Gulf World Welcomes Rescued Rough-Toothed Dolphin

Stan, Gulf World's newest rough-toothed dolphin resident, is acclimating well to his new environment and companions. He's now living with five other rough-toothed dolphins, all rescues that were deemed non-releasable by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Stan, a 225 pound, 7 ft 1 in long rough-toothed dolphin, was originally rescued by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and transported to SeaWorld Orlando for rehabilitative care after he was found stranded this past June.

Upon arrival at SeaWorld, Stan was extremely weak. He was placed in a quarantine pool where veterinarians treated him with fluids, nutrition and antibiotics while animal care experts monitored his every breath and physical activity. Since he was too weak to swim on his own, SeaWorld’s experts walked alongside him in the water 24 hours a day until he gained enough strength to swim.

Veterinarians discovered that Stan had ingested marine sponge which in turn caused digestive tract blockages that potentially contributed to his weakened state. After a routine hearing test, experts at SeaWorld and the National Marine Mammal Foundation discovered that Stan had a significant degree of hearing loss, which was likely the root cause for his stranding on Clearwater Beach.

Due to Stan's significant hearing disability, it was ultimately deemed by NOAA that the rescued rough-toothed dolphin would need long-term care at Gulf World by Dolphin Discovery in Panama City Beach. Gulf World is the only facility in North America that houses rough-toothed dolphins for long term human care. It's truly magical to see what they can do when given a second chance at life.

Gulf World Marine Institute operates under the umbrella of Gulf World by Dolphin Discovery as a 501c3 nonprofit and has served as the only long-term marine mammal rehabilitation facility in Northern Florida. The Institute responds to sick, injured or stranded animals, rehabilitates and releases them into the wild and serves as an educational resource to schools throughout our area. The Institute has rescued thousands of sick and debilitated marine animals since 1970. 

Learn more about Gulf World Marine Institute and their important work at www.gulfworldmarineinstitute.org. Follow Gulf World Marine Institute on Facebook for updates and news. If you see an injured marine animal, you can help by calling the Florida Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline at 1-888-404-3922.

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