Date: Jun 8, 1999 Grampus griseus, 4 months old, Female, 121cm, 25kg, 35 days alive
Location: the beach near Hualien Airport
Situation: The dolphin beached on the beach near Hualien Airport on June 8, 1999, and was transported by Hualien County Government to our aquarium at 3:30 AM next morning. Our aquarium was commissioned to rescue and rehabilitate the dolphin. Also, it was the first time that Taiwan Cetacean Society had volunteers to take part in the rescue. When the young dolphin reached the aquarium, it was badly dehydrated and rather thin; it couldn’t balance in the water, and its breath stank because of the serious pneumonia. The veterinary staff made every effort to provide for its recovery. For a period of time, it seemed to be recovering, eating and swimming, but its lung infection came back on July 7. It died at 4:06PM on July 13 despite the efforts we made to rescue it. It survived 35 days after it beached.
Cause of Death: Suppurative pneumonia, right-side heart failure, and intestinal infection
Rescue teams:
Taiwan Cetacean Society
Cetacean rescue team from the Planning Bureau of National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium