Potomac-Chesapeake Dolphin Project

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Potomac-Chesapeake Dolphin Project

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The Potomac-Chesapeake Dolphin Project's (PCDP) mission is to better understand and protect the bottlenose dolphins of the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay

Very little is known about the common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops trunctaus) that inhabit the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River. Yet reports of dolphins in the area date back to the 1800s, with one sighting as far up the Potomac as Washington, DC! While the PCDP research is broadly concerned with better understanding all aspects of these animal's biology, we are focusing our initial efforts on a few key areas: abundance and distribution, population structure, and social behavior and disease risk. Additionally, as part of our mission to better understand and protect the Potomac-Chesapeake bottlenose dolphins and their ecosystem, we make it a priority to promote environmental stewardship through sound education and community outreach. This portion of our project is just getting started, and we have big plans for the future! Check out our Instagram and Twitter accounts at

08/26/2026

In honor of the late Dolly Parton we wanted to share the dolphin who we named Dolly Rebecca Parton in honor of her contributions to immunization research, women’s rights, child literacy, and many other causes that have shaped our country.

Disclaimer: The PCDP names dolphins after prominent US political figures and activists. We chose this naming scheme because the Potomac River runs along Washington, D.C. and is referred to as our “Nation’s River.” Our name choices are intended to reflect U.S. history and are therefore bipartisan and diverse. Names do not reflect the political affiliation, values, or beliefs of the PCDP and any of its researchers.

Photo taken by Ann-Marie Jacoby under NOAA GA NMFS 23782

07/04/2026

Happy Fourth of July! 🇺🇸‼️

Remember, when you are on the water today and this summer, you must remain at least 50 yards away from dolphins. If dolphins approach your vessel you should turn off your motor and respectfully observe the dolphins.

Photo taken by Verena Conkin under NOAA GA 23782

06/28/2026

‼️🚨Great Citizen Sighting Alert! 🚨 ‼️

This dolphin sighting was submitted by Chris Demlein on June 19th! These dolphins were sighted near Heathsville, VA off of the Potomac River!

We love seeing you all use our new reporting form. Please continue to report your dolphin sightings and you may be featured!

When viewing dolphins, please remember to do your best to remain 50 yards away from the dolphins. If the dolphins approach your vessel, please turn off your motor to respectfully observe the dolphins without the possibility of causing them harm.

06/22/2026

This past weekend we had the pleasure meeting so many Northern Neck residents at the Kinsale Waterman’s Market!

We loved hearing your dolphin stories and where you’ve seen dolphins in the area. Sharing our work and meeting members of our community are some of our favorite activities when we are not on the water.

06/16/2026

Please give a minute of your time to learn about Eddy, this very sick dolphin. Eddy is one of the dolphins that our team monitors, and our research into his and other dolphins’ health, behavior, and reproduction directly inform our knowledge of ecosystem health.

If you see a dolphin in the Potomac River please report it to: https://arcg.is/188n8L4

If you would like to contribute to our research of Eddy and other dolphins please donate any amount to: https://tinyurl.com/SupportPCDP

Photos and videos taken by Janet Mann and Verena Conkin under NOAA NMFS GA 23782.

05/19/2026

Before our 2026 field season begins, we wanted to re-introduce ourselves! The Potomac-Chesapeake Dolphin Project aims to inform conservation efforts and animal behavior research by studying the Tamanend’s bottlenose dolphins.

If you want to learn more check out pcdolphinproject.com!

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05/13/2026

Dolphins are back in the Potomac and we need your help tracking their locations! If you see dolphins in the Potomac River, please use this QR code or the link in our bio to let us know!

And! If you see dolphins in the Chesapeake Bay, make sure to report it to

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04/27/2026

We had so much fun at ! This weekend we traveled to Wilmington, NC with the whole Mann Lab to present our myriad of research to the broader marine mammal community. We were honored to have three presentations at the conference. We are so proud of our two amazing undergraduates Shea O’Day (‘26) and Gracie Dogramaci (‘28) for presenting their undergraduate projects and research assistant Arielle Solomon for presenting her research regarding male-female-calf associations!

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day! Take a second today to really take in all of the beauty our planet has to offer 🌍🐬

Video credit: Ari Solomon
Video taken under NOAA NMFS GA No. 23782

04/14/2026

Happy National Dolphin Day!

We obviously love our dolphins and our work to study them. Studying the dolphins of the Potomac-Chesapeake is important to inform conservation efforts in our environment.

Video Credit: Ari Solomon
Videos taken under NOAA NMFS General Authorization No. 23782

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Address

Washington D.C., DC
20057

Website

http://www.pcdolphinproject.org/

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Contact The Organization

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Thelma D. Jones Breast Cancer Fund
400 I Street, SW

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