SeaWorld Orlando Research
When the Institute was incorporated as a non-profit by the founders of SeaWorld a year before the first SeaWorld opened in San Diego, their intent was to promote the study of marine animals toward the benefit of wild populations. Observing this conservation ethos, SeaWorld has sustained HSWRI scientists’ access to its zoological collections toward advancing a science-based understanding of the animals in their care. For almost 60 years, HSWRI scientists have studied basic animal physiology, sensory ecology and comparative behavior. This research has improved human understanding of these animals in the wild toward their conservation and advanced our basic knowledge of their optimum health and behaviors.
Selected Publications:
Duffield, D.A. , D.K. Odell, J.F. Mc Bain, and B. Andrews. Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) reproduction at Sea World. Zoo Biology. 14:417-430. 1995.
Durden, W.N., J. St. Ledger, M. Stolen, T. Mazza. C. Londono. Lacaziosis in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, USA. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 45:849-856. 2009.
Robles-Sikisaka, R. , R. Rivera. H.H. Nollens, J. St. Leger, W.N. Durden, M. Stolen, J Burchell and J.F. Wellehan, Jr. Evidence of recombination and positive selection in cetacean papillomaviruses. Virol. 427:189-197. 2012.
Stolen, M., J. St. Leger, W.N. Durden, T. Mazza and E. Nilson. Fatal asphyxiation in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from the Indian River Lagoon. PLOS ONE. 8(6):366828. 2013.
Stolen, M., W Noke Durden, T. Mazza, N. Barros, and J. St. Leger. Effects of fishing gear on bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Indian River Lagoon system, Florida. Mar Mamm Sci. 29:356-364. 2013.
Worthy, G.A.J., T.A.M. Worthy, P.K. Yochem and C. Dold. Basal metabolism of an adult male killer whale (Orcinus orca). Marine Mammal Science. 30:1229-1237. 2014.