—  Gulf World Marine Institute (GWMI) is proud to be part of the Southeast Marine Mammal Stranding Network and the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network. We are permitted or work under a permit from National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission. Within these stranding networks, Gulf World plays an important role in rescuing and rehabilitating injured marine mammals and sea turtles throughout the Florida Panhandle.

Gulf World Marine Institute serves as the only long-term marine mammal  rehabilitation facility in Northern Florida. Over the years, our stranding team has come to the aid of hundreds of sick or debilitated stranded marine animals. 

GWMI  would like to share some profiles of the animals  that were rescued and survived the transport to our Stranding Care Center for rehabilitation.  Others did not survive rehabilitation, while some were rehabilitated and either released back into their natural habitat, or were deemed non-releasable by NMFS, and  placed with an  Alliance Accredited Marine Facilities that best suits the animals social standing.

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—KITANA (GW2009006-A) – a juvenile female rough-toothed dolphin stranded on August 19, 2009 at Cape San Blas, Florida (2hrs east of GWMP).   She was brought to GWMP Stranding Care Center and was treated for pneumonia, parasites, and severe gastric ulcers.  Based on behavioral observation, Kitana was suspected to have some type of hearing impairment.  Due to her estimated age and the lack of knowledge of releasing a single animal of this species, National Marine Fisheries Services deemed her non-releasable.  After several months in quarantine, she was then socialized with the rest of the steno population at GWMP. Hearing tests later revealed that she had significant hearing loss.

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DID SOMEONE SAY TURTLES….1801 RESCUED   1268 RELEASED!!!!   In the past two winters alone we have responded to cold stunned turtles from St. Joe Bay. In January 2010 the entire state of Florida experienced extremely cold temperatures which caused the largest cold stun sea turtle event ever recorded.  GWMP received 1801 sea turtles from St Joe Bay and Tyndall Air Force Base for rehabilitation.  Upon intake turtles were triaged, processed with the proper paperwork, genetic samples collected, and flipper tagged.  GWMP successfully released 1268 sea turtles back to the Gulf of Mexico.   May 2010 GWMP was designated a primary intake facility for oiled sea turtles and marine mammals in response to the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (MC252), 149 turtles were brought from Orange Beach, Alabama and Destin, Florida for triage at GWMP before transferring to a secondary facility. In December 2010 and record low temperatures for the second time that year GWMP rescued and released 80 cold stun turtles. January of 2011 we responded to another cold stun event which involved 300 more sea turtles.    A SPECIAL THANKS TO…. FWC, NOAA, NMFS, US FISH AND WILDLIFE, US COAST GUARD, ST ANDREWS TURTLE WATCH, SOUTH WALTON COUNTY TURTLE WATCH, LAKESIDE COIN LAUNDRY

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GW2009005A –alive  sub-adult spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis)stranded on July 27,2009 on Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.  GWMI stranding team arrived on scene minutes after the animal passed away.  Upon initial exam the animal was extremely emaciated with several abrasions on body including minor shark bites.  Sharks are predators and only prey weak or ill dolphins.

Thank you to everyone that help secure this animal until GWMIstranding team arrived.

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DUNHAM – a male sub adult Trusiops truncatus was rescued an triaged on December 14, 2008 at CMA before being transferred to GWMI, Stranding Care Center.  After 8months of rehabilitation, Dunham was deemed conditional releasable by NMFS.  On July 27, 2009 in collaboration with CMA, HBOI, GWMI, and NMFS, Dunham was successful transported to South Florida and released.  After several hours of tracking the animal he was tragically attacked by sharks and humanly euthanized on site.

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COMET  - a male Bottlenose dolphin calf (Tursiops truncatus) stranded on December 20, 2005. Found by Florida Fish and Wildlife commission, beached alone on a sand bar at Deer Point Dam.  Comet required round the clock care with feeds every 2 hours.  Comet wasdeemed non-releasable due to his age and lack of survival skills.

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