Dolphin Rescue Operation in Istanbul 2011

On June 30, 2011, the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture under the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs reported a wounded dolphin off the coast of Haydarpaşa, Istanbul. It was reported that the fisherman who found the dolphin took it to the Fisheries Control Boat of the Directorate in Fenerbahçe. In order to protect its skin from drying, the dolphin was covered and kept on a stretcher, on the sea surface, through the assistance of divers, until the expert team arrived.

There were wounds, caused by entangling with a long line, on the tail fluke of the young female bottlenose dolphin. The dolphin did not move its tail fluke properly due to exhaustion and pain. Her wounds were attended. Within the marina and far from human activity, a designated area in the sea was surrounded with nets. The dolphin was carried into this pool with the help of the volunteers, and her wounds were checked up during the process. She was given the necessary antibiotics, painkillers and vitamins. Following a significant normalization of her movements and behaviour, the experts decided to release her back to the nature. Having been released 1 nautical mile off the coast with the help of rescue boats, she first waited on the surface for a couple of minutes, and then dove and disappeared into the water.

The Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV) thanks our brother Yılmaz DAĞCI, Rıza İrkut from the SETUR Marina Administration, Rıfat AKÜLGER and Ahmet AKTÜRK from the Fisheries Control Boat, Fisherman Mazlum, the personnel of all organizations that helped out in this operation, and the volunteers.

Organizations

Faculty of Fisheries, Istanbul University

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University

Fisheries Control Branch, Provincial Directorate of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Turkey

Kocaeli Provincial Directorate of Control Laboratory, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Turkey

SETUR Fenerbahçe-Kalamış Marina

AKUT

DAK/SAR

Response Team

Assoc. Prof. Ayhan DEDE, PhD

Research Assistant Arda M. TONAY, PhD

Vet. Erdem DANYER, MSc