MAGICAL MOMENT

Just over 1,800 miles from where he grew up in Minneota and became an Eagle Scout, Cole Bot has embarked on a new adventure.
With one more semester remaining at Ave Maria University in Florida where he is majoring in Marine Biology, Bot is spending his summer working as an Animal Care Intern at non-profit Island Dolphin Care in Key Largo.
Among Bot's duties is to care for eight dolphins that have been brought there from other facilities.
The dolphins that Bot cares for range in age from 2-40 years. The average life expectancy of a dolphin is around 10-20 years.
"Some of them live longer here because they aren't in the wild," said Bot. "The dolphins here can never be released into the wild because they wouldn't survive."
Every day brings a new experience and validates Bot's decision to work at
"I have really enjoyed my time here," said Bot. "I work with a veterinarian and other staff and volunteers here. Working with dolphins is so rewarding."
On days he is working the dolphins, Bot begins his day around 4:30 a.m. The place he is currently living is a 50-minute drive to Key Largo. Once he arrives ad Island Dolphin Care, he turns on the lights and heads to the freezer.
"I pull out the various fish from the freezer and take them to the kitchen and put them in cold water to thaw," Bot said, "I throw out the bad ones and sort the others into eight buckets with the dolphins' names on them. Each dolphin has different nutritional needs, so they don't all get the same food. Some have health problems and have different metabolisms.” “There are a few different species of fish they get, and squid, too."
After preparing each bucket, Bot puts them into a refrigerator until feeding time.
"Then I go and check the water temperatures for that morning and keep records," Bot said.
Then it's time for Bot to interact with the marine mammals.
"I get to feed the dolphins, teach them hand signals, play with toys, play catch and things like that," said Bot. "They are very smart and learn quickly. It's very relaxing and very rewarding for me."
Bot, the son of Ben and Jan Bot, graduated from Minneota High School in 2018, spending one year as a PSEO student at Southwest Minnesota State University. He then spent one year as Christendom College in Virginia before transferring to Ave Maria University, which is 30 miles east of Naples.
Bot also has aspirations of becoming a scuba diving instructor. He took a course at SMSU during his senior year of high school and eventually earned his Open Water Certification.
"I do technical dives of a few hundred feet; recreational levels," he said.
After 4 1/2 years of college courses, Bot's final semester begins in late August and end in early December. He will intern at Island Animal Care until he goes back to school.

NOTE: Island Dolphin Care is in need of financial support because of the pandemic's impact that has kept IDC closed to patients and visitors for over a year. Visit www.islanddolphincare.org to learn more or to donate.