Dolphin World Blog

Hi All,

I have been away for a while and saw this sad story about “Dolly” who was euthanized recently after succumbing to apparent sickness in Boston. It is rare for any dolphins to be swimming around the Boston Harbor area and it is amazing about Dolly.

Here is more about the Boston Dolphin.

Does anyone out there have any pictures of Dolly swimming around? Or any personal sighting stories of Dolly?

GB,
John

Hi all,

Here is another great story of a Dolphin rescue. This story is about a young Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, stranded in Louisiana after apparently being orphaned, was rescued Wednesday and brought to South Mississippi for shelter and treatment.

To read more on this story, go to:

Dolphin Stranding
Has anyone out there been on a stranding and rescued a dolphin? Please share your experience.
GB,
John

Hi All,

I received this email from Milad Ghadami who has his own website that promotes what he does and the facility he works in Iran, Kish Island Dolphinarium Training Center. I never knew Iran had a dolphin facility. Here is a general listing of his duties their.

I work as a marine mammal trainer. I care for and train dolphins, whales, seals, sea lions, walruses and some other marine mammals, using a system of positive reinforcement called “Operant Conditioning”. Behaviors are taught to help educate and entertain people through our shows, demonstrations and interactive programs. However, this is just one small part of the job. My specific job duties in my facility in Kish Island Dolphinarium is as follows.

• My primary responsibility is always to maintain and enhance the health and well-being of the animals in my care.
• I work hard to ensure the animals are provided with the highest quality food, aquatic environment, structural habitats, social and behavioral opportunities and medical care .Training is an extremely powerful tool in meeting these goals.
• I do maintain the animal’s living environment which includes cleaning animals home. This can be difficult something due to being outside a great deal during hot summer months. In Kish Island it can get up to 50 °C in July and August. However I am very flexible since I work with dynamic animals, this means long, irregular hours. I love the relationship build with each individual animal that have their own unique personality.
• I do assist with veterinary department and I monitor and track animal’s health status including: collection of blood, gastric, urine and decal samples, physical, x-ray, ultrasonic and dental exams. I also make sure that all of animals under my care receive their vitamins and any necessary medications and even physical therapy.
• I am in charge of training and practicing with marine mammals. I work with 6 dolphins, 2 walruses, 11 sea lions and 3 wales. I show a great deal of enthusiasm and energy to keep the dolphins excited and interested, because I love my job and the animals I work with.
• I work on behaviors that have already been thought to the dolphins or train a new behavior.
• Each day brings something new to my schedules and I am always open to it.

You may want to check his website out, go to:
Milad’s Website

What do you think of his website?

GB,
John

Hi all,

I just read this story about Risso Dolphins. A group of researchers have spotted a rare family group of Risso’s dolphins off Bardsey Island at the tip of the Lleyn peninsula in the UK.

To see this article, go to:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/north_west/6065910.stm 

Does anyone out there know any interesting information or websites about the Risso Dolphins?

GB,
John

Hi All,

I received this  interesting email about a man’s escape from Cuba and how dolphins aided in his travels. Here is his email:

Hi All,

Even the BBC has reported about Winter. Here are pictures they posted about her.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_6030000/newsid_6033400/6033427.stm

The photographs are very clear and good. You really get to see the damage of her tail. Also, here is reprint of a post we recieved from a volunteer from CMA, Clearwater Marine Aquarium. I thought you might like seeing it.

I too have been volunteering at CMA for almost 2 years now and know Kamella. Hi how have you been?! Anyways, I did a shift with Winter a day after she came in and her tail had already started to fall off. There was no blood flow what so ever to her entire tail upon arrival and within a few days it fell off on its own. There was no surgery to remove it, just had to cut one tendon after making sure that there was, in fact, no feeling left in it.

Her first few weeks were touch and go. Volunteers and staff, and I had to spend 24/7 in the rehab pool with her keeping her afloat. She quickly regained spunk and began consistantly bottle feeding. She is now eating 9 lbs. of food a day, whereas her poolmate Panama is eating 17 lbs, and weighs in at about 110-115 lbs. Panama is almost 450 for size comparison purposes.

She has a very effective, yet highly modified, swimming technique and is very playful. She is incredibly smart and is picking up on training quickly. She has four to five training sessions daily and is already trained in many husbandry behaviors, the most important behaviors trained.
I hope that this answers some more questions that all of you guys in cyberspace have. If not, fell free to inquire more.

By the way, the pictures you have of Panama, Nicholas, Winter, and my favorite Indy…even Madam and Val (the green sea turtles) are amazing. I don’t even have pictures that good of them. Haha

Thanks for the great post, and I am going out of town for 4 days and won’t be able to update any post until I get back. Have a great week.
GB,
John

Hi All,

I just received this email about a career with dolphins.

My name is Maria Olah, I am a medical doctor from Hungary.  I am writing to you because I am interested in a career working with dolphins. Ever since childhood I have been fascinated with dolphins.  And, not along in Malta, I had the opportunity to swim with dolphins for the first time. The experience was magical and instantly I realized this is something I would love to do to all the time.  Then, upon my return to Hungary, I came across the story about a Hungarian family who took their mentally retarded son to Florida so he could swim with the dolphins there as a therapeutic attempt. The results were significant, his coordination and movements improved, as did his communication abilities. 

The confluence of these events has roused me to seek out a future career in which I could work in a similar environment. Although I have read a great deal about dolphins, I would like to work with them and study them up close, and see how they interact with people with various ailments. I believe my medical and scientific background is a good foundation for such work. Moreover, I really enjoy helping people of need and, as I said, I am crazy about dolphins, as well as I am an adept swimmer, certified diver and love the water. 

Therefore, I feel I am superbly suited for a job of this nature. If you have anything available along these lines or would like to begin, please consider me.

I enclosed my resume with the hope that you will contact me, as I am very excited about discussing any possibilities of being part of this type of program.

Sincerely,

Hi there,

After hearing all the negative reports about China and its environmental concerns, it is nice to read a story like this. This story is about a bottlenose dolphin that was stranded along the coast of south China and has been doing well following two weeks of treatment. The dolphin is expected to return to the sea in about a month after it fully recovers, experts said on Wednesday.

To read more, go to:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-10/04/content_5169081.htm

Do you think this is a good PR piece from China or do you think the Chinese have a concern for the welfare of marine animals and other sea life?
GB,
John  

Hi Gang,

I have had some inquiries where to make a donation for Winter’s new tail. On the CMA website there is a donation page, http://www.cma-donate.theideastore.us/give_to_help.php

If you do not know about Winter, go to:
http://www.cmaquarium.org/Winter%20-%20baby%20bottlenose%20dolphin.htm
and read her story there and look at the amazing pictures of her.

Is there anyone out there that can think of a good fundraiser for Winter?
GB,
John