The Cutter Story

Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release of an Atlantic Spotted Dolphin

During the early evening hours of February 14, 2009 a young Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) we have come to know affectionately as “Cutter”

was rescued and brought to the Marine Mammal Conservancy (MMC) in Key Largo, FL for rehabilitation. This is his story.

Cutter was first spotted swimming alone in small circles at the Trumbo Point Naval Base in Key West on February 5, 2009.  MMC personnel responded and began observing him from sunrise to sunset, while authorities from the National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) and MMC decided what should be done. After a short period of time, NMFS, a panel of experts, and MMC made the decision on February 11th that this young animal – underweight, peculiarly out of habitat and alone – needed rescue.  Shortly before MMC’s rescue mission

began, Cutter disappeared from the Naval Base harbor, only to be found hours later swimming alone in shallow waters in another area of the Naval Base.  While MMC personnel watched, a pod of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins approached Cutter, and he joined them.  Although known to intermingle for brief periods of time in the wild, spotted dolphins and bottlenose dolphins do not typically form permanent associations.  Thus, MMC personnel followed the group for approximately 4 hours until darkness set in, hoping that the young dolphin would be permanently adopted by the bottlenose pod.

The next confirmed sighting of Cutter was on February 14^th, where he was located in the basin of the Key West Yacht Club swimming alone once again.  MMC was alerted, and we gathered our gear to head to Key West.  An MMC staff member based in the Key West area had already entered the water with Cutter to start desensitizing him to human presence, and when we arrived, Cutter was swimming circles around Mike as if he had always been there.

Rescue nets were placed into the water, and the area Cutter was swimming in was slowly decreased in size until he literally floated into the arms of MMC volunteers without struggling.

Suffering from malnourishment and dehydration, Cutter was transported from Key West to MMC’s rehabilitation site in Key Largo. It was during this transport that we first heard his signature whistle, or “name”, a sound “given” to each newborn dolphin just as humans are given names. During Cutter’s stay with us, he shared his signature whistle time and time again, and it was always heartwarming to hear.

It wasn’t long before Cutter trusted the husbandry staff enough to begin eating the fish we offered to him, and his personality and spirit flourished each day

as the nourishment and medication he needed took effect and began to help his young body feel better again.

Initially placed into a critical care pool, Cutter regained enough strength within 7 days to be placed into MMC’s natural seawater basin, where he could once again hear all of the sounds of the ocean. Soon, he was breaching and playing “seaweed games” with turtle grass, Sargassum seaweed, and floating leaves, as he would normally do in the wild.  Cutter was a typical young, male dolphin.  He was mischievous, playful, inquisitive, and even shy at times, looking to caregivers for protection as he would look for support from his mother and podmates in the wild.

From his first days with MMC, Cutter captured the hearts of hundreds, if not thousands of people who have heard his story or have had the pleasure of observing him at MMC as part of their volunteer responsibilities.

Cutter also grew noticeably in his short time with us.  Thirty-five pounds and a healthy status have not been his only gains; his personality, too, expanded into a joyful repertoire of normal, healthy dolphin behaviors. We also watched him begin to develop the spotted markings for which his species is known. While he doesn’t have many, to those who have had the honor of knowing him, each spot he developed was a milestone in his journey back to health.

Cutter is estimated to be between 2 and 5 years old by veterinarians and experts who have studied Spotted dolphins for over 20 years, with most of these experts agreeing he is closest to  3 years old. At this age, he was still a juvenile but considered mature enough to have learned the skills he needed to survive in the wild with the help of a pod. After Cutter was deemed completely healthy by staff veterinarians and husbandry personnel, MMC recommended to NMFS that Cutter be released and given a chance to succeed and live once again among his own kind.

On May 12, 2009, after spending nearly three months in rehabilitation at MMC, Cutter was successfully returned to the wild off the coast of Key West!

After searching for more than 2 days to locate a pod of Atlantic spotted dolphins, under the guidance of Dr. Denise Herzing and the Wild Dolphin Project’s Research Vessel the R/V “Stenella”, a pod of approximately 22 Stenella frontalis were located 4 miles due West of Key West in 130 feet of water.

MMC husbandry personnel and Staff Veterinarian Dr. Robert O. Stevens placed Cutter onto the “Sea Breeze”, a 45’ Corinthian of “C and T Tours”, and the team headed out to meet the R/V Stenella and the pod of Stenella frontalis they were tracking. A small VHF radio transmitter was attached to Cutter’s dorsal fin to help researchers aboard the R/V Stenella track him after his release.

About 10 miles to the southwest of the island, the Sea Breeze slowly approached the starboard side of the R/V Stenella, and both vessels traveled in synchronicity. The pod quickly took to bow riding off the release boat.

After several minutes of observing their behavior to make sure that they were comfortable with the new vessel’s presence, the R/V Stenella remained slightly behind the release vessel to allow the pod of adults, juveniles, and calves to join the boat alone, playing in her bow wake or just ahead of her.

Cutter was placed into position for release, and the boat engines were idled.  With one, large, adult Stenella frontalis on the port bow and two, large, adult Stenella frontalis on the starboard bow, Cutter was released into the water between them.

After the release, the pod split into smaller groups, swimming in different directions.  While the release boat stayed with one group, the R/V Stenella followed Cutter’s signal. The signal allowed the research team to track Cutter into the night.

Cutter’s signal was lost that same night when the research vessel “Stenella” could not follow because of shallow water. Maritime and aerial surveillance continued throughout the duration of the tracking period, but neither Cutter’s signal nor any of the pod were spotted again. We are all hoping that Cutter is still living life with the zest we observed at MMC and doing well with his new family!

Cutter’s care and release efforts involved the dedication and compassion of hundreds of volunteers and donors.  The costs involved in these efforts were considerable, including the creation and maintenance of a temporary rehabilitation site in Key West, tagging and tracking equipment, food and medication needed to help Cutter get

better, and fuel for the research and release vessels, as well as the aerial tracking and surveillance planes and boats.

MMC is an IRS-designated 501(c) (3), all-volunteer, non-profit corporation that receives 100% of its financial support for the work they do through private donations. MMC does not receive government funding and could not do this work without the generosity and support of donors.