TORONTO – A badly injured dolphin is drawing sympathy and concern after it was sighted and photographed multiple times in recent weeks of the coast of Pinellas County, Florida.
Photographs show the bottlenose dolphin with several gruesome cuts along its body, leading observers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to suspect it may have been struck by a boat propeller.
“This is a really serious injury for this dolphin, and frankly we are surprised that we are seeing some level of improvement,” NOAA biologist Laura Engleby said told News Channel 8 in Tampa, Florida.
The dolphin, which has been called “Babyface” by local residents, has captured the hearts of local residents.
“We see the dolphin all the time,” Jack Steeves told the NBC-affiliate. Steeves runs a dolphin sightseeing tour in John’s Pass where the injured mammal has been known to frequent.
“He seems to be doing okay. The first time that any of our crew saw it would have been two weeks ago this past Sunday, and he seems to be getting along just fine.”
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Many are concerned for the dolphin’s safety, owing to the apparently-severe nature of his injuries.
Now the question becomes what to do with the injured animal. According to Engleby, attempting to capture the animal to treat it could lead to further injury.
“The best thing that they can do is to give this dolphin space. This dolphin is under a lot of stress and it needs every ounce of energy to recover and so the best thing people can do is to keep a distance and not disturb it,” she said.
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The NOAA is monitoring the progress of “Babyface” and says the dolphin seems to be making a gradual improvement.
Until then, all boaters are urged to keep their distance.
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