Adopt a Dolphin

You can support MERR Institute's conservation efforts with a symbolic adoption of an Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin. Your tax-deductible donation provides the necessary funding to continue our research, rehabilitation, and educational programs. By symbolically adopting a dolphin, you will make a meaningful contribution to this important research and help improve the lives of these beautiful creatures.

You can choose from three levels of participation and help raise awareness of their essential value not only to the Delaware Coastline but their importance to the overall marine ecosystem.

Each symbolic adoption includes:

A personalized adoption certificate
An Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin Fact Sheet
An image of the dorsal fin of your adopted dolphin
A link to your dolphin on the Happywhale page
A MERR Institute adoption sticker

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Three levels from which to choose:

One year of symbolic adoption with a gift of $25
NAME a dolphin for a year with a gift of $125
Name a dolphin for a lifetime with a gift of $500

ONE-YEAR SYMBOLIC ADOPTION

A personalized adoption certificate
An Atlantic bottlenose dolphin Fact Sheet
Image of the dorsal fin of your dolphin
A link to the dolphin on Happywhale
A MERR Institute adoption sticker

select a dolphin

ONE-YEAR ADOPTION & NAMING OF DOLPHIN

A personalized adoption certificate with your dolphin's given name

An Atlantic bottlenose dolphin Fact Sheet

Image of the dorsal fin of your dolphin
A link to your dolphin on Happywhale
A MERR Institute adoption sticker

select a dolphin

LIFETIME NAMING OF DOLPHIN

A personalized adoption certificate with your dolphin's given name

An Atlantic bottlenose dolphin Fact Sheet

Image of the dorsal fin of your dolphin
Your dolphin's name listed on Happywhale
A MERR Institute adoption sticker

select a dolphin

Select your dolphin:

Please include the name listed when selecting your dolphin and include that in the Payment options.

If you selected one of the naming options, please also include your desired name for your selected dolphin.

Click the Donate button at the bottom of the page.
Once directed to the PayPal page, click on the "+ Is your donation..."
In that box, please include:
- This is for the "Adopt-A-Dolphin" program
- The current name of the dolphin (eg MERR.TT.0555)
- and, if applicable, the new name of your dolphin
- please include your mailing address so that we can mail you your sticker!

Once you've selected an 'adoptee':

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An active swimmer who was maneuvering through the turbulent waters at the mouth of the Delaware Bay feeding into the Atlantic Ocean on July 13, 2024.

This particular dolphin is wearing a stringy barnacle on its dorsal that looks like a little fez cap. Spotted July 3, 2024.

The sweeping coloring of this one gives it almost a bridle look to it as it swiftly glided just around the boat when it was spotted by MERR representatives on July 3, 2024.

This elongated dorsal belongs to a dolphin seen happily swimming behind the Point in the Delaware Bay on June 15, 2025.

This healthy looker emerged a couple times for our researchers and we were able to capture a few images on June 26, 2024 as they swam well inside the inner Breakwater Wall.

Spotted by our researchers happily hunting for food near the southernmost part of the Breakwater Wall in the Delaware Bay on June 26, 2024.

This one had eyes on the Atlantic as it was cavorting on the nothernmost part of the Breakwater Wall in the Delaware Bay on June 26, 2024.

This one was making serious waves in the Delaware Bay, and the markings on its dorsal demonstrates it has certainly had stories to tell. Spotted on June 26, 2024.

We had barely left port in Lewes before we were greeted by the sight of this one swimming nearby with its distinctive markings. Spotted on June 19, 2024.

This one was spotted out in the Atlantic Ocean around the Point at Cape Henlopen and looks like they're wearing their barnacle "party hat" while searching for food on June 19, 2024.

This one was hanging with its friends bewteen the Point at Cape Henlopen and the inner Breakwater Wall on June 19, 2024.

This one put the "common" in "common Bottlenose Dolphin" having shown up no fewer than three times during our excursions this summer. It appeared on outings on June 12, 15 and 19 within the mouth of the Delaware Bay.

This one is looking rather festive with its barnacle "hat" on the tip of its dorsal. This one was spotted by researchers on June 19, 2024, out in the Atlantic Ocean.

This pinstriped beauty was encountered by MERR on June 15 and again on June 19, 2024, mere feet apart along the Breakwater Wall.

This younger dolphin was frolicking near the mouth of the Delaware Bay en route to the Atlantic on June 15, 2024.

Most likely feasting on menhaden with a friend, this one was spotted skirting the Inner Breakwater in the Delaware Bay on June 15, 2024.

This black-tipped beauty was last seen skirting the Inner Breakwater Wall on June 15, 2024.

This one was certainly not camera shy, appearing to surface for researchers no fewer than seven times at Point at Cape Henlopen with two other friends on June 15, 2024.

This one has quite a few marks on their dorsal that they certainly wanted to show off for us while chowing down with friends by the Breakwater Wall on June 15, 2024.

This darker-hued beauty was seen along the Inner Breakwater Wall in the Delaware Bay.

This slow-moving swimmer was flanked by two pals while heading out toward the Atlantic from the mouth of the Delaware Bay on June 15, 2024.

This battle-tested dorsal was seen with two other buddies along the Point at Cape Henlopen on June 15, then again 10 days later on June 25, 2024.

This sleek swimmer was skimming the waters close to the Point on the bayside of the Delaware Bay on June 15, 2024.

Slicing through Delaware Bay on June 15, 2024, this sleek specimen was dining with friends near the inner Breakwater Wall.

Another one of our frequent coastal guests, this one was spotted by researchers multiple times on June 15 and a week later on June 22, 2024, traveling between the moth of the Delaware Bay and the inner Breakwater wall

After selecting your dolphin, click below

Select a dolphin

Instituto MERR

Instituto de Educación, Investigación y Rehabilitación Marina

PARA REPORTAR UN VARAMIENTO, LLAME

302.228.5029

Adopt a Dolphin

Each symbolic adoption includes:

Three levels from which to choose:

ONE-YEAR SYMBOLIC ADOPTION

ONE-YEAR ADOPTION & NAMING OF DOLPHIN

LIFETIME NAMING OF DOLPHIN

Select your dolphin:

Once you've selected an 'adoptee':

After selecting your dolphin, click below