Right whales, skittish and strong, are especially
hard to disentangle, Morin said. Rescuers adapted whaling techniques,
attaching buoys to the animals to exhaust them before cutting away
the lines.
"The whales are aware you're around them,"
Morin said. "You have to realize that when you're trying to cut
these lines you can cause them pain, so they might come after us.
"A whale that's 50 feet long and might
weigh 50 tons, and has a tail that can crush a car, its pretty dangerous."
Last year the center spent 100 days trying
to remove line embedded in the head of a right whale off Canada and
New England. Churchill, as the whale was known, died of infection.
[ For the latest news and more info on this
entanglement go to : this
link ]
( Source : www.macon.com )
17th July
Hi all,
Here's the very latest on the release of 'Springer' back to the wild
and news of 'Georges/Randy' the very friendly bottlenosed dolphin
visiting many sites in the South West of England.
Georges was reported to have been seen interacting with a small group
of bottlenosed dolphins, near Brixham, on the 15th July .... lets
hope he decides to return to life as a dolphin !
Cheers,
Tony.
Exmouth BDMLR Co-ordinator & News/Info Service.
Orphaned orca swims
near family pod
16th July, 2002.
Two days after being
released in her native waters, an orphan killer whale who spent six
months dodging ferries near Seattle was trailing close behind her
family pod.
And while she has not joined the group today, those monitoring her
were pleased with her progress.
"She seems to be doing well.
So far, so good," Deborah Phelan of Canada's Department of Fisheries
and Oceans said today.
The 2-year-old whale, dubbed A-73
for her birth order in her family group, spent much of yesterday resting,
Phelan said.
She visited a favourite killer whale
"rubbing beach" on Monday evening with a group of about
a half dozen members of A-clan, said Lance Barrett-Lennard, a Vancouver
Aquarium whale expert who is monitoring her.
Killer whales swim close to shore
here on the east side of Vancouver Island and massage their bellies
on the smooth stones of the beach. It's the only place in the world
where whales are known to exhibit this behaviour.
Phelan said there are no major concerns
about the whale's behaviour, Phelan said. The orca has weeks of summer
ahead here as orcas gather to feed along what Barrett-Lennard calls
the "salmon highway."
While the hope is that she will join
one of several groups of the A-clan whales who use her dialect, she
could also live out her life as a solitary whale, or tag along behind
one pod or another at a distance as a "satellite whale."
There are 105 whales in the clan, one of three orca "language
groups" in these waters.
A-73 did not appear to be bonding
with any particular female, said Graeme Ellis of Canada's Department
of Fisheries and Oceans. Whale experts say that would be an ideal
alliance for the little whale, who missed months of education when
she wandered south last year after her mother's death.
She was captured near Seattle on June
13 when her health worsened and her increasingly chummy behaviour
around boats raised safety concerns. She was pronounced in perfect
health after treatment by U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service scientists
and a group of private caretakers. Last Saturday, she was transported
about 350 miles by high-speed catamaran ferry to Hanson Island near
here.
A group of A-clan whales answered
her cries Sunday and entered the small bay where she'd been penned
for less than 24 hours. She was released and swam out into the waters
off Vancouver Island's northeast coast, not joining the other whales
but staying within vocal range.
Barrett-Lennard and Ellis tracked
her yesterday in a motorboat, using the last of three transmitters
attached with suction cups before her release.
Ellis and Barrett-Lennard eventually
pulled their vessel back to chat with a reporter and others aboard
a commercial whale-watching boat. They moved away because A-73 had
fallen behind her group and seemed drawn to their engine noise —
a habit she picked up in her solitary travels.
When all her transmitters have fallen
off, Canada has a monitoring network of government staff, area residents
and other volunteers along the hundreds of miles of coastline on both
sides of Vancouver Island and all along the Inside Passage that separates
the island from the mainland.
Killer whales, actually a kind of
dolphin, are found in all the world's oceans. The inland resident
populations of British Columbia and Washington state feed mostly on
salmon, while transient coastal populations eat marine mammals.
The resident groups are struggling
now with dwindling salmon runs, increasing human encroachment and
pollution.
( Source : www.seattletimes.nwsource.com
)
DOLPHIN 'NIPS' TAIL-GRABBING
BOY
16th July, 2002
A friendly dolphin frolicking in Tor
Bay is reported to have nipped someone who was too rough with him.
Wildlife experts are urging people
to look and not touch the animal, who is believed to be Georges, a
bottlenosed dolphin who has been wandering up and down the South Coast.
He has been seen in Brixham, Elberry,
and Broadsands beaches over the weekend playing with swimmers and
boats.
Nigel Smallbones, the chief marine
ranger for Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust said, it has been reported
a boy who grabbed the dolphin's tail was grabbed in turn on the arm.
Nigel said: "Unfortunately droves
and droves of people have been entering the water to play with him.
"They are trying to grab his
fins and tail to ride him.
"It is an offence to disturb,
harass or harm any whale or dolphin even if it approaches you.
"It is unrealistic to ask people
not to touch in such circumstances but if they are approached they
must be gentle and not try to grab his tail or fins.
"If this continues we may have
to think about ways of stopping people going into the water with him,
which would be unfortunate."
[ Note : I have made sure that Nigel has the BDMLR/Wildlife Trust
hand-outs and posters which provide info about how to behave when
in the vicinity of Georges whether in a boat or in the water. Georges
was not seen yesterday ( 16th ) anywhere in the Brixham area. Great
news that he was spotted with other dolphins ! - Tony ]
( Source : www.westernmorningnews.co.uk )
White
Beaked Dolphin
12th July
0815 in the morning and the sound
of Mark Stevens (of BDMLR HQ) on the other end of the phone means
only one thing – “Houston, we have a problem!” A dolphin
was stranded in the Forth estuary in Edinburgh and medics were required.
There were already two police officers from Drylaw Station on the
scene following a call from a member of the public at 0430!
Out of the Borders Underwater Search
Team’s ten medics, we could only muster 4 medics and would take
nearly two hours to reach the site. It was decided to scramble additional
medics, and so together with two SSPCA officers – Penny and Fergus
(both Marine Mammal Medics), Lucy and Rebecca started putting their
recently acquired Medic knowledge into practice making our dolphin
as comfortable as possible. This was indeed a ‘baptism of fire’
for all concerned. With old sheets and towels and using buckets to
ferry water nearby, they kept the animal moist and cool whilst monitoring
its breathing rate. By soon after 10am, there were also the BDMLR
area co-ordinators for Tayforth (Gareth) and the Borders (the author)
in attendance as well as two members of the Deep Sea World staff and
numerous members of the press. Three further medics from BU/WST (Mike,
Jerry & Lesley) and Natalie came up from the Borders too.
At this point identification confirmed
that we had a white beaked dolphin of adult proportions (later found
to be male). Our initial condition assessment suggested that our dolphin
was neither well nourished or emaciated. After a veterinary examination
by Maria and Gidona (of the Bush Veterinary School in Edinburgh) and
a chat with BDMLR’s own James Barnett, it was agreed that we should
take a blood sample for testing, and try to take a temperature. By this
stage four members of the Lothian & Borders’ Crewe Toll Fire
Station were on scene with a stirrup pump to help keep the dolphin moist.
Whilst waiting for the results of
the blood, several things were done. Using the by now large press
presence to our advantage, a photo of the dolphin (specifically the
dorsal muscle area) was emailed to James Barnett for further examination.
With the aid of a large tarpaulin from the fire brigade, the dolphin
had a “carry mat” worked under it. The animal was then stomach
tubed with Lectade and given a routine antibiotic injection by the
now present Rachel (a medic and newly qualified vet). Upon opening
the mouth (not an easy task on a nine foot dolphin!) it was noted
that his teeth were in poor shape and several missing.
How do you get eighteen people around
a dolphin? Answer: you have eight down each side, one at the head,
and one at the tail! You then say “1,2,3 and lift……”
but nothing happened! Our dolphin was too heavy to lift, so with a
combination of lifting and dragging on the “mat”, we managed
to get him the 200 yards to meet the incoming tide. This was a major
effort by all concerned – 8 medics, 2 SSPCA, 2 Deep Sea World,
4 firemen, 1 policeman and 1 HM coastguard too! On eventually reaching
the water there was a mixture of exhaustion and elation coupled with
a round of applause from the public/press! We turned him around to
face the shore whilst starting physiotherapy.
While this was going on, Maria spoke
again to James, who had received his email, and together with the
information on the teeth declared a situation for euthanasia. We agreed
to wait for the blood results first, but when they came back showing
a bacterial infection and significant dehydration, with much sadness
from all involved, our dolphin was administered a lethal injection
straight into the heart. He has now been removed to Inverness to be
autopsied, and hopefully this will support the decision to put him
to sleep.
This was a great multi-organisational
effort but with a very disappointing outcome for all concerned. Thanks
must go to
· BDMLR medics, vets and co-ordinators
(including those not actually present)
· The SSPCA (both medics and
support team)
· Leading Fire-fighter Graham
Wilson and his guys from Crewe Toll Station
· PCs Raymond Jarrett and James
Dee of Lothian & Borders Police
· Deep Sea World and their
two aquarists
· The Bush Veterinary School
(and in particular to Maria and Gidona)
· The Oak Tree Veterinary Centre
in Edinburgh (for doing the blood analysis)
· Members of the press for
their patience (most of the time!)
A day that none of us will forget…….
David Fuller-Shapcott
Borders Co-ordinator BDMLR
Here's a 'Medics' report of the
same stranding ......... from Natalie Simmons
Today started like the average day,
got to work and opening the mail when a call from BDMLR Borders Co-ordinator
David Fuller Shapcott came through - "you have an excuse to get
out of work, there is a dolphin at Cramond". Then came the shakes!
Since doing my MMM course on 12 May I have had 2 previous callouts
- one on 16 May which I couldn't attend, and one a couple of weeks
ago where I was put on standby and then told to stand down, but this
time it was all systems go! I left work and got my drysuit, etc, and
off I went to Cramond. On arrival David informed me that it was a
female white beaked dolphin, and she had already been put in a dip
filled with water and covered with towels and was being rocked by
other MMM's, some of which I recognised from my course. I have to
say here a thank you to David and Kevin Robinson (BDMLR Scotland Co-ordinator)
for not just calling on experienced medics, thanks for giving us new
ones a chance, and thanks to all the experienced medics too for letting
us new ones get involved and for not speaking down to us. That was
a big worry after my course, that experienced medics would get the
first calls and the opportunity to be dealing with the animals, thankfully
that is not the case, we all get an equal chance.
Anyway, we kept rocking and spraying water (thanks to the fireman
for their pump!) until the vet arrived. David had already said the
condition wasn;t great - not much muscle tone around and beneath dorsal
fin, the vet managed to take blood, temperature and check the teeth.
It was getting quite distressed every time a plane went overhead,
and at times the breathing was 4 per minute, but while blood taken
it shot up to 10. There were also a few spasms when the tail was lifted
and stayed lifted during each spasm. While taking temperature it became
obvious that we were dealing with a male not a female, and when the
vet looked at the teeth there were not many there, and the ones that
were there were quite worn, so we now knew it was an elderly male.
Antibiotics and a stomach tube were administered and the blood got
rushed off for testing, and we managed to get a tarpaulin under the
dolphin and with help from the fireman the dolphin was moved to the
sea. All the while there were TV crews and photographers and public
needing moved out the way. It took some time to reach the sea, so
a few stops were needed, and the dolphin was hosed down. On reaching
the sea we got it turned to face the shore, and just kept it afloat
and rocking.
The news came back that on analysing
photos and lack of teeth the outlook was not looking good, but we
were still to await the blood results, but while awaiting them the
dolphin was sedated with 2 injections by the dorsal fin. As the tide
was coming in we kept moving towards the shore, and just after the
sedation the tail and body were thrashing quite a bit, but as sedation
took effect there were quite a few shivers going through the body.
The news then came back that the blood tests had revealed an infection
so the decision had been taken to euthanase, so barbiturates were
administered to the heart and the dolphin slipped away peacefully.
The press, obviously after a happy ending, had gone by now, but there
was still a large crowd at the beach. After about half an hour the
body was towed by boat (with me aboard!) to a slipway where a trailer
was waiting to take it to Bob Reid at Inverness.
I am glad every chance was given to the dolphin, and that we were
instructed to prepare for release until the verdict was definitely
that it was not an option. Euthanasia is obviously not an option taken
lightly.
Now, it all feels very surreal, although I have the aching arms, legs
and back to convince me it was real. I have to say I am shocked to
have had 3 callouts in less than 2 months after my course, and in
a way I would rather have had none, as I would rather the animals
stayed safe and healthy and I wasn't needed, but I am glad that I
am getting called when they are in trouble.
Anyway, today was an experience, I know now I can be of help when
in a real situation, hopefully others will agree with that verdict,
and thanks for not making me feel like a complete beginner at this!
Can I just say a HUGE thanks to all those who worked so hard behind
the scenes to make this operation run so smoothly, especially Dr Kevin
Robinson and team at the CRRU in Banff for getting us all there and
for expert support and advice, and BDMLR vet James Barnett for all
his veterinary expertise and guidance. Also many thanks to local bobbies
James Dee & Raymond Jarrett, Lothian Fire Fighters, BDMLR, CRRU
& SSPCA medics, attending vets Maria Parker, David Smith &
Rachel Kilroy, and supporting members of the public! Thank you!!!
Natalie Simmons
Note : I asked BDMLR Veterinary
Director, James Barnett, for his comment and this was his reply ;
Yes I was involved. I was not too happy with the condition of the
animal from the reports I received from David and the vet, Maria,
from the University, about the animal's condition. The photo did nothing
to dispel my concerns and when Maria told me that a lot of its teeth
were missing, I couldn't support a refloat. I did suggest taking bloods,
but was not aware that the results had revealed evidence of an infection.
It will be interesting to see what the post mortem shows up.
Cheers,
James Barnett
A Slippery 'Customer'
for BDMLR ?
16th July, 2002
Hi, all
This has got to be a first for BDMLR ?
Yesterday ( Monday 15th ) , just before 6 PM. I was called by RSPCA
Exeter. Apparently a large octopus was stranded at Devonport, Plymouth.
I slung a box of surgical gloves into my car and left.
I found a bunch of kids running back and forth with plastic bottles,
buckets and cups, keeping the "octopus" wet.
It was a jellyfish, the main body about two feet across, and about
twenty yds. from the tide line.
Dilemma: Leave it? That's what my reaction would have been under normal
circumstances, but those children had been there for a long time keeping
it wet, and I felt I could not let them - or the jellyfish - down.
So I joined in the fun, with another bucket. I put on gloves and partially,
and carefully lifted the creature, while the children slipped an old
vinyl car seat under it, a bit at the time, for the animal was heavy.
Finally, there it was.... on the back seat of a car, without the car.
I felt it was now a simple matter to just drag the whole affair to
the water, but I hadn't reckoned with the consistency of the jellyfish.
Like a pool of mercury, it poured off the seat and back onto the mud.
Tide was on its way back in, and Alan (by mobile phone) suggested
I wait for the tide to do the hard work.
About half an hour later I managed to clear enough bladder wrack away
to cut a channel, and it was now easy to gently move the animal through
the water into deeper water.
Was a call out to this slippery customer a first for BDMLR?
.....And don't take the Mickey!
Arie den Hollander
Plymouth BDMLR Co-ordinator
Combined Effort
'Pays Off'
A combined effort on
Thursday ( 11th July ) saw teams from several different areas working
together to transfer a seal pup from the Kent coast to Kings Lynn,
Norfolk.
After a call from the RSPCA in Hastings,
a team of medics from Kent went to the assistance of a small common
seal pup. The pup was in trouble in Tankerton. After finding the pup
he was carried 700yds to shore and checked by BDMLR vet, James Barnett.
He could not resist getting his hands on a real seal after 2 days
at Notts University running courses!
The pup was assessed by James' expert eye and the pup, now named "pebbles"
was transferred to Dartford Crossing Services, where Faye Archell
of the Essex group took temps etc. She then took Pebbles to the top
of the M11 where she was met by Lucie White who took the seal to East
Winch ( RSPCA - Norfolk Wildlife Hospital ).
RSPCA folk were very
impressed at the speed of this operation. This shows that the area
group 'thing' is paying off. We need to keep working at it though,
it is not right yet! Don't forget, if your details change make sure
you let us know. This includes mobile numbers etc.
[ Updated details to BDMLR HQ via info@bdmlr.org.uk
]
Well done to all involved on this one. We have done ourselves no harm
at all.
Mark Stevens
BDMLR Director
( Note precautions were taken by Lucie and Faye to protect themselves
in view of PDV* threats )
[ * - Phocine Distemper Virus ]
Nottingham 'Mass'
Training Course
I've been asked by Kieran Copeland ( BDMLR - East Anglia ) to pass
on thanks to all those involved with the massive Medic Course which
took place at Nottingham University last week. Over 250 new Medics
were trained over the two days, using three sets of models and pontoons.
Thanks to all those involved and some meticulous planning by those
at BDMLR HQ, the course went like 'clock work'.
............. and 'yes' ........... many of those who completed the
course have contacted me (Tony) to be included on the email 'News'
! ..... phew !
Well done to everyone !
PDV
- The Latest
The concerns about the
Phocine Distemper Virus are still very real and current. The latest
news I have received is that, as of 11th July: 1400 dead in Danish
and Swedish Skagerrak/Kattegat and 60 dead in Dutch Waddensea. .......
It's building up. ( Info via James Barnett )
BDMLR is one of the organisations at the forefront of planning a response
if the virus 'hits' the U.K. coastline.
The RSPCA is working closely with BDMLR and the Marine Animal Rescue
Coalition and it's Inspectors across England and Wales have recently
been alerted to the possibility of an outbreak.
The RSPCA is also meeting with the European Wildlife Division of DEFRA
to co-ordinate a response to a possible outbreak.
Tony.
Is This BDMLR's
Youngest Medic ?
Congratulations to Nick Kail* ( Grandpa!
) .... and his family ... especially Jack's Dad - David and his mum
Emma ... well she did do all the 'work' !
Jack was born on the 10th July at 8.40pm. ( 7lb 10ozs )
Nice photo ..... a future caption competition methinks ?
Tony.
( * - BDMLR Medic and computer expert )
Washington
Orca Ready for Family Reunion
7th July, 2002
The orphaned female orca has passed
all medical tests and is ready to be reunited with her family in Canadian
waters, a spokesman for the National Marine Fisheries Service said.
"It is time for her to go home,"
Brian Gorman said. "She's got a ticket, her bags are packed and
we're just waiting for word from the Canadians."
Gorman said U.S. researchers gave
results of the orca's final battery of medical tests to their Canadian
counterparts over the weekend. She was found to have no communicable
diseases, and an itchy skin condition and internal condition that
made her breath smell like paint thinner have cleared up.
"She's behaving like a healthy,
active young whale," Gorman said.
Spokeswoman Michelle McCombs with
Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans did not immediately return
a Tuesday call for comment on her agency's stance in the matter.
Gorman said Canadian researchers probably
got their first look at the latest test results Tuesday, since Monday
was the Canada Day holiday.
Clean Bill of Health 
He said the NMFS and Canadian officials
had been in daily discussions about options for moving the 2-year-old,
1,240-pound killer whale north. Authorities hope she will rejoin her
family, or pod, when they make their annual summer visit to waters
east of Vancouver Island.
She was captured by an NMFS team June
13, and has been under close watch since in a 40-by-40-foot holding
pen in Clam Bay near Manchester, on the Kitsap Peninsula across Puget
Sound from Seattle.
The agency decided to capture her
in part because of concerns about her health, and also because she
had become extremely friendly with small boats off Vashon Island –
raising concerns about both her safety and that of boaters.
The whale, dubbed A-73 by researchers
for her order in her birth pod, was first spotted near the Vashon
ferry dock in mid-January. Researchers believe her pod left her behind
after her mother died, and she found her way into Puget Sound.
Whale activists are helping raise
money to cover capture and relocation costs, which could reach $500,000.
Whale Adjusted Well
The whale has adjusted well to captivity,
Gorman said. Since her first few days in the pen, when she ate only
one or two 5-pound salmon, she has increased her intake to a steady
40-50 pounds of fish and significantly more some days.
Canadian officials have said they
would not allow A-73 into their waters if there was any sign she could
have communicable diseases. However, Gorman said the U.S. team has
conducted an array of tests for diseases including the dangerous morbillivirus.
"It's a bad virus," he said.
"It would have been a disqualifier. But we had run a test in
May, one again after she was taken out of the Sound, and again last
Tuesday, and she was negative all three times." Canadian experts
will oversee the effort to reunite A-73 with her home pod in Johnstone
Strait, off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island. Plans call for
her to be held in a penned-off cove to allow the her and the pod to
become accustomed to each other.
Orcas, actually a kind of dolphin,
are found in all the world's oceans.
The population of Washington state's
three resident pods has dropped from 98 in 1995 to 78 today. NMFS
considered listing the mammals for protection under the federal Endangered
Species Act but said last month the pods did not qualify as a distinct
subspecies. Other efforts are planned.
( Source : www.kgw.com )
Poachers'
nets threaten dolphins
4 July 2002
The dolphins are the world's most northerly
colony Scotland's only resident colony of bottle-nosed dolphins could
be at risk because of the use of illegal fishing nets, police have said.
Northern Constabulary said the nets of salmon poachers are the main
threat to the dolphin pod in the Moray Firth, near Inverness. The force
has launched Operation Fishnet to draw attention to the danger posed
by the small nets, which have claimed the lives of two dolphins in the
past two years.
The bottle-nosed dolphin population
in the Moray Firth is estimated to be about 130 and declining. They
live in colder waters than any others and are the most northerly colony
on Earth.
The UK's only other resident dolphins
live in the waters of Cardigan Bay, off West Wales, although they
are visitors to inshore waters round several parts of the British
Isles.
Northern Constabulary said they were
concerned at the effect of comparatively small illegal nets used by
salmon poachers, which are difficult for dolphins to see. Force wildlife
liaison officer Inspector John Grierson said: "The main threat
to the dolphins is them getting caught in poacher's nets - why should
dolphins suffer because of their greed?
Population is dwindling 
"We are down to 130 dolphins
in the Firth and there has been research over the past few years that
has said that the population is dwindling.
"Just catching a female dolphin
out of that population could have dire consequences.
"What happens is that the dolphin
chase salmon, the salmon can't see the nets and neither can the dolphin,
and the dolphin gets caught and basically drowns."
At the launch, police officers handed
out posters and leaflets which showed how the public can help in the
campaign. Seized illegal nets were also on display.
The launch formed part of the Partnership
for Action Against Wildlife Crime, a body comprising representatives
from organisations involved in wildlife law enforcement in the UK,
including the Scottish Executive, local fisheries boards and Scottish
Natural Heritage.
Photos Kevin Robinson / CRRU
( Source www.bbc.co.uk )
Sperm
Whale Stranding - Scotland
3rd July 2002
To all who assisted in the call out
last Friday afternoon (28/06/02) from the Edinburgh/Tayforth/Borders
areas, thank you for your support and response.
The casualty did indeed turn out to be a Sperm whale (probably a young
male - still to be confirmed), measuring approx. 8 metres, and news
in today (3rd) via David Fuller-Shapcott (BDMLR Borders) and Tony
Patterson (Scottish Agricultural College) confirmed that a carcass
is now being recovered from the mud flats at South Queensferry, on
the southern banks of the Firth of Forth -- in fact, in the same place
where the infamous "Moby" eventually came to rest back in
1997.
The initial report received via BDMLR HQ described a large whale that
had live-stranded at Lime Kilns on the north side of the Firth of
Forth but had apparently refloated. Local BDMLR medics were scrambled
to the area (some of which had just recently qualified) and helped
to search the areas north and south of the Forth Estuary through the
evening and over the weekend, but to no avail. This latest news received
this morning suggests that the whale must have died soon after the
initial call out, as the spermaceti organ (the fluid filled space
within the large melon) in the newly discovered carcass had already
blown, and this only occurs several days after a sperm whale has died
- pers. comm. Tony Patterson)
Reports of up to 2 other large whales in the area were never confirmed,
although it is possible that the deceased whale could have been part
of a bachelor group, which in this northern part of the North Sea
would not be so uncommon. Whilst there is little in the way of natural
prey species available to these whales in the North Sea -- and navigationally
this sea is far too shallow for sperm whales -- individuals stranding
in this northern area are usually found to be in moderate condition.
In waters further south, however, the animals usually strand in poor
condition and the North Sea is often described as a trap for these
deep-diving odontocetes.
Many thanks to all who assisted in this incident, but in particular
David F-S, Gareth Norman (BDMLR Tayforth Coordinator), H.M. Coastguard
in South Fife and the liaising SSPCA officers involved.
Kevin Robinson
National Coordinator, BDMLR Scotland
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For a look at some photos of the recent
Marine Mammal Medic Course held near Ipswich ...
take a look at this link
:
Our thanks to Paul Beaumont .... a very recent addition to this news/info
service.
Injured
dolphin found on beach being treated
July 1, 2002
Officials are trying to nurse another
injured bottlenose dolphin back to health, less than a month after
Corky, the 
baby
dolphin who attracted so much public sympathy, died after being treated
for apparent shark wounds.
A fishing guide called authorities Friday
night to report a beached dolphin with numerous wounds in Padre Island
National Seashore, about a third of a mile south of the end of Park
Road 22.
"All we can tell is that they
are shark-attack wounds," said Debbie Prevratil, the marine mammal
curator for the Texas State Aquarium, where the unnamed dolphin is
being treated.
"There are not as many as on
Corky, but some of them are definitely more severe."
The male dolphin weighs 220 pounds
and, judging by his length of seven feet, is probably between 4 and
5 years old, Prevratil said.
Though it is impossible to say exactly
how the dolphin received his wounds, he may have already been weakened
by something else when the shark attacked, and he may have an illness
that medics have not detected yet, said Linda Price-May, regional
co-ordinator for the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network.
Guarded prognosis
"Many times when these animals
get an illness or are weak, the sharks sense that, and that's their
job, to take out the weak and the injured," Price-May said.
After the dolphin was found on the
beach, he was driven in the bed of a truck to the aquarium. Throughout
the 45-minute ride, he was carefully padded and splashed with water
so he would not dry out.
At the aquarium, he is being held
in what is essentially an intensive care unit. The aquarium is giving
him antibiotics, hydrating fluids and fish gruel because he is not
strong enough to eat anything else, Prevratil said.
"We're very guarded on what his
prognosis might be, because just like what happened with Corky, they
can do so well and then take a turn for the worse, so this time, we
are just being very careful about how optimistic we are," she
said.
'A lot of this'
The fight to keep Corky alive used
up a lot of money and supplies, and donations are badly needed, Prevratil
said.
"Because of environmental problems
world-wide, we're starting to see a lot of this happening not only
here, but everywhere," Price-May said.
As more human waste is dumped into
waters, it infects the food chain and sickens animals such as dolphins
and whales, making them vulnerable to shark attacks.
( Source : www2.caller.com )
A
male bottlenose dolphin, known as Georges, has recently been sighted
in this area and has proven to be a very sociable animal. He is
attracted to boat propellers and has already been injured, and risks
further harm unless boat users are more sympathetic. Due to the
public response, it has been necessary to form boat patrols to protect
the interests of the animal, as well as the public. The British
Divers Marine Life Rescue, the Wildlife Trusts and HM Coast Guard
have been monitoring the dolphins condition and would greatly appreciate
your help in protecting its welfare. Prolonged contact with the
animal will disturb its normal feeding and resting behaviours. It
will also limit its potential communication with other wild dolphins
in the area, so reducing its chances of being accepted back into
the dolphin community.