PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – The Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rehabilitation Facility will begin treating dolphins needing life-saving care starting early this summer.
The aquarium made the announcement on Thursday.
The facility is located inside Fred Howard Park, on the coast of Tarpon Springs. The land was provided by Pinellas County and the city.
The facility houses a 75,000-gallon holding pool that spans 40 feet across. CMA’s rescue team can care for rescued marine animals at this offsite location without impacting resident animals at the aquarium.
“This secluded and private site inside the coastal park reduces the exposure to people and noise for these rescued animals before they are returned to the wild,” a press release said.
The location is intended for rehabilitation and short-term care of stranded marine animals, with a focus on small whales and dolphins initially.
CMA will also open three manatee rehabilitation pools in the next six to eight months at the facility.
CMA resident dolphin Hope was rehabilitated in the pool before it was moved to Fred Howard Park. During the 2019 stranding event of five pilot whales just south of the aquarium, several whales recovered in the pool before being released back into the wild.
Stranding and rescue response is conducted under a stranding agreement between NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service and CMA under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
