Published: November 14, 2009 06:00 pm      

Dolphin found stranded after Tropical Storm Ida

GULF SHORES, Ala. — An Atlantic bottlenose dolphin has been rescued after it was found stranded inland following Tropical Storm Ida’s brush with the Alabama coast.

A jogger found the dolphin out of the water Tuesday morning shortly after the storm had hit the area. The 190-pound dolphin was found at the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge in Gulf Shores and had been stranded for many hours.

Refuge Manager Jereme Phillips said the dolphin was being treated at The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport, Miss. The institute’s executive director, Moby Solangi, said the dolphin was suffering from dehydration, pneumonia and parasites.

He said the dolphin will be returned to the sea if it fully recovers but would be given to an aquarium if it isn’t strong enough to return to the gulf.