ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) – A group of dolphins was rescued from a canal in St. Petersburg Tuesday morning.
Fish and Wildlife officials launched canoes and kayaks around 9 a.m. to help the four adult dolphins and one calf. The group of dolphins made it back out into open water just before 10:45 a.m.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Officers first got a call the dolphins were spotted in a canal between 77th and 78th Avenue near 4th Street North. An officer at the scene Monday night told 8 On Your Side it’s common to see manatees in those canals but very unusual to see dolphins.
Officers believe the dolphins may have lost their way and are trying to get back to the bay, but are perhaps confused by the noise or can’t figure out how to get back out.
Taliena Adams and her son first noticed the group of dolphins on Sunday.
“He actually called the animal people to try and get them out of here, so we’ve been paying attention to them,” said Adams. “I had to go to Walgreens and decided to come back and saw everybody and I was like, oh my God!”
Luis Velez is used to seeing all sorts of wildlife in those canals, but has never seen dolphins this far inland.
“When you come out here and saw them. I saw that the mother was playing with the baby. Because there’s a little baby one in there.” said Velez. “And she was like pushing him up and down and up and I was like, oh hell, wait a minute. I’m going to take a picture of this. So I started taking pictures.”
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