MATLACHA, Fla. — Two stranded dolphins were rescued from a maze of mangroves near Matlacha on Wednesday after being trapped for weeks in a shallow lagoon with no escape route to open water. The rescue involved a coordinated effort by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit and multiple wildlife organizations, who navigated challenging conditions to save the 9-foot adults.
The dolphins were first spotted late Monday night by witnesses who alerted authorities. By Tuesday morning, biologists from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) joined deputies to assess the situation. The dolphins were located in a lagoon only 2 to 3 feet deep at high tide, with trails leading to open water measuring even less, preventing the animals from escaping on their own.
FWC biologists believe the dolphins may have been stranded since a high tide in mid-November, or possibly as far back as Hurricane Milton in October, when water levels rose significantly. Rescuing the dolphins required navigating through thick mud and narrow mangrove canals.
On Wednesday, teams from the FWC, Mote Marine Laboratory, Brookfield Zoo’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, and Clearwater Marine Aquarium joined Lee County deputies with shallow-water boats and specialized equipment. After hours of effort, the dolphins were carefully placed onto floating mats and pulled by hand through over 300 yards of dense mud to deeper waters. They were then towed by boat to Matlacha Pass, where FWC biologists evaluated their health, attached satellite tracking tags, and released them.
“The teamwork and commitment displayed by everyone involved ensured the safe return of these dolphins to their natural habitat,” a spokesperson from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
The dolphins are now under satellite monitoring to track their movements and ensure their successful reintegration into open waters.