Rosie The Rough-Toothed Dolphin Moved To Home At Clearwater Aquarium

CLEARWATER, FL — While a baby dolphin is being evaluated at SeaWorld’s critical care center for rehabilitation in Orlando after being discovered by an off-duty Pasco County sheriff's deputy swimming alone near Anclote Key, a stranded rough-toothed dolphin is adjusting to her new home at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

After receiving a call from the off-duty deputy last week, staff and volunteers with the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and representatives of the Marine Mammal Protection staff met up with the deputy and evaluated the abandoned dolphin calf.

Since the rough-toothed dolphin rescued in February was still being evaluated in the medical pool at the nearby Clearwater Marine Aquarium Fred Howard Park facility in Tarpon Springs, the Southeast Stranding Network of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration opted to have the dolphin calf transported to SeaWorld where the little dolphin is doing well, according to critical care staff.

Since then, the rescued rough-toothed dolphin, estimated to be about 2 years old, that was at the Fred Howard Park Marine Mammal Stranding Station when the dolphin calf was discovered in Anclote Key has been transferred to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

She was rescued around Valentine’s Day from Longboat Key, and has befittingly been named Rosie.

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium received a report and responded to the young, female rough-toothed dolphin stranded off Longboat Key near Sarasota. MOTE Marine Laboratory & Aquarium assessed the animal’s health and transported the dolphin to CMA’s Fred Howard Park Marine Mammal Stranding Station for rehabilitation.

Related:

• Rough-Toothed Dolphin Rex Dies Unexpectedly At Clearwater Aquarium
• Baby Dolphin Rescued By Lifeguards Off Clearwater Beach Now Has A Name
• Video Shows Baby Dolphin Now Swimming After Clearwater Beach Rescue
• Dolphin Calf Rescued From Crab Trap By Clearwater Beach Lifeguards
• Pasco Deputies Aid Struggling Newborn Dolphin: Watch

There were reports of beach goers attempting to push the dolphin back to the water before trained professionals arrived on the scene. When the dolphin arrived at Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Fred Howard Park Marine Mammal Stranding Station, she had a mild infection that was treated by aquarium veterinarians.

Stranding on a beach may cause mild stress to internal organs due to the weight of the animal out of water.

Stranding responses are conducted under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act Section 112c Stranding Agreement between Clearwater Marine Aquarium and the NMFS Southeast Region.