A resilient, young rough-toothed dolphin, is being rehabilitated at Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Fred Howard Park location after the animal was found stranded on Longboat Key last week. On Friday, Feb. 10 at 6:00 p.m. Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) received a report from NOAA that MOTE Marine Laboratory & Aquarium was responding to a young, female rough-toothed dolphin stranded off Longboat Key. MOTE assessed the animal’s health and transported the animal to CMA for rehabilitation at its Fred Howard Park location. The veterinary staff at CMA continues to assess what may have caused the stranding. There were reports of beachgoers attempting to push the dolphin back to the water before trained professionals arrived on the scene. The juvenile rough-toothed dolphin is a female weighing 156 lbs. upon intake and 198 cm. According to NOAA Fisheries, this species can get up to 8.5 feet long, 350 lbs. and have a lifespan of 36 years. Rough-toothed dolphins are usually found in tight-knit groups of 10 to 20 individuals but have been reported in groups of up to 100 individuals. They often associate with other cetacean species, including short-finned pilot whales, bottlenose dolphins, pantropical spotted dolphins, and spinner dolphins. If the public sees a marine mammal in distress, it’s important to remember not to intervene, and call trained responders at (877) WHALE-HELP. The public should remain at a safe distance, and if conditions allow, take photos to share with biologists once they arrive on scene. This is the first dolphin to be rehabilitated at CMA’s Fred Howard Park rehab facility since 2020, when Rudolph, another rough-toothed dolphin, was transported and rehabilitated there.