Dolphins left stranded after Hurricane Milton rescued from Florida lagoon

MATLACHA, Fla. – Two dolphins likely stranded from Hurricane Milton‘s storm surge were freed from a Florida mangrove this week, more than two months after the storm, by local law enforcement and wildlife teams.

On Monday, officials with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office in Southwest Florida were alerted to several dolphins in a shallow lagoon deep within the mangroves near Matlacha. According to the sheriff’s office, the lagoon was only 2 to 3 feet deep at high tide, and only 2 feet of water was in the trails leading to open water, which prevented the dolphins from swimming out.

Wildlife and LCSO teams conducting a shallow-water rescue of two stranded dolphins in Lee County, Florida on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024.

(Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) / FOX Weather)

The sheriff’s office Marine Unit and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) biologists responded to the lagoon on Tuesday and found two dolphins alive and one deceased dolphin. 

FWC staff told FOX Weather the dolphins may have accessed the area during Hurricane Milton’s impacts around Oct. 9.

On Wednesday, FWC, the sheriff’s office, MOTE Marine, Brookfield Zoo Chicago-Sarasota, Dolphin Research Program and Clearwater Aquarium conducted a complicated rescue using shallow-water boats and equipment.

Wildlife and LCSO teams conducting a shallow-water rescue of two stranded dolphins in Lee County, Florida on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024.

(FWC / FOX Weather)

“With all hands on deck, Lee County Marine Unit deputies jumped in to help. Both dolphins were placed on floating mats and pulled through over 300 yards of mud and muck, and then towed by boat to deeper waters,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

FWC officials said the two dolphins were tagged and released into the wild in Matlacha Pass.