Sat Mar 23, 2024 11:33 pm by globalturbo
Dolphin and Offspring Stuck in Pond for Years Finally Rescued
Posted on July 11, 2023
BY ROBYN WHITE ON 7/10/23 AT 10:51 AM EDT01:20
Dolphins: 5 Interesting Facts About The Aquatic Mammal
A dolphin and its calf have been rescued from the Louisiana pond they were trapped in for nearly two years.
The two animals were stuck in the pond system near Grand Isle in the Pelican State.
Audubon Coastal Wildlife Network (CWN) and partners in the Southeast Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network managed to rescue the stranded mammals on June 17, CWN said on a Facebook post.
The dolphins became stuck due to a storm surge and flooding caused by Hurricane Ida, which battered Louisiana in August 2021.
The category 4 hurricane was extremely deadly, the second-most destructive hurricane to ever make landfall in Louisiana.
The CWN had been aware of the pair for some time, monitoring them for over a year.
The Grand Isle is a town on a narrow barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico. Although there are some species of dolphin that can survive in freshwater, these particular dolphins need saltwater in order to survive. Luckily, this pond system has enough salinity, as well as food supplies and tidal flow. This meant the dolphins were able to survive for the past two years.
However, there is not any pathway to the Gulf of Mexico, into their natural habitat.
The rescue team was made up of NOAA Fisheries Service in partnership with Audubon Coastal Wildlife Network (CWN), National Marine Mammal Foundation, SeaWorld Orlando, The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, and South Carolina Aquarium.
A video of the rescue showed teams easing the dolphins onto a mat, floating within the pond.
Rescuers can then be seen transporting the dolphins in a boat towards the open ocean. They gently kept the dolphins wet using sponges.
Dolphins need to be kept wet at all times, or they run the risk of becoming dehydrated. Even though they cannot breathe underwater, they still need to be wet in order to live.
At the end of the video, rescuers can be seen releasing the dolphins into the wild.
It is not uncommon for wildlife to become displaced during a hurricane.
Storm surges happen when atmospheric pressure causes sea levels to rise during a severe storm.
Marine wildlife are often at the mercy of these surges when storms occur.
Marine mammals and sea turtles are at particular risk.
“It is common for storm surge and increased coastal flooding associated with hurricanes to cause marine mammals and sea turtles to strand on land or be washed into inland waterways where they are not typically observed, such as lakes, ponds, and canals,” the CWN said in a Facebook post. “Animals may be found in these areas for weeks to months following the hurricane, requiring rescue by trained and authorized responders to return them to their natural habitat.”
A stock photo shows a mother and a calf swimming side by side. Two dolphins were rescued after being stranded in a pond for two years.NALUPHOTO/GETTY
THANKS TO: https://exposingthebiggame.wordpress.com/2023/07/11/dolphin-and-offspring-stuck-in-pond-for-years-finally-rescued/
Posted on July 11, 2023
BY ROBYN WHITE ON 7/10/23 AT 10:51 AM EDT01:20
Dolphins: 5 Interesting Facts About The Aquatic Mammal
A dolphin and its calf have been rescued from the Louisiana pond they were trapped in for nearly two years.
The two animals were stuck in the pond system near Grand Isle in the Pelican State.
Audubon Coastal Wildlife Network (CWN) and partners in the Southeast Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network managed to rescue the stranded mammals on June 17, CWN said on a Facebook post.
The dolphins became stuck due to a storm surge and flooding caused by Hurricane Ida, which battered Louisiana in August 2021.
The category 4 hurricane was extremely deadly, the second-most destructive hurricane to ever make landfall in Louisiana.
The CWN had been aware of the pair for some time, monitoring them for over a year.
The Grand Isle is a town on a narrow barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico. Although there are some species of dolphin that can survive in freshwater, these particular dolphins need saltwater in order to survive. Luckily, this pond system has enough salinity, as well as food supplies and tidal flow. This meant the dolphins were able to survive for the past two years.
However, there is not any pathway to the Gulf of Mexico, into their natural habitat.
The rescue team was made up of NOAA Fisheries Service in partnership with Audubon Coastal Wildlife Network (CWN), National Marine Mammal Foundation, SeaWorld Orlando, The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, and South Carolina Aquarium.
A video of the rescue showed teams easing the dolphins onto a mat, floating within the pond.
Rescuers can then be seen transporting the dolphins in a boat towards the open ocean. They gently kept the dolphins wet using sponges.
Dolphins need to be kept wet at all times, or they run the risk of becoming dehydrated. Even though they cannot breathe underwater, they still need to be wet in order to live.
At the end of the video, rescuers can be seen releasing the dolphins into the wild.
It is not uncommon for wildlife to become displaced during a hurricane.
Storm surges happen when atmospheric pressure causes sea levels to rise during a severe storm.
Marine wildlife are often at the mercy of these surges when storms occur.
Marine mammals and sea turtles are at particular risk.
“It is common for storm surge and increased coastal flooding associated with hurricanes to cause marine mammals and sea turtles to strand on land or be washed into inland waterways where they are not typically observed, such as lakes, ponds, and canals,” the CWN said in a Facebook post. “Animals may be found in these areas for weeks to months following the hurricane, requiring rescue by trained and authorized responders to return them to their natural habitat.”
A stock photo shows a mother and a calf swimming side by side. Two dolphins were rescued after being stranded in a pond for two years.NALUPHOTO/GETTY
THANKS TO: https://exposingthebiggame.wordpress.com/2023/07/11/dolphin-and-offspring-stuck-in-pond-for-years-finally-rescued/
