Rehabilitation - Dolphin Marine Magic

Rehabilitation is at the heart of everything we do at Dolphin Marine Magic. Over the years we have successfully rehabilitated and released hundreds of animals, including dolphins, seals, turtles and sea birds back out into the wild for a second chance at life. The photos above are of a rescued pelican that was found with a fishing hook stuck in its throat, with the pelican eventually released. we were pleased the ending of the story was a happy one.

Since it's inception, Dolphin Marine Magic has been all about assisting with the rehabilitation and release of sick and injured marine life. Although legislation and our role working with governement departments may have changed over the years, one thing that hasn't changed and that is our determination and commitment to assisting animals in need.

At present, Dolphin Marine Magic only has the facilities to rehabilitate marine reptiles and sea birds onsite at the park. However, our Marine Mammal Specialists and Veterinarian still attend many cetacean and pinniped (seal) strandings each year, assisting National Parks and Wildlife Services officers in anyway we can. In order for us to assist these injuried marine mammals further, and provide long term rehabilitation care if required before their release, Dolphin Marine Magic is developing plans to build a specalised marine animal hospital onsite in the near future.

In 1995, the Australian Federal Government passed laws making it illegal for any Australian organisations to take cetaceans into human care for exhibition purposes, unless directed to by the national regulating bodies. They also made it against the law to buy, trade, import or poach cetaceans in Australia.

For more stories about our commitment to rehabilitation and release and indivdual case files, please click on the 'News' link below.

Cetaceans

Over the years, Dolphin Marine Magic has assisted in the rescue, rehabilitation or releases of a variety of cetaceans species including Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops aduncus), Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus gillii), Risso’s Dolphins (Grampus griseus), Melon Headed Whales (Peponocephala electra), Pygmy Sperm Whales (Kogia breviceps) and a Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata).

Pinnipeds

In the last 40 years plus, Dolphin Marine Magic has rescued, rehabilitated or released of a variety of pinnipeds species including Australian Sea Lions (neophoca cinerea), New Zealand Fur Seals (Arctocephalus forsteri ), Leopard Seals (Hydrurga leptonyx), Subantarctic Fur Seals (Arctocephalus tropicalis and a Southern Elephant Seal (Mirounga leonine).

Marine Turtles

Dolphin Marine Magic has been rehabilitating turtles for over 40 years and in this time has released hundreds of these majestic creatures back out into our oceans. The main species that comes into care is the Green Sea turtle and they often present with a disease called “Floating Syndrome”, where gas builds up in their coloemic cavity and prevents them from diving beneath the surface.

Animal Rehabilitation Hospital

In order to improve our ability to care for sick and injured marine life and provide long term rehabilitation services to both cetaceans and pinnipeds, Dolphin Marine Magic is currently developing plans to build a dedicated marine rescue hospital.