SAN DIEGO — Known as the ‘Dolphin Doctor,’ Dr. Sam Ridgway was a pioneer in marine mammal biology and veterinary care, and after passing away in July at the age of 86 after a long bout with blood cancer, his impressive legacy lives on.
“He was humble and kind and generous with his time and really just adored by all of us,” said Dr. Cynthia Smith, President and CEO of the National Marine Mammal Foundation.
Ridgway was a giant in the field of marine mammalogy, dedicating his life’s work to researching and understanding dolphins and other marine mammals for more than 60 years.
“Sam studied everything from the way a dolphin processes information, how they had social relationships and their different social behaviors, how they could hear, how they could see,” said Dr. Smith. “So he really just tried to understand everything he could.”
For Dr. Smith, who was like a daughter to him, the pain from Ridgway's passing is still fresh.
“These are all of Sam’s treasures that we are still going through,” said Dr. Smith while pointing to a stack of boxes and mementos. “I miss him dearly, but he’s not gone. He’s right here with us. He’s in our hearts.”
After serving in the Air Force, Dr. Ridgway became cofounder of the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program and later, the founding president and CEO of the National Marine Mammal Foundation, a role Dr. Smith now fulfills.
“He was a pioneer, an amazing scientist, contributed probably more than any single human to our knowledge of marine mammal medicine and science,” said Dr. Smith. “And then there’s the personal legacy that he’s leaving behind and the hearts that he touched and the minds that he helped shape.”
Dr. Ridgway pioneered the field of marine mammal medicine and is considered by many to be the “father of marine mammal medicine.”
A book he published in 1972, the same year he moved to San Diego, remains a highly sought-after resource for marine mammal veterinarians and scientists around the world.
“This book, ‘Mammals of the Sea,’ he wrote fifty years ago,” said Dr. Smith while holding up a copy of the book. “And it is still the textbook that all marine mammal veterinarians use.”
Dr. Ridgway’s legacy lives on through the work that the National Marine Mammal Foundation is doing for conservation biology and marine mammal care.
“We created a workshop, an outreach program called, ‘The Dolphin Doctor,’ inspiring all kinds of kids about what it’s like to be a marine mammal veterinarian, what it feels like and what it looks like to take care of these animals wherever they are,” said Smith.
To those who knew Ridgway personally, they say he embodied what San Diego is all about. His passing is a huge loss for Smith and many others who adored him and whom he mentored, but his long-lasting mark on the marine mammal community won’t soon be forgotten.
“Sam had such an amazing impact on the marine mammal community all over the world,” said Smith. “He was so curious. He just had this boundless curiosity that made him a wonderful scientist and veterinarian, but it also made him a great friend.”
An interactive StoryFile experience can be accessed here, which allows a virtual one-on-one chat session with the Dolphin Doctor himself.
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