A young bottlenose dolphin rejoined his friends today during a dramatic release following two months of rehabilitation after the dolphin was rescued at a San Francisco beach.
Workers at the Marine Mammal Center and the Santa Cruz-based Long Marine Lab bid farewell to the dolphin, nicknamed "Baker D.,'' as he joined a pod of dolphins in the Monterey Bay.
Center spokesman Jim Oswald said the 10:30 a.m. release was extremely successful and nearly didn't happen, as researchers had to locate a dolphin pod before the release could proceed.
Less than 10 percent of rescued cetaceans actually survive rehabilitation, a statistic that had concerned marine biologists enough to place a satellite monitor on Baker's dorsal fin to alert researchers should he become stranded.
"This is really a great story because such a small number of cetaceans can make it after rescue,'' Oswald said. "He's one of the survival stories.''
The dolphin was discovered Sept. 15 at Baker Beach by lifeguards who happened upon the beached mammal.
Baker was malnourished, underweight, and suffering from a puncture wound to his rostrum, a dolphin's beak, Oswald said.
While being transported to a rehabilitation pool, Baker was so weak that he could not swim on his own and required the use of a support sling to prevent him from drowning.
Oswald said Baker was finally able to swim on his own after antibiotics helped stabilize his heart and weeks of round-the-clock care.
The center, which is based in Sausalito, will celebrate its 30th anniversary in January 2005.
Since 1975, the center has treated over 10,000 sea lions, dolphins and other marine mammals, said Oswald.
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