By Erin McKinney
SeaWorld San Diego has saved yet another marine mammal, in an amazing story of rescue and release.
A common dolphin was spotted by the public in an estuary in the San Diego Bay on Thursday, December 10th. The public called the SeaWorld rescue team, who helped guide the dolphin back into deeper water, and began monitoring him to ensure his successful return to sea.
But his troubles were far from over. By Saturday, December 12th, the dolphin had become so entrenched in the mud that his life was in danger. The SeaWorld San Diego rescue team pulled this dolphin from the mud and brought him back to the Oiled Wildlife Facility at the park on Mission Bay.
While there, the dolphin received round-the-clock care from veterinarians and rescue staff. Although weak when he first arrived, the rescue team determined that the dolphin was healthy enough to go back into the ocean on Sunday, the day after he first became stuck in the mud.
On December 13th, 2015, the common dolphin made a return to the sea and gained a second chance at life, all thanks to the hard work and dedication of SeaWorld San Diego’s rescue and rehabilitation team. The rescue team has aided over 1,300 animals in 2015 alone. SeaWorld San Diego is the center of marine mammal conservation and efforts like this demonstrate the park’s true commitment to the preservation of the ocean around us for the next generation.