Gus
Gus was reported stranded at Aux Chenes, LA in a community pond used for drainage and septic run-off. Gus, at only 158 cm, was a very young, strong Bottlenose dolphin that became disoriented during the storm surge of Hurricane Gustav, resulting in his predicament.
By the time the TMMSN was notified, Gus had been trapped in this acre-size pond for about 24 days.
Due to the large size and depth (approximately 3 acres square with a depth of 15') of the pond where Gus was trapped, a joint rescue effort was coordinated between a number of volunteers working under the authority of the National Marine Fisheries Service Marine Mammal Stranding Program. After several hours of persistent effort, feisty little Gus was finally, and safely captured and saved from what would have been a long, prolonged illness and death in poor water quality and nutritional options.
Gus was taken to New Orleans for rehabilitation where he was in the care of the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas stranding and rehabilitation program.