Two dolphins were rescued lee county florida, on Wednesday after being stranded in the shallow waters of the lake for more than a month.
Witnesses reported seeing the couple stranded deep in the mangroves near Matlacha late Monday night, prompting a rescue response Tuesday morning, the county sheriff's office said.
LCSO Marine Unit biologists and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) used shallow water boats to locate the dolphins, through mangrove channels and mudflats.
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Two dolphins stranded in the shallow waters of a Florida lake have been rescued after multiple agencies in Lee County teamed up to pull the mammals to safety. (Lee County Sheriff's Office)
The lake was only about two or three feet deep at high tide, and the passages leading to open water were only about two feet deep, preventing the dolphins from escaping, the sheriff's office said.
“Biologists believe the dolphins may have been stranded since — at least — very high tides in mid-November, or even when water levels rose during Hurricane Milton in October,” the sheriff's office said.
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The dolphins were rescued after being placed on a floating mat and pulled out of the heavy mud in the lake. (Lee County Sheriff's Office)
the Two agencies They were unable to rescue the dolphins on Tuesday due to the “technical and environmental challenges of trapping, lifting and transporting adult dolphins through” the heavy mud, so more groups joined the effort on Wednesday.
The FWC, LCSO, Dolphin Research Program, Brookfield Zoo in Chicago-Sarasota, Clearwater Aquarium and Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium gathered at the lagoon with more equipment to rescue the dolphins.
after Dolphin mode On floating mats, they were dragged through more than 300 yards of mud and mud, pulled into deeper water, and were rescued.
The dolphins were pulled to safety and released into deeper waters after being evaluated by FWC biologists. (Lee County Sheriff's Office)
FWC biologists evaluated it, placed satellite tags and released it safely into deep water in Matlacha Pass.
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“The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is always ready to help our wonderful residents…on land and at sea,” the agency wrote on Facebook.
