Dolphin unable to survive in wild gets ‘second chance at life’ in Florida. Meet Wren
A dolphin unable to survive in the wild has a “second chance at life” in Florida, an aquarium said.
Wren the rescued dolphin is now adjusting to her new home at Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach.
“She has been socially integrated with our 3 other female rough toothed dolphins and has been seen interacting with the others already,” the aquarium wrote Dec. 12 on Facebook.
Wren’s journey to the aquarium started when she was stranded in July off nearby St. Vincent Island.
Though the aquarium didn’t share additional details about Wren’s situation, stranding often means a marine animal is on a beach and can’t make it back to water. Animals sometimes strand themselves due to “disease, harmful algal blooms, vessel strikes, fishing gear entanglements, pollution exposure, and underwater noise,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Wren was rehabilitated but was found to have “extensive hearing loss,” making it impossible for her to go back to the wild. Rough-toothed dolphins use echolocation, meaning sounds help them find objects under water.
“Without being able to hear and echolocate properly, Wren would not be able to hunt for food on her own and thus was deemed non releasable,” the marine park wrote.
Now, Wren is getting accustomed to being cared for at the aquarium. Visitors reportedly can identify her “by a white scar on the side of her face from before she stranded.”
Though Gulf World Marine Park didn’t immediately share additional details about Wren with McClatchy News, experts say rough-toothed dolphins can grow to be more than 8 feet and weigh 350 pounds.
Panama City Beach is in the Florida Panhandle, roughly 110 miles southwest of the state capital of Tallahassee.
This story was originally published December 12, 2023 at 3:21 PM with the headline "Dolphin unable to survive in wild gets ‘second chance at life’ in Florida. Meet Wren."
