Atlantis, Paradise Island is celebrating further successes in an already incredible success story! Data recently collected from a tag fitted on a rare male spotted dolphin – a species considered “data-deficient” – back in October 2018 has provided field experts with valuable information essential to ensuring the future survival of the species.  

The dolphin, dubbed M&M for “Modern Miracle” and because of the spots covering his skin by Atlantis team members, was reported to be in distress and rescued from waters surrounding Great Stirrup Cay, The Berry Islands in late August.  

Transported to Atlantis’ Animal Rescue Center for rehabilitation, M&M was tagged and released back in the wild, in the waters of Bimini after two months of round-the-clock intensive treatment and care.   

Recent reports from M&M’s tag shows “fairly consistent and reasonable patterns of locations and movements” and according to Atlantis Vice President of Marine Mammal Operations, Ted Turner, visuals on M&M confirmed earlier in January found the dolphin swimming north of Bimini with other spotted dolphins.   

“This is the first time in zoological history that a stranded spotted dolphin has been rehabilitated, tagged, released and confirmed as “repatriated” with his former group, thus fulfilling the mission of the stranding network which is to give species an opportunity to fulfill their biological imperative and contribute to population sustainability.  

This is an incredible feat and the team at Atlantis couldn’t be more proud to be a part of such an amazing effort.   

In fact, when I informed the team about M&M’s sighting, literally cheers went up and they got pretty emotional. There is no greater gift in this career than seeing your efforts pay off.”   

An estimated 200 spotted dolphins are found in The Bahamas and M&M is just one of approximately 30 mature males.   

M&M’s tracking details are being provided by Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program.  

The dolphin’s rescue last year was a collaborative effort between the Department of Marine Resources and Fisheries, the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, Bahamas Marine Mammal Rescue Organization, the Wild Dolphin Project and the Dolphin Communication Project.

Over the last 60 years, The Bahamas National Trust has worked to save the Bahamas' flamingo population from extinction, but there is still more work to do.

You can help us keep our flamingo population strong and healthy.

Symbolically adopt a flamingo this #GivingTuesday and support our flamingo conservation efforts. Please visit www.bnt.bs/flamingo on Giving Tuesday to adopt.

Bahamas National Trust

 

A MASSACHUSETTS woman, who was airlifted to Florida after a shark attack in Abaco over the weekend, is reportedly recovering in hospital after successful surgery to save her fingers. Maggie Ewing, a 34-year-old part-time resident of Abaco, was reportedly coming to the surface of the water just off Treasure Cay on Sunday when a black-tip reef shark bit her hand...

A MASSACHUSETTS woman, who was airlifted to Florida after a shark attack in Abaco over the weekend, is reportedly recovering in hospital after successful surgery to save her fingers.

Maggie Ewing, a 34-year-old part-time resident of Abaco, was reportedly coming to the surface of the water just off Treasure Cay on Sunday when a black-tip reef shark bit her hand...

 

“Realizing the 2020 Goal to Effectively Manage and Expand Bahamian Marine Protected Areas” was the aim of the press conference held at the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources, Wednesday, July 25, 2018.

The Hon. Michael C. Pintard, Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources wanted to make it his mission to “make sure that every stakeholder is aware of what is being contemplated”.

Stakeholders will have the chance to give feedback on the Ministry’s future ideas, which appeared in The Nassau Guardian, Wednesday, July 25, 2018 and will appear again on Monday, July 30, 2018.

There are currently several marine protected areas in The Bahamas.

Director of the Bahamas Nature Conservancy, Shenique Smith explained that some benefits of marine protected areas include food security, economic benefits in the Fisheries and Tourism sectors, storm surge reduction, and cultural and recreational uses.

She described a marine protected area as “a clearly defined area of the sea or coastline which receives a higher level of legal protection and management than surrounding areas… these areas can also be managed as multi-use areas with zones that permit different types of activities compatible with maintaining a healthy marine environment or as a ‘fisheries replenishment area’ where no fishing or extraction of any kind is permitted”. This helps to increase the amount of fish caught in surrounding areas because fish in protected areas get a chance to breed more efficiently.

The list of proposed Marine Protected Areas can be found on Facebook page: Bahamas Protected or @242Protected.

Please comment by responding to the three questions posted or send your responses to bahamasprotected@gmail.com. It is important to the Government to get support and feedback from the public; particularly those whose main livelihoods depend directly on marine resources.

Caption Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, the Hon. Michael Pintard held a press conference at his office concerning Marine Protected Areas, Wednesday, July 25, 2018. Pictured from left: Eric Carey, Executive Director, Bahamas National Trust; Shenique Albury-Smith, Director, Nature Conservancy; Philip Weech, Director, BEST Commission; Minister Pintard and Carlton Bowleg, Parliamentary Secretary. (BIS Photo/Patrick Hanna)