Steve Burton has what most people would consider to be the dream job. As the Director of the Marine Mammal and Stranding Assessment program at Harbor Branch, Steve’s job is to work with dolphins and whales. In addition to responding to animals in distress, he also gets to conduct population assessments, the scientific way of describing going out on the boat to look for dolphins and whales. He’s also lived in, arguably, the three best beach states in the US- California, Hawaii, and now Florida- and it all started by saying “yes” to a flyer posted on a billboard. In this episode, we chat about the hilarious difference between training dolphins and seals, how to identify individual dolphins, and what his field work really looks like. There’s a couple of spots where he mentions great ways for you to get involved, so be sure to keep an ear out for those.
This episode is brought to you by Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. 2021 marks the 50th Anniversary of FAU Harbor Branch’s relentless pursuit of Ocean Science for a Better World®. Located in Fort Pierce, Florida, FAU Harbor Branch’s cutting-edge research focuses on five major areas: marine ecosystem conservation, aquaculture, the connection between ocean and human health, technological innovation and national defense. During my time at HB as part of the undergraduate Semester By the Sea program, I learned so much about the ocean and what it takes to become a good scientist. The programs and opportunities offered at FAU Harbor Branch have continued to swell since! To learn more, and how you can get involved, please visit their website.
Connect with Steve: website
Quick Links
Dolphin Quest – Swim with Dolphins on Big Island, Oahu & Bermuda
Cetaceans
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Stranding and Population Assessment Program
Marine Mammal Protection Act
Indian River Lagoon
Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin
Dorsal Fin
Humpback Whales
Spotted Dolphins
Roughtooth Dolphins
Pilot Whales
Sperm Whales
North Atlantic Right Whales
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
Dolphin and Whale 911 App
on iOS
on Android
Free Willy
Volunteer Opportunities at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
Harbor Branch Speakers Bureau
HBOI Stranding and Population Assessment Team Page
Why are they called “Pilot” whales?
Steve emailed after the episode with the answer to the “why are they called ‘Pilot’ whales?” question. This is what he had to say:
Pilot whales get their name from an old theory that the pod was ‘piloted’ by a single leader – we now know this is not the case, but the name has stuck.
Whale & Dolphin Conservation via Steve Burton
Show Notes
00:20 – Steve describes how a childhood in southern California and spending most weekends at the beach fed his love for the ocean and inspired him to get into ocean sciences. He is still an active surfer!
01:57 – Steve talks about the choices he made as an undergrad that led to him being a dolphin trainer. Spotting a flyer on his biology bulletin board for a marine science program in Hawaii, he decided to go. A marine mammal course included excursions with Dolphin Quest, a company that provides people the opportunity to see, learn about, and swim with dolphins. Steve applied for an internship with Dolphin Quest for the next term to monitor pregnant dolphins. and ultimately hired on full-time as a dolphin trainer!
05:03 – Steve and Kara emphasize that the best way to get a job as a dolphin trainer is to find internships or volunteer. Steve points out one might find it just as fulfilling to volunteer on the side working with marine mammals no matter what your day job is.
06:54 – The offer to be a full-time dolphin trainer was too good to turn down, so Steve put his education on hold. Working on the east side of the big Island of Hawaii meant he was about a 2-hour drive to the island’s only university in Kona. He later took a different trainer job on Oahu at a marine park where he also learned to work with seals and sea lions. The move to Oahu allowed Steve to complete his bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies while working.
11:31 – Steve notes a big difference between training dolphins and training sea lions/seals: when you get out of the water, the dolphins cannot follow you!
13:38 – Steve talks about his motivations for leaving somewhat of a dream job behind in Hawaii to become the Stranding and Population Assessment Coordinator at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Florida.
15:39 – Steve is describing the “population assessment” part of his job.He begins by summarizing the legal protections in place for marine mammals. The Marine Mammals Protection Act specifies distance restrictions for ordinary people in their boats: come no closer than 50 yards to dolphins, 100 yards to Humpback whales, 500 yards to Atlantic Right whales. Researchers like those in Steve’s office need NOAA-issued permits to get close to and touch dolphins and whales. They survey Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon, photographing their dorsal fins since they can be used to uniquely identify individuals. They also track the members of this population over time, from when they are calves to old age. Their database currently contains info on 189 dolphins.
18:56 – Steve describes his team’s off-shore activities. They monitor nine cetacean species that are expected to make appearances in waters close to the coast. They catalog the observed individuals, and also collaborate with cetacean researchers along the Atlantic coast to determine if these dolphins and whales are showing up in other places.
21:31 – Steve explains the systematic zig-zag pattern his team follows each time they survey a 70-mile segment of the Indian River Lagoon. He describes additional data they record, such as GPS location, water temperature, and the activities the dolphins are engaging in. They even record boat activity in the home range. It takes then four days to cover their search area in the Lagoon, and this is performed once a month.
26:40 – Steve emphasizes that regardless of any pressures they might feel regarding completing their assessments, human safety comes first! This includes only operating during daylight, and monitoring weather closely. Thunderstorms can appear quite suddenly, and can be difficult to avoid.
29:24 – Kara and Steve discuss why the minimum distance for approaching a Right Whale is 500 yards. The big reason is they are endangered, and fewer than 350 individuals remain. Sperm Whales are also granted a 500-yard perimeter.
30:05 – The name “Right Whale” comes from the fact that for centuries, they were the “right” whale to harpoon and harvest. They were found close to shore, and floated well post-kill. Their numbers are recovering very slowly because their cycle for having calves and raising them is several years long, and while they are no longer the target of commercial whaling, they are victims of entanglements, as well as boat strikes since they are difficult to see.
36:10 – Steve talks about the other part of his job: strandings. Steve’s team is only responsible for stranded dolphins and whales, but will help out Florida Fish & Wildlife (FWC) with stranded Manatees when asked. They receive about 90 calls per year from the public reporting a dolphin or whale that might be in trouble, and they respond to all calls seriously. Fortunately, many of these situations are not strandings, and the cetacean is fine. They see about 15 real incidents per year where they need to deal with a live animal that is stranded or entangled, or a dead creature that has washed ashore.
41:10 – Steve describes what receiving a typical stranding call looks like. People find my cell phone number on the internet and call. Another way that concerned citizens can report a stranding is with the Dolphin and Whale 911 app, available for iOS and Android. In Florida, people can report cetaceans in distress by calling the FWC at 888-404-3922. Steve notes that there are 14 separate stranding groups who together cover the entire Florida coast (Gulf and Atlantic).
44:20 – When responding to a stranding report, Steve’s team at Harbor Branch can take a number of different actions depending on the species and the circumstances. Initially, their marine mammal veterinarian will examine and assess the animal. Depending on this evaluation, they may bring the animal in for a chance at rehabilitation using their Marine Mammal Ambulance, or if it is seriously ill, the animal may be euthanized. It is important to remember that when whales or dolphins beach themselves, they are doing so because they feel something is seriously wrong. If you encounter a stranded cetacean, do not try to push them back into the water! Instead, call your local hotline. Even if they cannot save a stranded cetacean, Steve’s team attempts to identify the animal, and find out their cause of death.
50:32 – Kara asks Steve about the various reasons why whales strand themselves. Pilot whales are a little different– they are very social creatures, and will often beach themselves in groups, sometimes five or more at a time. NOAA and other scientists have discovered that there is usually one Pilot whale in the group that is not doing well, and that removing that whale from the beach can allow stranding groups to re-float the healthy whales and return them successfully to the ocean. Other causes of stranding: old age, entanglement, blunt trauma from a boat strike, starvation, and pollution.
55:28 – Steve talks about his favorite sea creature (it is not a dolphin!)
58:40 – Steve talks about the oceans as everything to him– they are his “happy place.”
1:00:37 – What would Steve do with a blank check to use however he wanted? Fund new rehab facilities not only in Florida, but also in coastal states that do not currently have any. He would want more science, more new technologies, and expanded education about the oceans.
1:02:18 – Steve tells his best field stories. It is really satisfying to encounter a dolphin or whale that he previously freed from being entangled. He also enjoys encountering a species of dolphins or whale that they do not normally see, such as Atlantic Spotted Dolphins.
1:06:38 – Steve has some requests for listeners: Please recycle/reduce/reuse! If you see dolphins near you while fishing, please pull your lines in and take a break until they leave. If you see a marine mammal you think may be in distress, don’t hesitate to call your local hotline (888-404-3922 in Florida). Lastly, Steve’s group receives grant funding from the sale of Florida specialty license plates featuring dolphins and whales… so consider getting one to help them out.
1:08:29 – Get involved! You can volunteer to help out Steve’s Stranding and Population Assessment group, or many of the other efforts happening at Harbor Branch! Go to their website’s volunteer page to see what volunteer options exist (find this page in the Quick Links section).
1:09:30 – Harbor Branch has a Speakers Bureau, and you can request to have Steve or a member of his staff come to your community to talk about dolphins and whales! See the HBOI Speaker’s Bureau link in the Quick Links section.
1:10:11 – How to contact Steve: visit the Strandings and Population Assessment Team webpage, which is listed in the Quick Links section.