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A rehabilitated harbor porpoise, which came to the University of New England Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center in September 2003, was released January 20, 2004, three miles off of Portland, Maine.
 A satellite tag will allow scientists to track the porpoise's movements and diving patterns, helping them assess the animal's behavior and health. Known as "Gus," his movements can also be tracked on-line at WhaleNet.
The porpoise (also known as NAIB-03-04-Pp) was a 14-month-old male when he was found emaciated and stranded along North Carolina's Outer Banks in March 2003. He was housed at the National Aquarium in Baltimore until Sept. 5, 2003 when he was flown to Portland, Maine in a U.S. Coast Guard Falcon Jet, escorted by veterinarians and animal care specialists.
The porpoise continued his final stages of rehabilitation at the UNE Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center until his release on January 20. The animal was transported out to sea in a specially designed insulated cetacean carrier and released into 40 degree F water and 21 degree F air temp (wind chill put this at 11 degrees).
At the time of his stranding, he was 117 cm and weighed 21.8 kg. (47.96 lbs). At the time of his release, the animal was 129cm long and weighed a whopping winter weight of42.45 kgs or 93.4 lbs.
Staff and volunteers at the University of New England, the Virginia Marine Science Museum, and the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the three organizations involved in the care of the animal, put in approximately 20,000 hours of care and rehabilitation for its release.
Staff and volunteers at the University of New England and the National Aquarium in Baltimore extended their thanks to the NE Region Stranding Network and the ongoing support of the U.S. Coast Guard and the NOAA Fisheries Service.
Background
The harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) was found stranded March 21, 2003, along the Outer Banks. After spending a night at the Virginia Marine Science Museum in Virginia Beach, Va. for observation, volunteers drove him to Baltimore, Md. During his five-month stay in at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the porpoise gained strength and an impressive 35 pounds. Upon his arrival in Maine, he weighed 75 pounds.
The pool housing the porpoise at the UNE Marine Science Center was filled with natural seawater (NAIB uses manmade seawater). Upon its arrival at UNE, the porpoise still had a couple of lesions on its body that the natural seawater helped to heal.
Porpoises, solitary creatures found off the Mid-Atlantic coast during the winter, migrate north to the Gulf of Maine during the warmer months.
Northeast Region Stranding Network
UNE's Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center and the National Aquarium's Marine Animal Rescue Program are members of the Northeast Region Stranding Network. The network is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service.
The National Aquarium in Baltimore, a non-profit organization, is Baltimore's leading attraction, hosting more than 1.6 million visitors per year. The Aquarium's mission is to connect people with aquatic life in order to create a better world for both. Its impact extends well beyond the walls through more than a dozen programs that serve the environment and the community.
The University of New England is an independent university with two distinctive campuses on the coast of southern Maine. The University's mission is to educate men and women to advance the quality of human life and the environment. The Biddeford, Maine campus features a unique Marine Science Center that combines education, research and marine mammal rehabilitation in one facility. |
