Georgia Aquarium’s Dolphin Conservation Field Station (GAI-DCFS) opened today in Marineland, FL just outside St. Augustine, FL, with a ceremonial ribbon cutting by Georgia Aquarium benefactor, Bernie Marcus and Marineland of Florida owner, Jim Jacoby.
The conservation field station includes research and veterinary facilities, quarantine pools for rehabilitating rescued animals, both land and water animal rescue vehicles and housing for researchers and staff. The team will conduct research, and it will also fill a need for rescue and rehabilitation of stranded animals in Georgia and northeast Florida. After a successful rescue and rehabilitation, animals deemed releasable by National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will be reintroduced into their respective habitats. Animals deemed by NMFS to be unfit for release will be provided a home selected by NMFS.
“We welcome Georgia Aquarium’s Dolphin Conservation Field Station to the Southeast U.S. Marine Mammal Stranding Network,” said Blair Mase-Guthrie, NOAA Fisheries’ southeast stranding network coordinator. “We look forward to collaborating with their experts on marine mammal strandings and appreciate their willingness to participate in the program.