Echoes of the Ocean – Feeding Outside the Box: The Extraordinary Feeding Behaviors of Wild Dolphins

Echoes of the Ocean: A Marine Life Speaker Series is an inspiring program designed to spotlight marine science, conservation, and the ongoing mission of rescue, rehabilitation, and release at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. This series features distinguished voices in marine research and ocean advocacy, offering guests a unique opportunity to connect with leaders shaping the future of our oceans.

About the Event

Join us on November 12 for the next Echoes of the Ocean, Feeding Outside the Box: The Extraordinary Feeding Behaviors of Wild Dolphins, as we explore the remarkable ways dolphins have learned to find and capture their food. The evening will begin with Lindsay Roland, director of conservation education at Clearwater Marine Aquarium introducing common dolphin feeding behaviors before diving into some truly extraordinary adaptations found in the wild. Lauren Rust of the Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network will explore strand feeding, an incredible behavior in which dolphins work together to push fish onto shore, propel their bodies out of the water to capture them, and slide back into the sea. Laura Engelby of the Dolphin Ecology Project will take us to Florida Bay to uncover the fascinating world of mud ring feeding, where dolphins create rings of mud that cause fish to leap from the water and into their waiting mouths. Finally, Jessica Powell of NOAA Fisheries will remind us that these remarkable animals are exceptionally capable of finding their own food and do not need help from humans, exploring how illegal feeding can change natural behaviors and create serious consequences for both dolphins and people. Discover how intelligence, learning, and adaptation have shaped some of the most extraordinary feeding behaviors in the animal world.

Speakers:

Lauren Rust

Founder / Executive Director – Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network

Lauren Rust is the founder and executive director of Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network. She received her BS in Marine Biology from the College of Charleston in 2004 followed by her MSc in Ecology from the University of Wales, UK, in 2007. Before founding LMMN, Lauren managed the research department at The Marine Mammal Center in CA managing the necropsy lab, various research projects and leading the large whale recovery team. Lauren has also worked at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) responding to sick and injured marine mammals in South Carolina and the Environmental Specimen Bank at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) here in Charleston. Recently, Lauren joined the marine biology graduate program at CofC as a faculty member to mentor students. She’s passionate about marine mammal research and education and hopes to bring a greater awareness about Charleston’s local dolphin population to the Lowcountry.

Laura Engleby

Marine Mammal Conservationist and Founding Member – Dolphin Ecology Project

Laura Engleby is a marine mammal conservation specialist with nearly 40 years of experience across research, education, nonprofit service, and federal leadership. Her work is grounded in science-based conservation, collaborative problem solving, and meaningful engagement with the people and communities who share the ocean with marine life. A founding member of the Dolphin Ecology Project in 1999, Laura has long been committed to public outreach and to raising awareness of the importance of marine mammals and healthy oceans. She previously served over 20 years with NOAA Fisheries Southeast Region, where she worked on the conservation and recovery of species including Rice’s whales, North Atlantic right whales, and bottlenose dolphins.

Jessica Powell

Small Cetacean Conservation Coordinator – NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office

Jessica Powell is the Small Cetacean Conservation Coordinator at NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Regional Office based in St. Petersburg, FL. She coordinates and develops policy, regulations, outreach, and conservation actions for dolphins...