{"id":6921,"date":"2014-08-01T18:53:07","date_gmt":"2014-08-01T22:53:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mote.org\/?p=6921"},"modified":"2024-04-18T19:04:12","modified_gmt":"2024-04-18T23:04:12","slug":"lake-bound-dolphin-rescued-near-everglades-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mote.org\/news\/lake-bound-dolphin-rescued-near-everglades-city\/","title":{"rendered":"Lake-Bound Dolphin Rescued Near Everglades City"},"content":{"rendered":"

An adult male dolphin that was caught in a small lake northwest of Everglades City in Collier County was rescued by about 20 members of the Southeast Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network on Thursday.<\/p>\n

The 8.5-foot dolphin was first spotted swimming in a place he didn\u2019t belong by staff of Speedy\u2019s Airboat Tours, who called FWC to report the out-of-habitat animal. On Tuesday, Speedy\u2019s took Denise Boyd, Research Associate with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), to see the dolphin.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter navigating through miles of narrow, shallow water canals and grass flats by airboat to reach the dolphin, we knew it was unable to leave the area on its own accord and would need to be rescued,\u201d Boyd said. \u201cBased on the dolphin\u2019s size and location, a small team alone could not do the rescue. Therefore, we reached out to the many partners in the area to assist with the relocation effort.\u201d<\/p>\n

After assessing the animal\u2019s condition and providing the information to the National Marine Fisheries Service of NOAA \u2014 the agency that oversees the management of marine mammals under the Marine Mammal Protection Act \u2014 Boyd was given permission to scramble the Southeast Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network to mount a rescue.<\/p>\n

Five agencies answered Boyd\u2019s urgent call for help. In addition to FWC, Mote Marine Laboratory\u2019s Stranding Investigation Program, the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program\/Chicago Zoological Society, Disney\u2019s Animal Science and Environment, Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and Big Cypress National Preserve sent about 25 people to try to rescue the dolphin. Speedy\u2019s Airboat Tours also provided three airboats and the critical local knowledge needed to navigate very shallow waters through myriad mangrove tunnels to get the team to the animal. FWC Law Enforcement provided officers and a large airboat to transport the dolphin to the bay.<\/p>\n

Without intervention, the animal likely would have died, said Gretchen Lovewell, manager of Mote\u2019s Stranding Investigations Program. \u201cWe think the dolphin swam into this area on a very high tide,\u201d Lovewell said. \u201cAfter the tide went out again and without much rain in the area, there was no way the dolphin would have been able to get back to Chokoloskee Bay. The water was so shallow that the dolphin spent a lot of time swimming on his side, and the tips of his flukes had signs of scrapes and abrasions from hitting the bottom.\u201d<\/p>\n

The team assembled in Everglades City Thursday morning and left at about 11 a.m. The dolphin was released at 2:50 p.m.<\/p>\n

Dr. Randy Wells, Director of the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program (a partnership between Mote and the Chicago Zoological Society), said this was one the of the most challenging rescues he\u2019s ever been involved in during his 44 years of conducting dolphin research and rescues.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was an 8-foot alligator in the net enclosure we created to capture the dolphin,\u201d Wells said. \u201cWe were working in ankle to knee-deep mud. And there were many miles of shallow, twisting, narrow mangrove tunnels to navigate in order to get the dolphin back to the bay so it would have a chance to survive. Fortunately, after we got to the bay, the dolphin swam away in good condition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before it was released, the animal was outfitted with a satellite-linked tag so Dr. Wells can monitor the dolphin\u2019s progress. \u201cBeing able to follow the animal after release helps us to know whether a rescue has been successful and guides possible future rescues.\u201d<\/p>\n

The dolphin was nicknamed \u201cSpeedy\u201d to thank Speedy\u2019s Airboat Tours for finding the dolphin and for playing such a critical role in the animal\u2019s recovery. \u201cThings went amazingly well considering all the challenges,\u201d Lovewell said. \u201cWithout Speedy\u2019s airboats and experienced captains, we could never have mounted this rescue.\u201d<\/p>\n

You Can Help<\/h4>\n

Rescuing stranded marine mammals takes a group effort \u2014 from members of the public who report sick or injured animals and the management agencies that authorize such rescues to take place to the \u201cboots-on-the-ground\u201d teams at nonprofit institutions and organizations that conduct many such rescues. Nonprofit organizations rely on public donations to fund such work. Please consider making a donation to Mote Marine Laboratory or another participating agency to help. Online at mote.org\/support<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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