Help Find A Dolphin Swimming With A Rope Entanglement

Categories: NOAA

Help Find A Dolphin Swimming With A Rope Entanglement

COCOA BEACH, Florida – A dolphin entangled in rope was spotted by Wildside Tours swimming in the Banana River on Tuesday off of Cocoa Beach, Florida.

The dolphin was first seen swimming with a larger dolphin near Cocoa Beach High School. Another sighting of the dolphin pair was made later on Tuesday afternoon near some waterfront condominiums just north of the lagoon-end of Minuteman Causeway.

According to NOAA, entanglement can cause decreased swimming ability, disruption in feeding, life-threatening injuries, and death. Approximately 11% of wild dolphins captured for study bear indications of prior entanglement. Researchers consider the Indian River Lagoon as one of the “hot spots” in Florida for bottlenose dolphin entanglements.

If you spot this entangled dolphin, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922) or the National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Region Stranding Network 24-hour hotline at 1-877-WHALE HELP (1-877-942-5343).

Photo credit: Wildside Tours
Video credit: FOX 35