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Anne@MarineMammalConservancy.org

Cutter sent home!

Key West, FL – May 12, 2009 – This morning, in the 10 o’clock hour, excitement ran through a group of volunteers from the Marine Mammal Conservancy (MMC). They had set up a site in the Truman Annex where they had been keeping the Atlantic Spotted Dolphin, ‘’Cutter’’, since this past weekend. After days of waiting to release Cutter back to the wild, the moment had finally come that they had all been waiting anxiously for. A pod had been located!

After a flawless transfer from Key Largo to Key West on Saturday, May 9th, Cutter, who has been in the care of MMC since February 14th, was ready to be released back into the wild. As a result of his rehabilitation with MMC, he went from being severely physically compromised to being in tip top condition. Experts have said that Cutter is between the ages of one and five. It’s because of this, and the fact that he is by himself, that he must be released into a pod of dolphins of his own kind in order to give him the best chance of survival. Young dolphins need the help of their mothers and other older members of their pod to learn basic survival tactics and skills.

After hearing there was a pod of Atlantic Spotted Dolphins seen near Key West in the recent weeks, MMC headed down last weekend and sent out tracking boats and planes to try and locate a pod. Denise Herzing, an expert on this species of cetacean, headed up one of the tracking vessels along with her crew from the Wild Dolphin Project. A private boat and a few private planes have also gone out searching. Ever since tracking efforts began on Sunday, May 10th, no Atlantic Spotted Dolphin pods had been found until today.

After the call came in that a pod had been located, preparations started to be made by the trained volunteers and Cutter was soon on his way to be released. The moment everyone had been waiting for had finally arrived! Cutter was released this afternoon and he will be tracked for a number of days to ensure that he has been accepted into the pod.

We would like to thank the City of Key West, the United States Coast Guard, The Florida Keys, C and T Tours, the Conch Harbor Marina, Waste Management, Key West Chemical, Nearshore Electric, Rexel Consolidated, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for their continued assistance and support.

About the Marine Mammal Conservancy
The Marine Mammal Conservancy (MMC) is an Internal Revenue Service designated 501C(3) nonprofit all-volunteer organization. It is our mission at the Marine Mammal Conservancy to provide professional and effective response and care for stranded marine mammals. Through this effort, MMC adds to the overall understanding of marine mammals and our oceans on both the scientific and public fronts. Via data collection, during both necropsies and rehabilitation, and through public education, MMC helps ensure the success of an inspiring and threatened group of animals. Ever grateful to our volunteers, supporters, and the South Florida Community, they are the backbone of this organization and are what helps to keep the Marine Mammal Conservancy such a success. There is no government funding for this effort and we appreciate the support given by the public, foundations and corporations that help fund MMC to insure the health of our oceans.

Press Contact:
Anne Biddle
Anne@MarineMammalConservancy.org
(401) 487.4642

The Marine Mammal Conservancy in conjunction with other organizations has rehabilitated and responded to over 350 marine mammals, 18 different species, covering around 97 stranding events. These events allow the public to experience the rehabilitation process first hand as well as become “Citizen Scientists” in the efforts to understand the health and ecology of our oceans.

In addition, MMC provides research data and other information to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for tissue sampling and long term studies, U S Navy for acoustical sensitivity data and studies, Harbor Branch Oceanographic for heart studies, Portland State University for stomach content studies, University of Southern California for muscle and brain sample studies, among others.

MMC also provides results and studies of the animals they rehabilitate to the Chicago Zoological Society, Mote Marine Laboratory, the University of Georgia Athens Pathology lab, Speak Dolphin, the University of Mississippi, and the University of Central Florida.  In addition to these, MMC cooperates and works with many other different agencies, museums, and Universities.

MMC is part of the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) Southeast United States Marine Mammal Stranding Network.  The National Marine Fisheries Service is a part of the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Each organization performing this work is authorized to do so by NMFS through a Stranding Agreement.  MMC operates under this type of Agreement in compliance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act, provisions of the Endangered Species Act and provisions of the Animal Welfare Act as well as all other relevant federal regulations.

HONORARY DIRECTORS
Robert Denenberg

ADVISORY BOARD

CONSULTANT
Martin E. Firestone, Esquire

FLORIDA COUNSEL
Henry M. Knoblock, Esquire

Backgrounds of a few MMC representatives…

Robert G. Lingenfelser graduated from Miami Dade College, with an Associate in Arts Degree from the Mechanical / Ocean Engineering Program.  He also holds numerous certifications in diving expertise, including a Diver Medical Technician certification as well as an Air/Mixed Gas and Bell/Saturation certification from the College of Oceaneering in Wilmington, CA.  He worked for many years as a commercial diver in Asia and the Middle East, before transitioning over to working with marine mammals in 1987.  His career began as a dolphin trainer assistant for the Ocean Reef Club before moving on to be named the President of the Marine Mammal Conservancy in 1995.  Robert is the primary contact for MMC and oversees all operations of the corporation, including the management, logistics and husbandry/rehabilitation program of all stranded animals that MMC responds to.

Art Cooper – A senior marine mammal facility executive with over 20 years of experience, Cooper holds the position of Vice President/Curator of Dolphins Plus Key Largo, responsible for $15 US million in animal assets.  Cooper developed and manages all animal in water interactions for Island Dolphin Care (IDC), a not for profit Key Largo based organization working primarily with special needs children and at risk individuals.  He also holds the Curator position of Dolphin Cove Key Largo, $3 million in animal assets.  He was instrumental in the creation and development of Dolphin Resorts Tortola, BVI in conjunction with Prospect Reef Resort in 2001 where he served as program director and Curator, $4 million in animal assets.  In 2003, Cooper assisted in the planning and development of Dolphin Resorts Dominica, WI, where he served as Director of Operations and Curator, $4 million in animal assets.

Cooper is the Vice Chairman of The Marine Mammal Conservancy (MMC), a not for profit marine mammal rescue organization based in Key Largo, FL.  He served as Chairman from 2004 till 2009.  He serves as the Chairman of the Scientific, Research and Review Committee and is an Executive Board Member.  Cooper has been responsible for creating a world class Independent Advisory Group made up of marine mammal veterinarians, facility planners and managers, and the top marine mammal researchers.   Cooper was the long time President of the Marine Mammal Rescue Foundation of the Upper Keys and a board member of MMRF since 1990.  He has also held a personal Letter of Authorization from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to conduct stranding activities regarding marine mammals in US waters.

Cooper is experienced in marine mammal husbandry, rescue, emergency medical care, animal acquisition, facility design, development, and operation.  His responsibilities include: local and international transports, animal enclosure development and maintenance, education of animal care, husbandry, and training staff, facilitating insurance for all in-water programs, program development, all human resources, implementing regulatory requirements, maintaining husbandry standards, and ensuring a positive working environment for staff and animals.

Dr. Robert O. Stevens graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University, in 1975.  Dr. Stevens worked in private practice with Dr. Deke Beusse, prior to joining the veterinary team as Staff Veterinarian and Assistant Curator of Mammal and Birds at Sea World Ohio, in 1977.  In 1985, Dr. Stevens established the Mobile Veterinary Clinic, a private exotic and small animal practice.  Around the same time, he became the contract veterinarian for Epcot’s then-newly constructed Living Seas Pavilion.  Dr. Stevens is currently the Director of Animal Health Services at Dolphins Plus and Dolphin Cove and is the Veterinarian of Record for MMC.  Dr. Stevens’ has worked with a wide range of exotic animals, from marine mammals, birds, fish and reptiles to both small and large species of domestic animals.

Dr. Micah C. Brodsky graduated from the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Veterinary Medicine, in 2002.  Since then, he has been involved with a number of different projects as a consulting veterinarian, including the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle Research Project at the La Flor Wildlife Refuge in Paya La Flor, Rivas, Nicaragua.  He has also worked on the Wild Dolphin Health and Risk Assessment Program at the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, as well as the Marine Mammal Health Assessment, Sirenia Project regarding manatee biology, ecology and adaptive management in the south Florida area.  He has worked primarily with wildlife and continues to work and volunteer time for a variety of domestic and international conservation projects.  Dr. Brodsky is currently staff veterinarian for Dolphins Plus and Dolphin Cove and consulting veterinarian for MMC.  Dr. Brodsky’s professional interests include clinical medicine, conservation medicine and epidemiology.

Marine Mammal Conservancy’s  Natural Lagoon Rehabilitation Or Open Water Status Record Since 1987
(including participations with other stranding organizations)

Note: The Percentage of success is based on the following formula:
Total number of marine mammals in items 1 through 3 (152) divided by the total number of marine mammals in items 1 through 5 (225) = 67%

Many organizations only count the number of marine mammals that were initially believed to be treatable but died.  The Marine Mammal Conservancy includes all marine mammals that come to us regardless of their medical status.

Other Statistics:
Assists with other strandings but not involved in Rehabilitation: 6
Assist with Manatees (No known deaths): 6
Assist with Sea Turtles: 3
Shark Releases: (10 Nurse Sharks, 2 Lemon Sharks): 12
Total Marine Animal Response: 150

Evaluation Criteria
Of the above releases, the Marine Mammal Conservancy is the only known organization to successfully release a pilot whale which has overcome the deadly morbilli virus so that her genes could be passed on to a new generation. The joint MMRF/MMC team along with advice from Dr. Charles Manire, DVM of Mote Marine Labs is also the only known organization to successfully stabilize a Dwarf Sperm Whale for attempted treatment. Though this Dwarf Sperm Whale only lived for eleven (11) days, no other organization has been able to keep this species alive for more than 36 hours, much less been able to stabilize one. The Dwarf Sperm Whale had a heart condition known as cardio myopathy (weakening of the heart muscle) and no known cure was possible. When taking the true number of animals in to rehabilitation, MMC has one of the best records of care in the United States for cetaceans.

The construction of a dedicated natural water facility will allow MMC to further the science of low stress natural environment medical treatment, rehabilitation and the furtherance of release protocols.

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