Six days ago, a dolphin pod of four believed to be two adult females, one juvenile and a calf, about six to eight-months old traveled into the Mallini Bayou in Pass Christian, MS. After entering the convoluted channels of the bayou, most likely in search of fish, the dolphins apparently became trapped. Though there are two possible exits from the bayou, scientists believe that something may be obstructing the route or otherwise discouraging the dolphins from leaving. Local bayou residents report that this is the first time dolphins have been sighted consistently in the past thirty years. Daily monitoring of the bayou's salinity and temperature has shown levels that are borderline low for a dolphin, which can lead to skin lesions and infections over time.



Although the dolphins are still active and apparently feeding, concern for their health and potential availability of food supply has led researchers to search for exit routes the dolphins can use to navigate out of the bayou. Since dolphins are social animals, the concern is that as too much time goes by, the pod will lose contact with their herd, which could further complicate the integration of these four dolphins with their group.





Yesterday, an exit to the south was explored by Institute of Marine Mammal Research scientists, but measurements showed a water depth that may be too shallow. Combined with the noisy travel of cars crossing an overhead bridge, the shallowness of the water makes the southern exit unlikely without assistance. Today, researchers will explore the northern exit into Bay St. Louis and check for any obstructions that may prevent the dolphins from escaping using that route.







If the dolphins have not been able to leave the bayou by Monday, the Institute for Marine Mammal Study, along with the National Marine Fisheries Service, will begin formulating a plan to safely return the dolphins into Bay St. Louis.