Meet The Team: Art Cooper

Cooper graduated from the University of Miami with a bachelor’s degree in Marine Affairs and soon after began a lifelong career at Dolphins Plus in 1990. First working as a marine mammal trainer and, subsequently, he earned the titles of Supervisor, Curator, and today serves as Founder of Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder and VP of Operations of Dolphins Plus. Art’s experience with marine mammal strandings response dates to 1990, first working with the Marine Mammal Rescue Foundation of the Upper Keys, and later serving as Board Chair of the Marine Mammal Conservancy (MMC).

As a first responder and rescue lead, he has responded to over one hundred stranding events, involving more than numerous cetacean species. Art has also participated in dozens of interventions involving the disentanglement of dolphins and manatees, and has contributed to several dolphin health and environmental risk assessment projects. Art is a Master SCUBA Diver Trainer through PADI, and also a guest lecturer for the Master of Professional Science Program for the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.