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.