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Fins to Feather

by Scarlet Colley - July, 2000

Great news from fins to feathers. Capt. Colley and I are pleased to let everyone know that showed their concern for our little injured dolphin Boo Boo that he is doing better than we ever expected him to. He no longer holds his tail crooked as he surfaces for his breath of air. As you may have read in our article about him, he suffered quite an injury to his tail and came very close to having his spinal cord severed. We have been keeping a close eye on him as he and his mother Yogi come up to greet us seeming to sense we were concerned about his injury. The first few weeks of recovery, Little Boo Boo could not move his tail the normal way dolphins do as they surface and go back under the water. The tail or fluke usually comes up as they dive back down. Boo Boo's tail, because of the severe cut across his lower back, drooped down as he would dive. We knew that he was going to be all right as he always kept up with his mother Yogi and she would allow him to play around us as long as we have our engine shut down. We thought that he would always have that deformity and are so happy to see that his tail is beginning to function normally as his injury heals. We have really fallen for this cutey and he seems to already know his name. His mother Yogi seems to be very happy about her baby's good fortune. It was a real celebration for us to see his quick and almost complete recovery.

Another really incredible thing we encountered near dolphin point is finally seeing something that we suspected for years. We know how our dolphins love to play with each other, birds, turtles, seaweed, jellyfish and we just knew that they must also play with ink fish also known as seahares. We have actually seen them playing with all the other things even fish. So when the other night a dolphin we know as Frosty, came near our Skimmer and put his head up in the air holding an inkfish we were delighted.

Of course It all happened so quickly that I didn't have my camera out and there all around him was a big pool of the purple dye that the ink fish produces when harassed. What a sight! Right there in front of us. Everyone aboard was amazed at seeing such a spectacular event. I am beginning to think our dolphins can read our minds! Life with our wonderful dolphin family is so incredible each day. Each day we learn more about their lifestyles and the wonderful things that they do. We are going to SEAWORLD to see Gilly this week and can't wait to let all of you know how he is doing. Gilly is one of our dolphins who as a tiny baby was found at the end of the causeway almost six years ago wrapped in a gill net and was given a one percent chance to live, but with all the great care he received and all who came together to help him he thrived and now has a wonderful home at SEAWORLD in San Antonio. So join us next issue for an update on Gilly.

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