Izzy arrived at Clearwater Marine Aquarium on Nov. 4, 2022, after being rescued near North Padre Island, Texas. She carries scars from boat collisions and permanent damage to one eye. Cammie Zodrow, CMA's animal care manager, said Izzy is the first dolphin the aquarium has taken in specifically because of harmful human interaction.

She is not alone. More than a dozen animals at CMA can't be released back into the wild because of injuries tied to human behavior, said Kelly Martin, the aquarium's vice president of zoological care.

"I think we as humans, we do a lot more damage than we even understand," Martin said Wednesday.

Small gestures, lasting harm

Martin said even minor actions cause damage. Feeding a wild dolphin, for instance, trains it to approach boats and jet skis, putting it in the path of propellers and fishing lines. Chemical runoff from residential lawns also reaches the Gulf through storm drains, she said.

Zodrow said most animals brought into rehabilitation with human-caused injuries are manatees and sea turtles. Boat strikes and entanglement in fishing gear spike during warmer months, when more vessels crowd local waterways.

Human contact disrupts animals' natural behavior, Zodrow said, conditioning dolphins to swim toward the boats that injure them. She urged boaters and jet ski riders to slow down and let dolphins pass rather than approach them.

What residents can do

CMA staff outlined several steps for beachgoers and boaters this summer:

  • Keep distance from dolphins, manatees and sea turtles in open water.
  • Never feed marine animals, even scraps from a fishing trip.
  • Slow down in areas where wildlife is present.
  • Properly dispose of fishing line and tackle.
  • Reduce lawn chemical use; runoff flows through storm drains to the Gulf.

Anyone who spots an injured or stranded marine animal can call CMA's emergency hotline at 727-441-1790, ext. 1.

Sea turtle nesting season underway

The guidance comes during sea turtle nesting season, which runs May 1 through Oct. 31 along a 21-mile stretch of coastline CMA monitors. The aquarium recorded 405 nests during the 2025 season, up from 271 in 2024 and 227 in 2023. CMA's dolphin population has also grown to 11, up from five a year ago, according to a May fundraiser.

Upcoming CMA community events

  • Friday — Dolphin Yoga, 5:45-7 p.m., 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater. Includes a CMA educational presentation. $30 for non-members, $27 for members.
  • May through September — Sea Turtle Conservation Nesting Ride-Along, Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, beginning 45 minutes before sunrise. Limited to three guests per session.
  • Aug. 14 — Dolphin Yoga, 5:45-7 p.m. $30 for non-members, $27 for members.