AangelStarr 
ezOP
Posts: 1112
(11/12/06 2:44 am)
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Dolphin rescue
Dolphin rescue
Two of our wonderful staff members Briano and Kate had the day off and were going for their morning coffee, when they received a phone call from a Caloundra lifeguard to say there was a dolphin tangled in the shark nets down at Dicky Beach. Briano and Kate got there as quickly as they could. Briano jumped on the jet ski at Kings Beach with Troy, one of the lifeguards. When they got to the net they found that it was wrapped around both of the dolphin’s pectoral fins, the top jaw and through the mouth. The dolphin was exhausted and had little strength left. The right pectoral fin had a large slice where the net had cut into it and bones were exposed. The first thing they did was cut the net away from the fin, and then they removed the net from the dolphin’s mouth and freed up the other pectoral fin. Once they had completely removed the dolphin from the net, Briano swam to the surface, carefully guiding the dolphin as he went. The dolphin was then maneuvered to the shore where other rescuers were waiting.
Once notified of the dolphin, Kate called us here at the Australian Wildlife Hospital. Dr Che Phillips along with Wendy Agnew (University of Queensland fifth-year vet student) left the hospital to help out and to provide veterinary support to the injured dolphin. Sea World on the Gold Coast was also contacted. Luckily, Sea World veterinarian Dr David Blyde was in the area, so he was able to come and help out with the dolphin as well. The dolphin was placed in the shade and kept cool with sea water. Blood samples were collected and x-rays taken of his injured flipper. The dolphin was given pain relief in the form of injectable antibiotics and oral antibiotics and fluids. The Sea World van then arrived and the dolphin was placed in the vehicle and transported carefully back down to Sea World for further veterinary attention.
The face of nature reflects all of life's ups and downs. |
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