By Nikki Sheaks
GULF COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – In spite of rescue efforts, the stranded dolphin that was taken into rehabilitation at Gulf World Marine Institute died Wednesday night.
Staff at the institute say the 350-pound dolphin succumbed to her illnesses overnight. They say stranded marine animals are usually in worse shape than they appear. The institute conducted a full necropsy on the bottlenose and sent samples to labs for analysis.
A stranded dolphin was rescued Tuesday in Indian Pass.
The bottlenose dolphin washed ashore. Bystanders, Florida Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement officers, and staff from the United States Geological Survey helped to stabilize the animal.
Gulf World Marine Institute arrived on the scene to give a health check. With approval from the National Marine Fisheries Service, the dolphin was taken in for rehabilitation.
The dolphin is an adult female, who is about nine feet long and weighs more than 350 lbs. She is now under 24-hour watch and is being carefully observed by GWMI staff. According to her caregivers, she has begun to swim on her own. Tests are currently being done to see what might have caused her to wash ashore.
For those interested in donating to the Gulf World Marine Institute’s rehabilitation efforts head to their website, www.gwmi.info.
When marine mammals wash ashore, please remember to not push them back into the water, and to instead call the local rescue authorities. In Florida, you can either call 1-888-404-3922 for FWC’s wildlife alert hotline or dial 1-877-942-5343 for NOAA’s marine mammal hotline.
Source: https://www.wjhg.com/
