 |
Dolphin & Whale Hospital
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||
|
Dolphin & Whale Hospital
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||
What is the difference between whales, dolphins, porpoises, and "dolphin" on a restaurant menu?
What illnesses do dolphins and whales get, and how do you treat them?
What does it cost to make a sick or injured dolphin healthy again?
What is it like to be in the pool with a sick dolphin?
What percentage of stranded cetaceans survive?
What happens once they are healthy?
What happens to those that do not survive?
What should I do if I see a stranded dolphin?
What can I do to help the Dolphin and Whale Hospital continue to save dolphins and whales?
These terms can be confusing. Dolphins, whales, and porpoises are together known as cetaceans. Cetaceans are air-breathing mammals that have adapted from a terrestrial existence to life in the sea. Whales tend to be larger than dolphins, but this is not always the case with some species. The term "porpoise" is sometimes heard in Florida referring to dolphins. However, true porpoises do not live in our area. Technically, porpoises have different shaped teeth and dorsal fins than dolphins. "Dolphin" offered on restaurant menus is a fish not a marine mammal and is better known as mahi mahi. At the Dolphin and Whale Hospital, we treat cetaceans. (Back to Top)
There are probably many reasons why cetaceans strand, including illness, injury, being lost, or following a sick individual ashore. Perhaps the dolphin has come ashore because it is too weak to go on and can’t defend itself against predators. This is the reason why it is NOT recommended to push these animals back out to sea. Sometimes they strand singly and sometimes en masse. In all cases of cetacean strandings, however, something is wrong and the situation needs to be evaluated by the professionals of the Stranding Network. The Dolphin and Whale Hospital has been authorized by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), which regulates marine mammal issues, to respond to cetacean stranding events. In our experience, the vast majority of single dolphin stranding events involve an animal that is severely injured or extremely ill. Injuries include entanglement with fishing gear, bite wounds from predators such as sharks, and wounds, including broken bones, from other cetaceans. (Back to Top)
There are many reasons for attempting to save stranded dolphins -- scientific, and personal. Medically, what is learned from the rehabilitation effort of a dolphin patient is important for that individual, but also, by increasing the body of medical knowledge, future stranded dolphins will have a greater chance at survival.
Cetaceans, being predators at the top of the food chain, may be good indicators of the health of the oceans, and the things that affect the health of dolphins (pollution, habitat degradation) may also signal local or even global changes in the environment with far-reaching consequences.
Much of what is known about cetaceans, especially the species that are rarely seen in the wild, has come from attempts to rehabilitate these dolphins and whales when they strand.
People feel an affinity for marine mammals that urges them to try to help such fascinating air-breathing marine creatures. It's a very rewarding feeling to see one of our patients splash back into the ocean and watch it swim away, healthy once again, with a second chance at life. See also "Why support the Dolphin and Whale Hospital?". (Back to Top)
Cetaceans can get a variety of bacterial, viral, and fungal diseases. Pneumonias and gastrointestinal diseases are the two most commonly seen at the Dolphin and Whale Hospital. Occasionally, parasitic infections have resulted in brain lesions in some of our patients. (See "Pasco" or "Lunar".) Marine mammal medicine is in its infancy -- there are many diseases that have yet to be described. Human diseases are documented in huge medical libraries. Marine mammal medicine books take up less than one desktop. We at the Dolphin and Whale Hospital are helping to write those much needed books. Dolphins are treated in much the same manner as humans with similar illnesses. Treatments involve the most modern equipment modalities such as ultrasound, endoscopy, and radiography, and the newest medications available. (Back to Top)
Dolphins do not have health insurance. Rehabilitation efforts are very expensive -- requiring specialized facilities, expensive diagnostic equipment and testing, and expensive medications. A sick dolphin often is under 24 hour/day care for 3-6 months, costing up to $1,000/day or more. The Dolphin and Whale Hospital relies heavily on public donations to continue its efforts to save dolphins. There are no governmental funds available and very few grants. (Back to Top)
Sometimes when a dolphin is extremely ill it may not even be aware of the presence of humans. However, as it gets better, we often witness the dolphin's natural instinct to be wary of the human predator in its midst. Dolphins are strong, large predators. Although they have the reputation for being "friendly", they are fully capable of defending themselves. While we must always keep in mind that we are dealing with wild animals, the truth is also that we can work with them in a safe manner. Still, we are always amazed when such a powerful animal will allow a painful procedure, such as an injection, to be performed with minimal restraint. (Back to Top)
Unfortunately, dolphins do not strand when they are just a little sick; they come ashore when they are nearly dead. Consequently, few survive to become healthy again. Historically nation-wide, less than 10% of stranded cetaceans survive. We at the Dolphin and Whale Hospital have been able to release nearly 30%! Through increased public support, we hope to raise those statistics to the point where more than half of the cases that come to us regain their health. (Back to Top)
Once we have returned the cetacean to good health and prepared it for its return to the wild, our job is not over. It is critical that we know what happens to the dolphin following release and to evaluate the success of our efforts. We would also like to be able to bring the dolphin back to the Dolphin and Whale Hospital if for any reason it seemed to be failing to thrive. For these reasons we believe strongly in follow-up monitoring of released dolphins using radio or satellite-linked tags. See "Gulliver" and "Alvin" . (Back to Top)
While we will do everything we can to save each of our patients, we know that many will not survive. This does not mean we have failed- we learn as much as we can from every case so that we can apply that knowledge to future cases. A full necropsy will be performed to find out why the animal died, what treatments worked, which ones did not, and what we might try in the future. Even in death the cetacean can provide a wealth of information to scientists -- samples, morphometrics, photos, etc are taken to enlarge the general body of dolphin knowledge. (Back to Top)
The United States Marine Mammal Stranding Network, of which we are a part, has been established to respond to these emergencies. In Sarasota and Manatee counties, call the Florida Marine Patrol at 1-800-DIAL FMP. If you are located outside of our response area, notify the Network representative in your area. At the stranding site, first, determine that the dolphin is indeed in need of help as dolphins will normally swim in very shallow water near shore at times to feed. Determine the animal’s size, and the number of individuals involved. A description of color pattern and physical characteristics is helpful also.
Your safety is of paramount concern -- be sure that water and weather conditions are safe before proceeding. If safe to do so, you can stabilize the dolphin by holding it upright so that its blowhole is above water. Do not push stranded cetaceans back to sea. If the dolphin is beached, you can help further by making the dolphin more comfortable by digging holes in the sand for its front (pectoral) flippers then rolling the animal upright. While awaiting the arrival of the stranding team, protect the dolphin from overheating and sunburn by keeping the animal wet (avoiding letting water into the blowhole when the dolphin breathes) and by providing shade. (Back to Top)
We must rely heavily on public support to continue to keep the hospital open and to provide the best level of care possible. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation via the internet, click HERE. Checks may be made to: Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, Florida 34236. Specify on the check "For Dolphin Hospital". There are special opportunities for larger donations, trusts, and endowments -- contact General Howard Crowell at the Development Office. Please, also see our Dolphin and Whale Hospital Wish List elsewhere on our web page. If you would like to volunteer as a care-giver for our dolphin patients, click HERE. Remember to treat wild dolphins and the ocean with respect. Do not feed or touch wild dolphins. (Back to Top)