marine creatures on a regular basis, and it is important to get them help as soon as possible. Again, ecosystems are fragile, and every living thing in that system plays a role. If an ecosystem becomes unbalanced because of an excessive loss of life in a specific level, the system may become unbalanced, causing issues for the other levels of life. Here’s a great example… 

The crew on board the Dolphin Explorer takes great pride in studying and monitoring the local dolphins, but is constantly aware of their surroundings, on the lookout for anything that appears abnormal. They watch the birdlife, other sea creatures, water quality, and beaches for abnormalities. This team has rescued five birds, two sea turtles, had three life-saving events regarding dolphins and alerting authorities about a rare pygmy sperm whale sighting in the area. Here’s a quick breakdown of some of those events. 

A few years ago, on the water on a windy day, the team noticed an Osprey nest that became dislodged from a channel marker. It was floating in the water and two young Ospreys not old enough to fly were in the nest, and it was sinking. The team carefully approached the nest, dropped its front ladder, placed a towel over one chick’s head and brought it on board. The same procedure was performed for the second one. von Arx Wildlife Hospital was called to see about taking the two youngsters. This wildlife unit has volunteers called “critter carriers,” some of whom are located on Marco Island, and they met us at the dock. The birds were cared for at the facility and released back into the wild near their home when they were able to fly. 

An adult sea turtle was sighted in the Marco River, swimming in circles and not eluding watercraft, obviously disoriented but had no physical injuries. A sheriff’s boat was called, and it stayed with the turtle until help arrived. On another occasion, a smaller turtle, disoriented, was retrieved from the water and transported to a wildlife facility for attention. 

On three separate occasions, the team noticed dolphins with life-threatening entanglements of fishing line around the tailfins. Florida Wildlife Commission and NOAA were contacted and rescues ensued after the team sent photos, info and GPS coordinates of sightings on a regular basis until response teams arrived. 

There have been several other dolphin injuries such as propeller strikes or shark bites that have been reported to FWC, but no intervention was required. Still, it is important to note these to the proper authorities. 

The team has been instrumental in identifying several deceased dolphins to FWC for the sake of identity and to determine the cause of death. 

In June of 2023, the Marco Island Police Marine Division contacted the team about something in the water. When the animal was approached, it was determined that they were viewing a small whale, which is never seen in this area. An immediate call went out to FWC, and they were quick to respond in an effort to save that whale if possible. 

These are examples of success from just one company, one team of individuals that care about the environment, and you can do the same. Your personal pledge to be on the lookout and then diligently report your findings IS very important. It only takes a few moments, and you could be saving a life, a life critical to your surroundings.  

So, right now, just say to yourselves, “I will be on the lookout, I will make the call, I will do what is necessary to become a true Steward of my Environment!” If everyone does just a little bit, it can make a big difference! Say “ I WILL”!