Tails of a Dolphin Rescue, Part Three

“Net out!” was the call over the radio to a group of rescue boats in Johnson Bay, near Marco Island, at 12:32 pm on April 25th. The awaiting fleet was anxious for the next order, and within seconds of the net being placed, it came. “Move in” was the directive and the boats slowly closed their arc. One by one, individual vessels were given instructions until swimmers were in the shallow water, the net was raised, and a rescue began on a 19-month-old dolphin calf named Fergie.

Flashback to April 7th, and this is the story of how a dolphin’s life was saved. First and foremost, the 10,000 Island Dolphin Study program on board the Dolphin Explorer has gathered information about the local bottlenose dolphin population since 2006. The team monitors the distribution, travel range, abundance, social behavior, feeding habits, genealogy, health and overall well-being of over 120 resident dolphins. 

In addition to their own research, the team has always opened its doors to inquiries, photos and videos provided by the public. This is how this story came to be. A resident of neighboring Isles of Capri, Holly Romer, sent us a video. Living several stories above the water and overlooking a seawall popular for dolphin sightings, Mrs. Romer noticed something dragging behind one of our young dolphins, and she promptly forwarded the video to us. The team realized that there was an entanglement around the calf’s tail fin, also known as a fluke.

As team leader, I alerted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the local police department and several other individuals and agencies about the matter. FWC responded quickly and asked us to take photos, monitor the movement of Fergie and his mom Skipper, and record the GPS coordinates and water depth in their locations. The team did so and maintained a constant line of communication with FWC.

Over the next week, we were able to obtain some excellent photos of the entanglement, and with the help of zoom capabilities on our camera, we could see that the line was cutting into the calf’s skin. The line was beginning to tighten! These photos were forwarded, as well as the other information noted above. 

Some members of our team were present in 2012 and 2014 for two dolphin rescues that involved the same type of entanglement. Our Marine Biologist, James Livaccari, and I understood the growing severity of the situation and the danger that the tail could be permanently damaged, even severed from the body. A “time is of the essence” note was now included with our photos. In our opinion, this was now becoming a life-or-death situation.

FWC was now in touch with us on a regular basis. Our team was sending the sighting information and photos once or twice a day, as well as photos. Mom and calf were now limiting their travel range, most likely due to the pain suffered by Fergie. We would see the pair consistently from the Collier Creek area to Johnson Bay. Nearly all of our sightings noted mom Skipper feeding, and here is the most likely reason why.

Calves will nurse from mother’s milk from birth to about 18 to 24 months old. The calf, once the teeth begin to come through the jaw (just like a human baby), will begin fishing. We noticed about a month prior to the rescue that Fergie approached Skipper to nurse and mom was evading the youngster, an indication that she didn’t want it feeding from her anymore. Mom has to increase her food intake when nursing. In addition to feeding herself, extra fish must be caught to make milk for the calf.

Noting Fergie’s inability to catch fish due to its injury, mom was now producing milk again to keep him healthy. A mother will not share fish with a calf, but she will provide milk. Skipper was constantly feeding at every documented sighting.

On April 17th, I received an email from FWC stating that the photos were forwarded to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association) to evaluate a plan of action. Soon after, it was determined that a rescue attempt would be made, and the entanglement was noted as “life-threatening.” Preparations for a rescue were taking shape. We continued to forward photos, GPS locations, travel range and water depth.

On April 18th, a team from FWC came to assess the area and obtain photos. My wife, Cathy, and I were on the water at 7:45 AM to locate mom and calf for the FWC crew. Skipper and Fergie were in our sights within 20 minutes. We called FWC and directed them to our location. Dolphins can sometimes just slip away and, with one breath, mom and calf were gone. We searched for them for about 45 minutes and Cathy and I noticed them near Collier Creek. FWC joined us in a cove just east of the creek and snapped their own photos.

Our team continued to gather data and then the call we were waiting for came to us. A rescue was scheduled for April 25th. Our third opportunity to save a dolphin’s life was planned!

THE RESCUE

On the morning of April 25th, it rained. Thoughts were dashing through our team’s minds that the attempt might be canceled. Then, the clouds parted, and the winds calmed as if a divine intervention was in play to help save our dolphin calf.

Cathy and I were on the water at 7:45 AM as scouts to find Skip and Fergie for the rescue team. Today, they were a bit more difficult to locate. We checked all of the normal locations they frequent but no luck. There was no giving up, and we searched the same areas until we were successful. Just after 9:30 AM we found them! A call was made to our FWC contacts. Once they arrived and verified that the dolphins were, indeed, Skipper and Fergie, the awaiting cavalry was called to our location. It took just a short while, but a fleet of boats came hustling to the area. 

One boat approached the dolphins while the others formed an arc around the perimeter. The lead vessel, commanded by NOAA, was not just assessing the dolphins but looking at the area for the best place to ensure a rescue. Past rescues have taken place in shallow waters. This allows the rescue team footage to hold a net in place, for others to control the net surrounding the dolphins, for others to safely hold the mom and calf, and also for the veterinarian to do her work.

As dolphins do, they became a bit agitated and moved away from the area. However, the perimeter boats prevented them from going too far, and they eventually came back towards NOAA’s boat. The rescue leader was on the radio to the other vessels asking for water depths.

Eventually, a sight was chosen, and the rescue team was ready to act!

There is a small cove just 50 yards west of the Capri Fish House and the water along the mangroves there is only about three feet deep. Skipper and Fergie entered that area and NOAA’s vessel, with a net on board, was waiting.

At 12:32 PM a call came over the radio, “Net Out.” The lead boat quickly circled the two dolphins, and within seconds, a net was in the water. The command for the rest of the fleet to move in was announced, and instructions were given to each vessel on how to proceed. Within minutes the team was in the water with the net raised to prevent Skipper and Fergie from escaping. Members inside the net worked to control both mom and calf, with four to five people handling each dolphin.

It's important to capture them both. If a calf is captured and mom is outside of the net, there is a potential that she could cause serious physical damage to the workers. Having mom inside the net is a must. 

With the dolphins now under control, and mom and calf facing each other to maintain their eye contact, the work began. The veterinarian snipped the line from Fergie’s tail, and it was assessed that the damage was not severe enough to remove the youngster from its environment. A dose of antibiotics was given to the calf as well. Measurements were taken of Fergie’s length and girth to determine how big this 19-month-old actually was. 

With every phase of the rescue successfully maneuvered it was time to safely release Skipper and Fergie back into the wild. The net was lowered, and Fergie took off like a bullet. Mom Skipper followed quickly behind to stay with her now untangled calf. The time of day was 12:49 PM. The entire operation from “net out” to release was 17 minutes.

As a quick follow-up, the Dolphin Explorer team was on the water Wednesday, April 26th, gathering data as usual. The team is very excited to report that Skipper and Fergie were seen that morning and again mid-afternoon. Skipper was catching some well-deserved rest while Fergie was close by, playing with Skipper’s younger brother Cubbie. Fergie showed every sign that life would be normal again! We will continue to maintain a close watch on the rescue's behavior and will continue to report all of our sighting information to FWC’s amazing staff of biologists.

Earlier, it was mentioned that there were two other rescues, one in 2012 and the other in 2014. Both involved life-threatening entanglements around the tail fin. The 2012 event was for a dolphin named Seymour, who just happens to be Skipper’s older brother. He, too, was saved and released to his local habitat. The 2014 rescue for a young female, one-year-old at that time.

That calf’s name is none other than Skipper, Fergie’s mom! That’s correct…all three dolphins with life-threatening entanglements belong to the same family!

Many thanks to our local human population who bring to our attention these issues. In this case thanks to Holly Romer for sending us her video. It allowed us to contact personnel who can help expedite a rescue or other necessary procedures. Thanks to all the other locals and visitors who submit information to us. Our team will always do its best to help in any manner.

In this matter, what a fantastic job FWC did instructing our team to present information that would lead to a life-saving event. FWC forwarded the data to NOAA and their determination of the injury resulted in quick action to help our calf.

The heroes of the hour who actually went into the water to help Fergie were NOAA, Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, SeaWorld Rescue division, Rookery Bay, Marine Mammal Rescue / Harbor Branch, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, FWC and many others behind the scenes that made this a success!

The Dolphin Explorer team that kept a diligent watch to ensure that Fergie was continually monitored until the rescue was amazing as well. Congratulations to our entire team of Captain Eddie Farr, Marine Biologist James Livaccari, Master Naturalist Cathy Price, Dolphin Researcher Ali Graham and, yours truly, Master Naturalist Bob McConville.

As one spectator mentioned appropriately, “It takes a village…”

We will continue to monitor our local dolphin population and maintain reports to agencies around the world, both teaching and learning about our amazing cetaceans. The work continues…