Posted on 09/19/2005 2:14:37 PM PDT by WestTexasWend
GULFPORT, Miss. (NNS) -- Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport opened its doors Sept. 17 to Kelly, Toni, Jackie and Noah, four of eight Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins displaced when a reported 40-foot storm surge caused by Hurricane Katrina destroyed their home at Marine Life Oceanarium Aug. 29.
The dolphins' temporary home includes three portable saltwater above-ground pools, filters, pumps and monitoring equipment set up by U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program personnel from San Diego at an NCBC facility. One 22,000-gallon pool and two 10,000-gallon pools will be used to provide a temporary home for eight dolphins while they recover from injuries sustained during the hurricane and until a new home is decided upon.
"Our role is to provide and maintain a place for these animals to live comfortably," said Bob Olds, project manager with the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program. "We were chosen for this task because we have all the experience, equipment and resources necessary for quickly setting up and maintaining a comfortable home for these dolphins; the marine mammal community knows this is exactly what we do."
Olds and other personnel with the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program will continuously monitor and maintain all of the filtration and temperature control equipment needed to maintain a home for the dolphins until they're ready to be moved. NCBC personnel will be providing 24-hour security for the facility where the dolphins are staying.
"This facility is outstanding," Tash Solangi, public relations representative for Marine Life Oceanarium said. "The Navy has given us everything we could ever need in order to keep our dolphins safe and keep them on a fast track to recovery."
The dolphins were found in Gulfport harbor Sept. 10 by Institute for Marine Mammal Studies (IMMS) personnel in a Harrison County Sheriff's Department helicopter, and trainers and veterinarians with IMMS have been monitoring and caring for the dolphins ever since. The trainers and veterinarians have been providing the dolphins with food, antibiotics and vitamins with the help of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) boats used to get to the dolphins in the harbor.
"We'll be housing the dolphins for at least a week, and we're willing to keep them for however long it takes them to recover," said Ensign Michael Dobling, public works operations officer at NCBC. "We couldn't be more proud we were asked to provide a shelter for these dolphins."
Dobling received a phone call from U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program personnel, asking if NCBC would be a suitable place to keep the dolphins. Dobling said he started making the arrangements immediately after the call.
"Our Seabees have been out in town since the day after the hurricane, helping local residents recover," explained Dobling. "This is just another prime example of the willingness and capabilities our base can and will provide."
Shelly, Jill, Eli and Tamara, the four Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins still in Gulfport harbor, are scheduled to join their four shipmates at NCBC over the next week.
Several pics at the link.
Great story! Thanks.
I've never figured out what Rating/NEC is involved in this program. Pretty cool, be a dolphin handler for the Navy.
Navy Engineer (Seabee) bump
Yea for our Military!
Best in the world!!! Man, that makes my day!
It's a good thing money grows on trees, otherwise it would be an outrageously irresponsible waste for the government to be spending on this.
This animal lover thanks you for posting this, it's great news!
I'm an instant diabetic after reading this.
Hey Buddy,......Could you pass me the insulin please?
"It's a good thing money grows on trees, otherwise it would be an outrageously irresponsible waste for the government to be spending on this."
I would happily designate my own errr "money tree" aka (tax dollars) to be spent on saving the Dolphins and guess what, I consider myself to be a republican.
Did you find out if they got the remaining 4 Dolphins?
I can't find any updates on this.
None that I can find today...I'll ping you when I find out anything more.
Thanks, I'd appreciate that.
There's a VOA package on the rescue of the first two at >>>
http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-09-19-voa27.cfm
Would you just as happily have all your fellow taxpayers be unwillingly coerced by force into paying for it?
"Would you just as happily have all your fellow taxpayers be unwillingly coerced by force into paying for it?"
I don't have much say in the matter but saving Dolphins and putting an Aquarium back into business in Miss. seems a whole lot better than spending thousands of tax payer dollars for building a bridge in Alaska that goes NO WHERE, wouldn't you agree?
Local TV news here is reporting the other four were found today and taken into "custody."
No, I don't agree. I think both are equally wrong actions by the government. Just because it's nice to help dolphins doesn't mean it's correct for a government to be taking its citizens' money for that porpoise.
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