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Donations, Special Appeals & Wish Lists

Donations, Special Appeals & Wish Lists

As a not-for-profit 501c3 corporation, Dolphin Research Center relies on and greatly appreciates support from generous, caring people like you.

Special Appeals

The following are specific causes that need particular support.

Special Needs Dolfriends Program.
Wild dolphin population research study – we need a bigger boat! In addition to helping with normal expenses related to our wild dolphin study, we could really use a larger boat in order to carry all the equipment necessary for our field research.

If you would like to directly support one of these programs, please make a donation under General Support. In the Additional Comments or Special Instructions box on the donation page, just let us know to which program you would like your support directed. Thank you so much!

General Support

PayPal and Venmo now available

Donations intended for general support allow Dolphin Research Center to apply your money where it is currently most needed. Please Make a donation here.

Make a Donation

Donation Requests

What Are We Seeking?

To help support DRC’s mission of Education, Research, and Conservation, as well as the direct care of our marine mammal family, we gratefully accept donations for General Support, Special Appeals or particular Wish List items. All types of donations are 100% tax deductible. A receipt will be e-mailed to the address provided by you.

Accessibility & Accommodations Department

Floaty boats for Wounded Warrior enrichment sessions – Single Boats & Double Boats
Wounded Warrior Meal Sponsorship or Donation – $700 Per Day

Avian Care

Manatee Rescue

Our Manatee Rescue Trailer is in dire need of replacement. We are looking for a 7’X14 Tandem Axle enclosed trailer similar to the second one listed on this page.
Our DRC Manatee Rescue team is in need of a new or used jet propelled watercraft with trailer to assist with Manatee rescues. When an injured Manatee is called in, we currently use kayaks to paddle around areas where injured Manatees are spotted to locate them, but having a jet propelled PWC would help us respond more quickly. Your donation would help increase our chances of locating these manatees faster, help us guide them into an area so we can assist them, and set up our rescue equipment with greater ease. This would be a wonderful addition to our tools to help save these beautiful endangered animals.
Kayaks to help us locate and maneuver around an injured manatee – $1,000
Mercury 4 stroke outboard engine
Hoop Net – $450
Foam Pads (2) – $520
90 hp Honda Outboard Motor – $13,000

Medical Department

Canon MR-14 EX II Macro Ring Light which is used when photos are necessary for medical purposes – $549
Erchonia EVL handheld laser – This is Erchonia’s newest and most advanced laser system that incorporates all pain management treatment applications into one device. It is a handheld laser system which has one red diode at 635nm, 7.5mW and one violet diode at 405nm, 5mW. 405nm wavelength has antibacterial and fungus treatment applications, as well as allowing you to treat both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems in unison. It is completely cordless, with the two laser diodes coming out of the swivel head on top of the laser, and the charging mechanism is a cradle that the laser sits in when not in use to wirelessly charge it. The EVL is priced at $14,900

Animal Care & Training Department

Please see Animal Care Wish List
Microwave Oven

Animal Care & Habitat Department

Can you offer DRC your expertise with solar lighting and panels? We have 4 units that are non-functional at this time and would like to have them repaired. We plan to use these as alternative lighting and power sources during hurricane season, and may be able to use these fill-time to offer our guests a place to charge their phones or batteries. We would appreciate any help you could provide. Please contact Stacy at ext 224 or stacy.stahl@dolphins.org.
Seagrass Curtains to keep seagrass out of the lagoons – $47.99 each. We could use 6.
Jump Starter – $149
Coolers – $52. We could use 2
Heating Pads to help keep our staff warm when cleaning the lagoons in winter- $17. We could use at least 4.
John Deere Gator TX – $7,538
Aqua Lung Titan – $369
Aqua Lung Calypso – $299
Scuba Tank Gauge – $74 Need multiples
Cressi BCD – $199 Need size M & L
Gas Pressure Washer – $897
Electric Pressure Washer – $130Dive Gloves – $30
Henderson Hard Sole Dive Booties: Sizes 11, 10, and 9
Toolcat Tires: part# 7023289 at $218.49 each x 4 – $873.96

Education Department

15 passenger van – the Education department is in great need of replacing our current van, as it suffers from consistent maintenance issues (roof leaks, features randomly stop functioning, etc). We rely heavily on this van to transport our DolphinCamp and Teen DolphinLab students to and from beach cleanups and environmental field trips throughout the Florida Keys. Education staff utilize the van to transport equipment and staff to and from outreach events throughout the Florida Keys as well. We greatly appreciate your donation that will enable us to continue to provide safe and reliable transportation to our students and staff. Please donate here and be sure to indicate “DolphinLab van” in the “Additional comments or special instructions” section.

Visual Communications Department

Manfrotto Gimbal This stabilizer will help us get smooth and steady video footage with our smaller cameras to allow us more options and angles to film our wonderful animals! Canon X F605 UHD 4K HDR Pro Camcorder The Visual Communications department needs a replacement camcorder to document all the amazing activities and work we do with the animals like dolphin births, transports, medical assists, DLAB sessions, and Pathways sessions to name a few. Custom designed computer capable of processing HD dolphin and sea lion footage. Replacement for a no longer functioning old computer – $1,800 Help us get underwater and weather protected photos and videos of our animal family!

Welcome Center Finishing Touches

Animal Care Needs for the Dolphins, Sea Lions. Birds & Tortoises

The welfare of the dolphins and sea lions is always our top priority. There are many specific items that we need on a daily basis to provide the high quality care that we devote to our animal family. We have compiled a separate list with links that will take you directly to where you can purchase these items on Amazon.

List of daily care items that we need.