Beggar is a male bottlenose dolphin, approximately 20+ years old and lives in the intracoastal waterway around the Nokomis - Casey Key area (South of Sarasota Florida).

Many boaters and fishermen call him their friend, and some even feed him. But, please do not feed him. The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1973 forbids these interactions, threatening abusers with fines of up to $25,000. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of General Counsel recently brought charges against a boater and assessed him with a fine for feeding Beggar. A few dolphins in the area, including Beggar have been known to bite.

Beggar was first discovered by the Mote Marine Lab scientists in 1990, and has been begging for food even since.

Dolphin facts you didn't know:

• Dolphin skin is very sensitive to sunlight, and can burn almost immediately if beached.
• Dolphins use echolocation to navigate, bouncing high-pitched sounds off objects, and listening for echoes.
• Dolphins sleep with one half of their brain plus one eye closed.
• The maximum age for bottlenose dolphins is between 40 and 50 years.
• Bottlenose dolphin can reach over 9 ft in length and weigh up to 450 lbs.
• They can eat up to 66 lb a day for a dolphin of about 8 ft in length.