NOAA Magazine NOAA Home Page

NOAA FISHERIES ASSISTS IN THE RELEASE OF REHABILITATED DOLPHIN "BLONDIE"

May 6, 2002 — Blondie, a young female Atlantic bottlenose dolphin who had been undergoing rehabilitation at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium for two months, was released into the Gulf of Mexico last week. Blondie, named after the character in Clearwater, Fla., resident Dean Young's comic strip, stranded on Clearwater Beach on the morning of March 2 and was rescued by the CMA stranding team and nursed back to health under the supervision of veterinarians in CMA's rehabilitation pool. (Click NOAA photo for larger view of "Blondie" the dolphin being prepared for release into the Gulf of Mexico.)

"When our stranding response team rescued Blondie and transferred her to our rehabilitation pool, our veterinarians gave her a thorough physical examination and administered antibiotics as a precaution," said Dennis Kellinberger, CMA's executive director. "She had many abrasions on her back and sides, known as rake marks, which were caused by other dolphins raking their teeth across her skin."

According to Randy Wells, a dolphin expert with Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, it is not uncommon for such marks to be found on young dolphins.

"We don't know whether the wounds are the result of playful or aggressive behavior," said Wells. "But we do know that they're common on young dolphins between the age of two and three, the age that they usually leave their mothers. And they're just full of weapons—their teeth, their flukes, and their beaks—and they're just learning how to use them. But unless we can actually observe them in the act, it's anyone's guess as to why they do this to one another."

Melody Baran, a CMA biologist, said Blondie's recovery was very straightforward. Her wounds healed quickly and she adjusted well to being held in the tank. She also enjoyed playing with an orange road cone and rubbing herself against a plastic grass mat that the staff had placed in the tank.

"We're delighted that she recovered so quickly," said Baran. "She's gained weight, she's very strong and an extremely good hunter. We often put live tilapia in the tank and she chases them right down and gobbles them up."

Blondie's return to the Gulf of Mexico was orchestrated with the greatest of care. At 9:00 a.m. on May 2 she was hauled out of the CMA's rehabilitation tank, carried down the stairway in a specially designed stretcher to the waiting pontoon boat, and gently placed on a thick foam pad that was prepared for her. Ten minutes later the boat got underway. Among the invited guests were Dean Young and his family. Throughout the trip, two staff members kept Blondie's skin moist and cool while others monitored her breathing and heart rate. Randy Wells attached the radio tag to Blondie's dorsal fin that would provide vital information about her condition during her first few weeks back in the Gulf. At precisely 9:45 a.m. EDT. Dean Young joined the rescue team in easing Blondie back into the Gulf of Mexico. (Click NOAA photo for larger view of Melody Baran, a CMA biologist, and Steve Siebert, a stranding team volunteer who designed and built the stretcher, help to keep Blondie moist and cool throughout the journey to the Gulf of Mexico.)

Kyle Baker, a member of the NOAA Fisheries' Southeast marine mammal team, was aboard the CMA pontoon boat that carried Blondie to her release point, about a mile west of the Clearwater jetties. His role was to observe the operation to ensure that Blondie was properly handled.

"Everyone involved in our marine mammal health and stranding response program is dedicated to learning more about the biology and health of stranded marine mammals," said Baker. "While we're the federal agency that's charged with protecting cetaceans, it's stranding teams like this, comprised almost entirely of volunteers, that make the program work."

NOAA Fisheries oversees the operation of the national stranding network by entering into cooperative agreements with public and private organizations whose combined efforts cover most of the U.S. coast. Each organization must follow NOAA Fisheries guidelines for the rehabilitation and release of animals. By supporting and participating in the operation of these organizations, NOAA Fisheries is able to gather information from all over the country about the health of cetacean populations. Such data help the agency understand the causes of unusual cetacean deaths and strandings.

"We work closely with stranding organizations to learn more about the care of sick animals, how to bring them back to health and release them back into the wild," said Baker. "The CMA team consists of 35 volunteers and is one of 24 response teams in Florida."

Relevant Web Sites
NOAA Fisheries

Western North Atlantic Coastal Bottlenose Dolphin

NOAA's Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program

Media Contact:
Chris Smith, NOAA Fisheries Southeast Region, (727) 570-5301

 

-end-