Sea mammal found stranded
Saturday January 9, 1998
An excerpt from the The Mobile Register

Orange Beach--Rescuers were continuing an around-the-clock vigil Thursday night over a charcoal gray dolphin found beached after Wednesday's storm.

Experts said they were unsure if the normally deep-water dolphin was ill of just dazed by the bad weather.
If she survives through the night, the 180-pound, 6-foot long dolphin may be moved to Marine Life Oceanarium in Gulfport, Miss.

All day Thursday, members of the Orange Beach fire and rescue squad and volunteers with the Marine mammal Stranding Network took turn holding the dolphin in 50-degree water. They covered her with a wet beach towel and poured water over her nonstop in hopes of keeping her alive until help arrived.

The volunteers' actions were intended to prevent the animal from struggling and exerting her waning energy. The human contact also was aimed at holding the dolphin at the proper water level - keeping the blow hole atop her head above the surface.

The dolphin showed no signs of injury. She appeared calm but routinely twisted from side to side and could be heard exhaling. The animal occasionally raised her head and tail out of the water, as a growing crowd of onlookers at the water's edge took in the sight.

Relocated by truck to protected waters in Orange Beach after her discovery Wednesday night, the female dolphin is now temporarily at home in Jubilee Point, a tributary off Cotton Bayou. The spotted Atlantic dolphin was dubbed "Jubilee" by her rescuers, in reference to her temporary waters.

Around 4 p.m. Thursday, officials with the oceanarium in Gulfport, Miss., came to the rescue. They moved the dolphin to a bed of nets to begin 10 minutes of medical tests before returning her to a 3-foot-deep, cordoned-off area in the saltwater tributary.

"We will take the blood work to the hospital and should get the results in 10 to 12 hours," said Jeff Siegel, who is the marine mammal trainer at the oceanarium.

Siegel said he should know by noon today if Jubilee has any contagious viruses that would prohibit the facility from taking her for rehabilitation.

On Thursday, Siegel gave the dolphin an injection of B-12 and a solution containing electrolytes to aid her chances of survival.