In the waters of Sarasota Bay, a 41-year-old dolphin known as “Granny” added three more descendants to her growing family tree this year, cementing her status as matriarch of one of the world’s most thoroughly documented marine mammal populations.
The Sarasota Dolphin Research Program logged 19 new calves in 2025, with 15 thriving as of late fall — a bright spot in a year that also saw the community lose members to suspected vessel strikes, according to the nonprofit’s annual report.
Scientists say the births and comprehensive health data collected from the bay’s bottlenose dolphins provides crucial insights for marine conservation efforts worldwide after more than five decades of monitoring…