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JACKSON, Mississippi (AP) -- Scientists rescued two of eight dolphins on Thursday that were swept out of their aquarium tanks and into the Gulf of Mexico by Hurricane Katrina.
The rescued dolphins are being kept at a nearby Holiday Inn swimming pool.
Once the other six are rescued, the dolphins will be taken to nearby saltwater pools provided by the Navy for medical evaluation and treatment.
The dolphins were spotted while swimming near the Port of Gulfport on Saturday by scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration conducting an aerial survey to assess hurricane damages to natural resources, the agency said.
Dolphin trainers joined the scientists on the rescue mission.
Because the dolphins have spent much of their lives in captivity, they may not have developed the survival skills necessary to avoid predators and boat traffic, the scientists said. (Watch video of Tony, Kelly, Noah and Jill frolicking in the Gulf of Mexico -- 2:05)
The dolphins' home had been a 30-foot high tank at Gulfport's nearly 50-year-old Marine Life Oceanarium, which had survived Hurricane Camille but was destroyed by Katrina.
Three of eight dolphins were born at the aquarium, said Moby Solangi, the aquarium's owner.
"Once we realized the dolphins had been swept out to sea during the hurricane, we feared that they had died," Solangi said. "We are just thrilled that they have stayed together during the past couple of weeks."
On Wednesday, caretakers were feeding the dolphins several times a day but the mammals appeared to be significantly underweight and had severe to minor wounds, said Teri Rowles, lead veterinarian for NOAA's Fisheries Service.
Before Katrina struck, some of the younger dolphins from the aquarium were moved inland to hotel swimming pools and were not threatened by the storm. They have since been moved to aquariums in Florida.
Nineteen sea lions also were missing from the Oceanarium.
One of those, Andre, a 250-pound sea lion, has found a temporary home at the Memphis Zoo.
The storm washed him from his pen and he wandered for 11 days before he was discovered behind a casino and shipped to Memphis.
Andre lost about 100 pounds but specialists said he's in good shape
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/TECH/sci....ap/index.html
The rescued dolphins are being kept at a nearby Holiday Inn swimming pool.
Once the other six are rescued, the dolphins will be taken to nearby saltwater pools provided by the Navy for medical evaluation and treatment.
The dolphins were spotted while swimming near the Port of Gulfport on Saturday by scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration conducting an aerial survey to assess hurricane damages to natural resources, the agency said.
Dolphin trainers joined the scientists on the rescue mission.
Because the dolphins have spent much of their lives in captivity, they may not have developed the survival skills necessary to avoid predators and boat traffic, the scientists said. (Watch video of Tony, Kelly, Noah and Jill frolicking in the Gulf of Mexico -- 2:05)
The dolphins' home had been a 30-foot high tank at Gulfport's nearly 50-year-old Marine Life Oceanarium, which had survived Hurricane Camille but was destroyed by Katrina.
Three of eight dolphins were born at the aquarium, said Moby Solangi, the aquarium's owner.
"Once we realized the dolphins had been swept out to sea during the hurricane, we feared that they had died," Solangi said. "We are just thrilled that they have stayed together during the past couple of weeks."
On Wednesday, caretakers were feeding the dolphins several times a day but the mammals appeared to be significantly underweight and had severe to minor wounds, said Teri Rowles, lead veterinarian for NOAA's Fisheries Service.
Before Katrina struck, some of the younger dolphins from the aquarium were moved inland to hotel swimming pools and were not threatened by the storm. They have since been moved to aquariums in Florida.
Nineteen sea lions also were missing from the Oceanarium.
One of those, Andre, a 250-pound sea lion, has found a temporary home at the Memphis Zoo.
The storm washed him from his pen and he wandered for 11 days before he was discovered behind a casino and shipped to Memphis.
Andre lost about 100 pounds but specialists said he's in good shape
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/TECH/sci....ap/index.html
July 2 2005 
Flipper! Oh Flipper! Where are you flipper!!!! 
It was one of my favorite shows.
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